Problems with 2008 Jeep Wrangler SUSPENSION

I have a 2008 jeep wrangler sahara unlimited with 50,000 miles and purchased new. i have been experiencing "death wobble" or an uncontrollable shaking in the front end of my vehicle intermittently but generally at speeds of 40 mph and higher. i took the vehicle to my mechanic who inspected the front end, tires, brakes and alignment which all were fine. i later went to the jeep dealership service center who said i had "death wobble" but could not give me a definitive cause or cost to repair. after researching this on-line, i discovered that this is a wide spread problem that jeep has known about for years http://www.jeepz.com/forum/suspension/29510-wrangler-death-wobble-what-causes-how-fix.html. my vehicle is completely stock with no modifications and i do not use it off-road. additionally it is very well maintained and i have had no accidents or major repairs. here is a video of my experience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pen1it91z0 i have read that congress addressed this with jeep and jeep has issued a technical bulletin http://editorial.autos.msn.com/blogs/autosblogpost.aspx?post=bb1d0352-f579-4468-b24f-60869e95d02f but that is all. please advise as to what i can do to address this issue. i live in nys. does the "lemon-law" apply here? *tr

The wobble of death this is my third time i had to take it in for this problem been fixed one 6 months later started right back up again. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. while driving 45 to 65 mph, the front end of the vehicle shook violently out of control and caused the suspension to become unstable. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the tires needed to be balanced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the steering damper, but the failure recurred two days after the repair was performed. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

I was coming off the freeway onto an exit and the jeep started shaking really bad, almost to the point that i couldn't control it. i pulled to the side of the road and my boys thought it was a flat tire (or two) so they got out and looked. no flat. we were almost to our destination so once i settled down, went the rest of the way with no problem. i have not had that happen again since then but it is very scary and with one or both of my kids in the car at all times, i don't want anything to happen. what is it and how can it be fixed? the dealer has no idea and look at me like i have lost it. *tr

During a routine maintenance service, the dealer noticed a large amount of "play" in the steering wheel of our 2008 jeep wrangler sahara 2-door. it measured greater than the allowable movement. after reading about the effects of "death wobble" it was decided that this could be the early signs of this problem. with the numerous documented cases of this issue, we asked the dealer to contact chrysler to cover the $600+ repair/upgrade that was suggested(including an upgraded steering damper, upgraded tie rod, and wheel alignment). the vehicle is completely stock, well maintained, has 35,000 miles, and has never been off-road. the dealer agreed that there was a problem with the factory parts and it shouldn't be our responsibility to cover the cost of the upgrade. they dropped the price down to $100 and it is now being repaired. the vehicle should be ready tomorrow, so we will find out if these new parts will prevent the "death wobble" issue. *tr

Driving down paved road and front end started to shake violently. had to pull over and stop for it to stop. had same problem in march 2011 and took to dealer for repair which only lasted about 4000 mile and 19 months. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. while driving approximately 60 mph, the front end of the vehicle began to shake and the vehicle had no balance. the contact merged to the shoulder of the road, shut off the vehicle and restarted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technicians advised that the failure was unknown. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 49,000 and the current failure mileage was 50,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. the contact stated that the vehicle front end shake violently and swerved from left to right while driving at any speed causing the contact to lose control. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the lower control arm was corroded and cracked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the lower control arm was corroded and cracked. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 12v085000 (suspension: rear). the failure and current mileage was 68,000.

Vehicle began violently shaking on the interstate. it now shakes at any speeds greater than 40 mph and any bumps in the road or turns also set it off. the vehicle was unable to be turned or moved off the road during the shaking and the shaking only stops once the vehicle slows down to under 10 mph. *tr

I have had persistent violent shaking of the front end after hitting minor bumps at highway speeds. the issue is referred to as the "death wobble" by others online and by jeep dealership. they fixed once under warranty at less than 20k miles and now that it is recurring at 38k-47k miles they will not cover. i have made no modifications to the vehicle - it is stock. the issue happened 3 times in one trip this past weekend where i need to bring the car to a near stop on the highway (obviously a dangerous condition). i called jeep corporate (max, level 1 agent. [xxx] rep # 4.2.2013 2:50pm eastern time for a 30 minute + call.) they informed me they would not cover and read a statement. i am shocked that jeep refuses to fix something the dealer quoted me $350 to resolve that is clearly a common defect in their product and causes a serious safety issue. i hope that your organization can encourage proactive resolution before someone is seriously injured or killed. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

While driving at highway speeds, when a pothole or bump is hit by the vehicle, the tires begin to wobble out of control. this causes the steering to fail and violently shake the steering wheel. while coming off or on highway ramps the wobble causes the vehicle to veer off the road.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. the contact stated while driving 45 mph, the front end wobbled violently. the vehicle was stopped, shutdown, and restarted then operated as designed. on a later date while driving 70 mph, the failure recurred. the dealer was notified and informed the contact that the problem could have been due to low tire pressure, a bent rim, or a stabilizer bar. the contact assured them that it was none of those issues. the manufacturer had not been notified. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 25,000.

While driving about 60 mph and then begin to slow down on a major highway (slight bumps in the road). the steering wheel begins to wobble back and forth violently and the whole vehicle shakes like crazy. must slow down immediately (almost to a stop) and then the shaking ceases. i've heard it called the "death wobble" and i understand why. this has happened numerous times over the last 4 years and the jeep dealership has "fixed" the problem numerous times. my wife and children are afraid to ride in the vehicle, and i cannot, in good conscience, sell the vehicle to anyone. the condition seems very dangerous to me. *tr

Death wobble, terrible steering shimmer. driving on highway at 55 mph. hit one bump on the road and all of a sudden the vehicle started shaking violently. i needed to slam on the breaks to keep the vehicle from maybe flipping over. it has happened before, but not this violent. to fix this i installed a dual steering stabilizer set up made by skyjacker. *tr

Hit bumps in the road and the front end starting shaking very badly. had to come to a stop for the shaking to stop. the famous jeep death wobble. at the dealership they acted like they never heard of the problem before. after seeing these complaints i realize its a common problem and jeep should of fixed it. it cost me $400.00 to fix it. also since i purchased this vehicle i complained to the dealership that the transmission shifts funny. they keep telling me there is no fix for this and it is a common problem with this transmission. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler unlimited. while driving at 50 mph, the front end of the vehicle started shaking violently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and an authorized dealer. the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 50,000. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started to shake violently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the track bar was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 84,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. the contact stated the vehicle began to shake violently while driving 50 mph over a bump in the road. the failure ceased when the contact decelerated to a lower speed. the failure occurred on two occasions. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or to be repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 10,000.

The car experienced the so-called "jeep death wobble." at about 65 mph on the freeway, the front end of the car began to shake so violently and uncontrollably that i had no choice but to slow to a stop in the emergency lane. after attempting to drive at highway speed again several minutes later, the wobble occurred a second time, forcing me to pull over once more. had i let go of the steering wheel during the incident, the car would surely have swerved and possibly spun out. *tr

Driving on the highway at approximately 65 miles per hour my front end began to shake and the steering became so erratic that i had to grip the steering wheel to keep the car from veering into another lane of traffic. i was able to slow the car down and pull over to the side of the road. once i began again there was no vibration. this is the second time this has happened within two month. there are many cases of this happening on the internet. it's called the "death wobble" and i don't feel safe in the car anymore. the dealership has told me that its a worn sway bar but 25k miles shouldn't wear out this type of part. *tr

After hitting a bump/change in lane texture, my jeep began to shake violently. i have experienced this about 5 more times since mid march always under the same circumstances. i can slow down/apply the brake and the shake goes away. i understand "death wobble" is a term being applied to this problem. i do not have a life on my jeep nor do i have any after-market tires. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the vehicle would shake violently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that they could replace the bearings on the driver and passenger side suspension. the dealer could not guarantee that the failure would be resolved after the repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 45,000.

2008 jeep wrangler. consumer writes in regards to mechanical problems and brake line routing defect *tgw the consumer stated the first problem he had with the vehicle was the transmission. it began failing to engage and shifting out of gear. the dealer discovered that the transmission oil filter had not been installed and was lying on the bottom of the transmission oil pan. in january 2011, while driving at highway speeds, the consumer began to experience intermittent violent shaking of the entire vehicle, which seemed to be originating from the front end. the consumer stated it felt as though a wheel was loose. the consumer went to a repair shop, where the tie rod and pitman were replaced. two weeks later, the shaking occurred again and soon it became increasingly violent ,making it nearly impossible to control the vehicle and stay in his lane. the consumer returned to the repair shop where they replaced the steering damper, which seemed to correct the problem for awhile. in july, the consumer took the vehicle for a routine maintenance check. while checking the front end, the mechanic was able to get two full turns on a nut on the track bar. since then, the shaking has not occurred. the consumer stated as he approached a line of vehicles stopped at a light, he attempted to apply the brake, but it went soft and to the floor. an inspection revealed a hole in the brake line above the right front wheel, where the line left the wheel well and went into the engine compartment. the hole was caused by rubbing on the line by the edge of the plastic wheel well lining. *jb

Steering went into extreme shimmy i.e. death wobble after small bumps on highway. vehicle lost control and required evasive maneuver to pull over and stop shimmy. extremely dangerous defect in design. *tr

Death wobble 2008 jeep wrangler. bought vehicle in oct 2011, 5 occurrances of death wobble, all on freeways through jan 10th 2012. only recourse is to pull over & stop after hitting a bump or groove in the road. newtons law, every action causes a reaction. front wheels will start shaking begin gradually then violantly until you can luckily pull over & stop. once stopped, you can start again & not experience it again for weeks & then it happens again whenever you least expect it. very hard to even control the vehicle once it abruptly starts. dealer says it's damper needs replaced for 250$. doing this... but this really feels like this should be a recall issue or covered under a easy care warranty that i was duped into buying as well. after 4 months of owning a 20,000$ car & nearly killed 5 times is outrageous. many people wouldn't have been able to control a vehicle if this happened to them. this is a chrysler defect & they should be addressing this before someone is killed by their faulty engineering and/or parts. *tr

Tl* the contact owns 2008 jeep wrangler. while driving approximately 10 mph, the contact heard a grinding noise in the front end of the vehicle and could not control the steering wheel. the vehicle was towed to a dealer for diagnostic. the technicians stated to the contact that the front ball joints were fractured, causing the axle to fracture as well. the technicians stated that the axle was on backorder and not available for repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 38,534.

This is my second online complaint regarding the "death wobble" i have experienced in my jeep. i had the issue "fixed" in september, though it began to happen again in early december. i took my jeep back in to the dealership and they replaced the steering damper with a "high performance" model. they did this at no charge because they said the original "fix" was still under warranty. i thought this took care of things. two days ago, i was driving about 45 mph on a busy service road and the vehicle began to shake violently again. i immediately had to slow down and almost come to a stop before it would stop. nearby drivers had to swerve to miss me and the guy behind me almost rear-ended me. this has got to stop. i took my jeep back to the dealership this morning and they said they would look into it and call me back. the saga continues. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. while driving various speeds, the vehicle shook violently. the dealer stated that the tie rods and steering dampers needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred a year later. the tie rods and the steering dampers needed to be replaced again. on a different occasion, while driving 10 mph, the vehicle suddenly began to wobble. the dealer stated that the rear passenger side axle shaft was bent and caused the failure. the vehicle was repaired. in addition, the air bag indicator illuminated sporadically. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer who specified that the clock spring needed to be repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 13v176000 (air bags) or nhtsa campaign number: 11v528000 (air bags). the failure mileage was 45,010.

The steering wheels and front wheels started shaking violently after hitting a mild bump and that was the first give in a costly ball joint replacement on a stock unabused jeep wrangler. it cost over $1400 to fix through 4 wheel parts. the dealer refused to acknowledge a problem and suggested the tires were simply unbalanced as the problem for the shake that nearly caused serious wreck. *tr

Vehicle begins to shudder from road conditions, then when you strike a bump, or the road surface changes, the vehicles then violently shakes and will not cease until slowed to 30mph or increased to 70mph. very dangerous situation on freeways. it appears that the entire front end is about to shake the wheels loose, then transfers to the rear wheels sometimes. then when it appears the phenomena is over, it can reoccur again just as quickly. my wife refuses to drive it, nor will she allow my son to ride in it until it is resolved. *tr

The vehicle's front end began to vibrate with resonance until the entire vehicle was shaking so badly that it had to be pulled off the side of the road. this phenomenon is well documented by many sources as "death wobble." the initial incident happened while driving on a two-lane highway in good condition. on this same drive, there were two more incidents of death wobble. after these occurrences, the vehicle was taken in to a mechanic for inspection, front-end alignment and tire balancing. there were no more incidents of death wobble until nearly a month later when it occurred on the highway at approximately 70 mph. after this incident, the vehicle was taken to a mechanic that specializes in jeep maintenance and customization. the cause of the problem was identified as slop in the stock track bar. the vehicle has stock suspension, wheels and tires. the vehicle has been well maintained with tire rotations done at regular intervals. other than these incidents of death wobble, the vehicle does not have any other noticeable problems. following the track bar diagnosis, the vehicle was taken to a dealership for inspection. the dealership diagnosed several other front end components as being in need of replacement, at a significantly higher cost, contradictory to the two previous independent inspections. *tr

Known to many who have jeeps, the "death wobble". when this first happened to my daughter's car, thankfully i was the one driving. it was on the interstate and i thought a tire had blown. the steering wheel vibrated uncontrollably and i pulled over. nothing looked wrong but i called a tow truck regardless. they looked at it at the station and could not find anything wrong. i had no idea this was a problem jeep created when they built the vehicle. it is a situation where the front axle begins oscillating with such violence that control of the jeep is difficult until slowed down, and the entire vehicle shakes to the point you feel it will come apart. *tr

I was driving down the highway and all the sudden the whole vehicle including the steering wheel started to shake horribly. i don't feel like i can control the steering when this occurs. stepping on the brakes to slow down/stop makes it worse. once i drop back below 40 mph it stops, til the next time it happens. in the beginning it was only occasionally. recently it has been occurring more frequently. it is very scary when this occurs. my mechanic replaced the steering dampener but that did not fix this issue. i have no idea what this issue is but it is not safe to be driving while this is occurring. *tr

Going up to 50 mph,,,,get severe shaking,,,not safe at all,,,i have spent over $1000 on repairs, re alignments, rotations and had the steering damper replaced 2x by jeep,,,,still does the wobble,,,,i am furious about this.this is very dangerous.the jeep dealership has told me they have done all they can do. *tr

Driving westbound on m-59 in hartland, mi i hit a very small bump in the road and the jeep started to shudder very violently. i had to pull over to the side of the road and stop in order for the shudder to go away. after doing much research on the internet, i have now found out that this is called the death wobble and is a highly common problem that chrysler is aware of and has not done anything to let the public know of the issue.

I was driving on interstate 70 at approximately 65mph, i hit a bump, and my jeep started to shake and vibrate so dramatically that i had to slow down to about 35mph before it would stop. i was so frightened that i pulled over and was afraid to continue driving. thinking it was my tires about ready to fall off, i creeped off of the interstate and drove about 15mph back to the tire dealership where i had bought my tires. they could find nothing wrong. i then took it to the jeep dealership and they replaced the steering dampner and updated a bracket. it did not fix the problem. i took it back to the dealership where they then replaced the drag link end. they then told me it had to be the tires. they, not one time, mentioned what i have now researched and found to be a "death wobble" problem that many jeep owners have experienced. i don't know what to do next. the problem has not been fixed and my tires only have 15k miles on them and i am thinking this is not the problem. the wobble that i have experienced now dozens of times is not only frightening but i fear is very dangerous. i'm not sure what my recourse is at this point. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. while driving approximately 40 mph over a bump in the road, the front end of the vehicle began to shake violently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the tires were balanced, rotated and aligned. the failure occurred a second time; yet, the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated there was a design flaw within the wheels. the approximate failure mileage was 37,000. updated 8/29/11 *cn the consumer believed the defect was in the suspension system, not in the wheels. updated 10/03/11

When my jeep hits a bump on the highway (left tire first) the entire jeep starts shaking violently. it feels like the tires are about to fall off. this happens whenever i go over 50mph (which could be extremely dangerous on the highway with other cars). it doesn't stop until i come to a complete stop. i have found hundreds of posting about this issue and every single one says that chrysler says nothing is wrong. if most jeeps built after 2007 have this issue, maybe it's a manufacturer defect? *tr

Once my vehicle reaches a speed of 50 mph, goes over a bump, or around some turns, it starts to shake uncontrollably. this shaking does not subside until i stop the vehicle. it has gotten worse and worse to the point where it happens about every 2 miles if i am going 50 mph. i can not go above 50 mph which is quite dangerous on the freeway because the speed limits here are 65-70 mph. when i go over a bump and it starts to happen, if there is no place to pull over (which has happened) i must come to a complete stop right where i am, or continue to drive while the vehicle is shaking uncontrollably, and i am unable to steer. this is completely visible to others not inside the vehicle as well, as i have been pulled over, verbally yelled at, honked at, etc... *kb

The vehicle shakes out of control at 50mph or after hitting a bump or flaw in the black top road. the steering wheel shakes out of my hands and you can not get the vehicle controlled until you come to a complete stop. i have replaced tires, shocks and control arms but this will not fix the problem. no one can tell me how to fix the problem and i am unable to drive on a freeway, because i will either hit someone or someone will hit me. people will not drive in my vehicle because of this problem and when someone see it happen, they tell me it looks like the front wheels are going to fall off. *tr

Hitting a uneven patch of road or a solid bump causes the front end to shim to the point that the whole vehicle jerks and the steering wheel feels like it is going to pull out of your hands. happens at least 1-3 times a week. called jeep they are aware of the issue and said it is due to the way the front end is designed and wear on the bushings. they fixed the issue in the 2010 with a heavy duty front end bar and i was told by the service center at a dealer in west palm beach florida that "until a recall is placed i would have to pay out of pocket to fix this issue as the vehicle is out of warranty at this point in time". *tr

This vehicle has the jeep "death wobble" which involves severe shaking and violent wobbling at about 50 mph. this occurs frequently. i have made numerous attempts to have the problem solved and vehicle repaired. nothing has helped. *tr

We were driving on a limited access highway when i hit a section of rough a rough road about 6 feet long. the front end, steering wheel & transmission shook violently! once i got below 45 mph it stopped. i could not steer the vehicle. this has happened 6 times now at speeds as low as 50 mph. it would happen a lot more if i did not slow down when i come across patched spots in the road or where overpasses and bridges meet the solid road bed. on smooth roads, there is no vibration that i can feel. i talked to the previous owner and he never had a problem. it has never been off road, lifted or wrecked. the garage replaced the steering gear box under warranty and i paid for the alignment check and tire balance. i rotated the tired and then put a new tire on the right front. i checked for play in all the suspension and steering and found very little. the garage said they found none. i then installed a heavy duty steering stabilizer. it did not help. the garage said there was nothing more they could do. when i asked jeep was their a problem called death wobble, because there are a lot of postings, they did not answer. instead, the service manager suggested i buy 4 new tires and get a road force balance. a friend sent me to another jeep dealer to talk to his friend, who was well aware of the problem and had not been able to fix it on other jeeps. there was no remedy or help from chrysler jeep. he has had it happen to him and will not ride in or drive one again. he suggested not driving interstates and below 55 mph on the highway. i am 68 year old retired car, truck, heavy equipment and industrial mechanic supervisor. the jeep is unsafe to drive on the highway. bf

My jeep is experiencing what jeep owners refer to as the death wobble. violent, intense shaking of the front end after hitting the smallest of bumps. must slow down immediately to gain control of vehicle. *tr

I am the original owner of a 2008 jeep wrangler that has had 5 separate "death wobble" events in the last 5 years. now that the vehicle is out of warranty jeep wants me to pay for repairs that they have to this point proven they do not have a proper understanding of and solution for the jeep death wobble. please help. my family and i are afraid to drive in this truck in this condition. *tr

Having problem with "death wobble". while traveling at a high rate of speed, over 40mph. a violent shaking has occurred a multiple number of times. feels as though the entire front end of vehicle is ready to fly off. control of vehicle is compromised. especially at such a high rate of speed, which usually occurs on the freeway with other vehicles around. dealership says that the steering stabilizer needs to be replaced. research on the internet says that this just masks the problem. personally looking at the steering components of the vehicle. i cannot see how a worn out steering stabilizer can cause so much chaos. *tr

Since 2010 if not sooner, my jeep wrangler sahara 2008 had a red light and air pressure light come on and off as a i drove. i took it to the jeep dealer i bought it from 2-3 times for this and they could not duplicate it so they would not fix it despite showing a video of it. in 2010 my steering damper went bad and i had to pay to get it fixed. i almost crashed 3-5 times due to the wheels violently going back and forth doing 50-65 on the highways. it was terrible. it is now 2013 and its happening all over again. i do not feel it is right to pay for this when it is clearly an issue jeep needs to resolve. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler. the contact stated that when the vehicle exceeded 40 mph, it would begin to wobble. the vehicle went through inspected and nothing was found. the steering stabilizer was replaced which did not remedy the problem; the local mechanic stated that he would attempt to replace the track bar. the vin was unavailable at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was approximately 39,500. the current mileage was approximately 41,000. updated 10/27/10. *lj

Tl*the contact 2008 jeep wrangler. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph the vehicle drove over a bump and the front end started shaking violently. the contact described the shaking as the "death wobble". the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the tires needed to be replaced. the contact did not change the tires and stated that the sway bar caused the vehicle to shake. the contact was concerned that the failure could cause a serious crash to occur. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 50,000.

The jeep shakes violently when it hits a bump in the road. it seems to happen mostly on the highways, although it will occur on a city road. during this shaking the brakes do not slow the car down and it is impossible to steer to the side of the road. this is extremely scary and dangerous. the car has been in numerous times and nothing seems to fix the problem. *tr