2004 Jeep Wrangler
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 192 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 21st highest complaint count among 26 Wrangler model years with reports.
Of the 2004 reports, 17 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 12 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulicMar 13, 2006
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.
LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.
Campaign 06E022000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpFeb 1, 2006
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET AIRTEX ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR CERTAIN 1997-2004 JEEP WRANGLER; 1997-2001 JEEP CHEROKEE; 1997-2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE; AND 2000-2003 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES. THE PLASTIC ELECTRICAL GROMMET CONNECTORS AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUELS AND MAY DEGRADE CAUSING A POTENTIAL LEAK PATH FOR FUEL.
IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FUEL LEAK COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AIRTEX CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT 1-800-880-3056.
Campaign 06E011000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsFeb 3, 2004
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A RECENT SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL.
THE VEHICLE OWNER WOULD NOT BE AWARE OF THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION FOR THEIR VEHICLE.
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECTED TIRE CERTIFICATION LABEL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Campaign 04V048000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: suspension
59 reports, newest first. Show all
Suspension, Jan 9, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER DRIVING OVER A SLIGHT ROAD BUMP AT 55 MPH OR MORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE SWAY BAR LINK AND DAMPER WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30.
Steering, Suspension, Dec 18, 2011
MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF VIOLENT VIBRATION IN THE VEHICLE FRONT END, INCLUDING THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT WHEELS, ARE OCCURRING AFTER HITTING A MINOR POT HOLE IN THE ROAD. INCIDENTS OCCUR AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS, NORMALLY 45 - 55 MPH. THE DRIVER MUST REDUCE SPEED TO NEAR ZERO IN ORDER TO RECOVER SAFE AND EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE DEFECT APPEARS TO BE THE WELL-KNOWN AND MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN JEEP WRANGLER VEHICLES KNOWN AS "THE DEATH WOBBLE". I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM A JEEP DEALERSHIP AND HAVE HAD IT PROFESSIONALLY MAINTAINED PER THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. MY SPOUSE AND I HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED THIS DEFECT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, MOST RECENTLY ON DECEMBER 15, 2011. AT THIS POINT, WE'VE HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES AND REPLACED A NUMBER OF COMPONENTS ON THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING THE STEERING DAMPER, FOUR SHOCK ABSORBERS, AND ALL 4 TIRES., IN ADDITION, THE SUSPENSION HAS BEEN INSPECTED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST 3 YEARS. GIVEN THE SHEAR NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS BY OTHER OWNERS, I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Nov 7, 2011
THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE OCT 18, 2011. THE JEEP EXPERIENCED THE "DEATH WOBBLE" WHEREBY THE JEEPS' WHEELS SUDDENLY BEGAN TO WOBBLE TO THE POINT THAT ONE ALMOST MUST SLOW DOWN IMMEDIATELY. THE CONDITION APPEARS TO BE QUITE COMMON WITH THE JEEP WRANGLER. PORTABLE RECEIVED VIA U.S. MAIL. A PORTION OF THE COMPLAINT WAS ILLEGIBLE. 02/28/12 UPDATED 02/28/12 *BF
Steering, Suspension, Oct 5, 2011
STEERING WOBBLES AT SPEEDS 40 TO 55MPH AND IS ESPECIALLY WORSE AFTER HITTING A BUMP. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY AND NOT ONCE IN A WHILE. VERY SCARY WHEN YOU HAVE NO CONTROL BECAUSE IT SHAKES SO BAD. IT ACTUALLY GIVES YOU LITTLE OR NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. HAVE HAD TIRES BALANCED AND ROTATED THE STEERING DAMPER REPLACED. HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT SEVERAL TIMES AND NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. IT IS A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION AND FEEL THAT NOTHING WILL BE DONE ABOUT IT UNTIL SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY KILLED. LOOKING AT BLOGS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING KNOWN AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Sep 25, 2011
MY 2004 WRANGLER RUBICON HAS A VIOLENT WOBBLE/SHAKE AT 55-60 MPH. THE WOBBLE IS SO VIOLENT I HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY BRAKE AND IT STOPS AROUND 40. I HAVE HAD IT ALIGNED AND BALANCED. I WAS CONSIDERING POURING MORE INTO THE REPAIR BUT AFTER READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS I FELL IT IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT. THE JEEP IS STOCK AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I AM GOING TO APPROACH THE DEALER BUT SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY I HAVE THE FEELING IT IS GOING TO BE IN VAIN. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Aug 15, 2011
FRONT END OF MY 2007 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED HAS DANGEROUS WOBBLE BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MILES PER HOUR. TIRES ARE GOOD, TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS. USUALLY TRIGGERED BY A BUMP IN THE ROAD. *TR
Suspension, Service brakes, Hydraulic, Structure, Tires, Jul 29, 2011
HAVE A JEEP 2004 WRANGLER. AT 60 MPH. IT BEGINS TO WOBBLE VERY BADLY! HAVE PURCHASED NEW TIRES,BALANCING,FRONT STABILIZING BAR,NEW BRAKES & ROTORS,ALIGNMENT. STILL WOBBLES! MANY OTHER JEEP OWNERS ARE HAVING SAME PROBLEM & JEEP DEALERS CANNOT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO STOP THIS! IT HAPPENS EVERYTIME I HIT 60MPH! VERY SCARY!!!!! ALMOST FLIPPED ME OFF THE ROAD COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAINS! *TR
Suspension, Jul 18, 2011
2004 JEEP WRANGLER "DEATH WOBBLE" . OCCURS AT 45-55MPH. WHEEL BALANCE, TIRE ROTATION, STEERING STABILIZER/DAMPER-ALL REPAIRED, ADJUSTED OR REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE HAS 75,000 MILES AND BEGAN AROUND 45,000 MILES AND IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY JEEP! THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO WOBBLE AT AROUND 45PMH WHEN IT STRIKES A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD OR SOMETIMES WHEN NO PERCEIVED BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! *KB
Suspension, Jul 5, 2011
2004 JEEP DOES A DEATH WOBBLE AT 40-60 MPH WHEN EVER IT HITS A BUMP. SUSPENSION IS DEFECTIVE. JEEP HAS HAD TONS OF COMPALINTS ON THIS. *KB
Steering, Suspension, Jun 7, 2011
SEVERE SHAKING (COINED DEATH WOBBLE) AT 55 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED (3) TIMES. I HAVE REPLACED STEERING DAMPENER, FRONT END ALIGNMENT, (4) NEW TIRES ALL WITHIN LAST WEEK. THERE ARE COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, YET NO RESOLUTION TO BE FOUND. THERE SEEMS TO BE WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS A "HEAD IN SAND" MENTALITY HOPING THAT THIS WILL GO AWAY. I'M SHOCKED, AFTER THE EXPERIENCE OF TRYING TO GET VEH OFF OF HIGHWAY DURING THIS EVENT, THAT THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY FATALITIES.
Steering, Suspension, May 9, 2011
I PURCHASED A USED 2004 JEEP WRANGLER 5 MONTHS AGO. IT HAD ONLY 15K MILES ON IT. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE IT BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 55-60, AND WHEN THERE ARE ROAD IMPERFECTIONS. I HAD THE TIRES BALANCED. NO FIX. THE SHOP KEPT THE JEEP FOR THREE DAYS LAST WEEK AND CANNOT LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. APPEARS THIS IS A "DEATH WOBBLE" ISSUE FROM THE STRONGLY-DOCUMENTED CASES IN JEEP WRANGLERS. THERE APPEARS TO BE NO PERMANENT FIX. THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS THAT I CAN FIND. I OWE FOR THIS VEHICLE THAT I CANNOT EVEN DRIVE! *TR
Steering, Suspension, Apr 10, 2011
I HAVE A 2004 WRANGLER RUBICON - ALL STOCK, AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING WHAT I'VE JUST COME TO REALIZE IS THE DEATH WOBBLE FOR THE PAST 8+ MONTHS. I'VE REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES, HAD ALIGNMENT AND BALANCING, JUST TODAY HAD STEERING STABILIZER REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. THE WOBBLING CONTINUED ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE SHOP. ANYTIME I HIT A BUMP, THE FRONT END STARTS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO A NEAR STOP BEFORE I CAN PROCEED. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY JEEP. THIS IS MY DAILY RIDE TO WORK AND IT IS NOT SAFE! *TR
Suspension, Feb 17, 2011
BOUGHT A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER OF AUGUST OF 2010. THE JEEP HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES. ON FEBRUARY 17 I WAS COMING HOME AT ABOUT 52 MPH. WHEN I GOT TO 55 HAD A TERRIBLE WOBBLE IN THE FRONT END. TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO OWN JEEPS AND THEY REFERRED TO IT AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Tires, Dec 30, 2010
FRONT TIRE SHIMMY SO BAD THAT IT CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO GO OUT OF CONTROL. WHEN A BUMP, POTHOLE OR RAILROAD TRACK IS DRIVEN OVER THAT FRONT TIRES WOBBLE AND SHIMMY SO BAD THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. THERE HAVE BEEN NEW TIRES, WHEELS, ALIGNMENTS AND STEERING STABILIZERS INSTALLED BUT THAT HAS NOT STOPPED THE SHIMMY. THE CAR HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Dec 9, 2010
2004 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT HAS AN EXTREME VIOLENT SHAKE CAUSING ENTIRE FRONT OF VEHICLE TO BOUNCE OFF THE GROUND AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 45 - 60 MPH. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Sep 28, 2010
I HAVE A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER COLUMBIA EDITION. I EXPERIENCE THE "DEATH WOBBLE" PHENOMENA THAT OTHERS IN THE COMPLAINT SECTION HAVE POSTED ABOUT. I CAN NOT DRIVE MY VEHICLE BETWEEN 51-60 MPH WITHOUT IT OCCURRING. WHEN IT OCCURS I MUST EITHER QUICKLY ACCELERATE ABOVE THIS RANGE OR SLOW DOWN BELOW IT (DEPENDING ON SPEED LIMIT IN AREA OF COURSE). JEEP DID REPLACE THE STEERING STABILIZER, WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT ONLY FOR ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS. JEEP REALLY NEEDS TO RECALL THIS AND APPLY A PERMANENT FIX. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, WHEN IT HAPPENS THE VEHICLE FEELS LIKE THE FRONT TIRES WILL FLY OFF AT ANY MOMENT. I AM ENTERING TODAY'S DATE AS THE INCIDENT DATE AS THIS IS ONGOING, BUT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME NOW. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Sep 4, 2010
I HAVE WHAT IS CALLED DEATH WOBBLE IN MY 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. AFTER READING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN VARIOUS FORUMS, I BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO BE ADRESSED. I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY EXPERTS BUT STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. THE JEEP HAS AROUND 30,000 MILES,AND IT HAS BEEN OFF ROAD,BUT SOME PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN OFFROAD AT ALL AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WITH MILEAGE I DON'T THINK THIS JEEP SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WARNOUT. THE PROBLEM IS STILL ONGOING. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Sep 3, 2010
MY 2004 JEEP WRANGLER HAS "THE DEATH WOBBLE". AT APPROX. 45-50 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL JUST ABOUT SHAKES OUT OF MY HANDS. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT EVEN CHECK IT OUT WITHOUT CHARGING ME BY THE HOUR WITH AN ESTIMATED 2 HR. INSPECTION. IT'S ALL OVER THE INTERNET YET JEEP REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT EXISTS. I LOVE MY JEEP, IT'S THE 3RD ONE I'VE OWNED, BUT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE. THE ONLY FIX SEEMS TO BE TO POUR MONEY IN MY VEHICLE UNTIL I GET THE RIGHT PART TAKEN CARE OF. I CAN'T EVEN TRADE IT IN WHILE IT'S DOING THIS. I'M STUCK AND I WANT SOME ACTION TAKEN BY JEEP! *TR
Steering, Suspension, Aug 19, 2010
I OWN A 2004 JEEP "WRANGLER X" SINCE IT WAS NEW AND HAVE EXPERIENCE THE "DEATH WOBBLE " ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING. THE STEERING STABILIZER WAS REPLACED WHILE ON WARRANTY AND I HAVE REPLACED THAT ONE MYSELF. THE VEHICLE HAS @ 41,000 MI. AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Aug 16, 2010
I HAVE A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED. I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE PERSONALLY BE DEALING WITH THE INTENSE SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE RECENTLY TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP TO BE WORKED ON BECAUSE I COULD NOT PUT UP THE "DEATH WOBBLE" THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AND SHOP THAT WORKED ON MY VEHICLE RECOMMENDED A STEERING STABILIZER THAT IT WAS WHAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WELL IT WORKED FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND NOW THE JEEP IS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. NOTHING SEEMS TO MAKE IT GO AWAY. THESE JEEPS THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS SUCH AS THIS ONE NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL AND FIX THE TRUE PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT GIVING JEEP A GOOD REPUTATION. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Jul 21, 2010
2004 JEEP WRANGLER DEATH WOBBLE. FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY AFTER HITTING POTHOLES AT 45 TO 70 MILES AND HOUR. WILL NOT STOP UNLESS YOU COME TO ALMOST A STOP. THIS HAPPENS DAILY. KEY IN JEEP DEATH WOBBLE INTO ANY SEARCH ENGINE OR YOUTUBE VIDEO FOR A LENGHTY LIST OF DISCUSSION ON THIS SUBJECT. I MYSELF HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT IT PERMANENTLY WITH STABILIZERS, NEW TIRES, ALIGNMENT, WHEEL BALANCING AND STEERING COMPONENT TIGHTENING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. THIS IS A STOCK JEEP, NO LIFT, STANDARD SIZE TIRES. THIS IS NOT ONE INCIDENT, BUT AN ON-GOING PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS. NEW TIRES HAVE FIXED IT TEMPORARILY ONCE, NEW STEERING STABILZER FIXED IT TEMPORARILY ONCE, NEW SWAY BAR ALSO DID A SHORT TEMP FIX. I NEED A PERMANENT FIX AS DO MANY MANY OTHER JEEP OWNERS OUT THERE. *TR
Suspension, Jun 7, 2010
VIOLENT FRONT END WOBBLING EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, NO MATTER THE SIZE OF THE BUMP. TO STOP THE WOBBLING I HIT THE BRAKES AND IT STOPS UNTIL ANOTHER BUMP IS HIT. BALANCED AND ROTATED THE TIRES, REPLACED THE STEERING STABILIZER AND NEW TIRES, THIS HELPED FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS AND NOW IT IS GETTING WORSE. *TR
Steering, Suspension, May 25, 2010
WHAT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE JEEP WRANGLER MODEL LINE IS A PROBLEM KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE." I PURCHASED A USED JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM EVER SINCE. MY JEEP, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS LIKE IT, HAS ABSOLUTELY NO AFTERMARKET MODIFICATIONS, YET HAS A VERY DANGEROUS SYMPTOM WHICH MAKES ME SCARED TO DRIVE IT OVER 40 MPH. THE "DEATH WOBBLE" CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS AN INCREDIBLY VIOLENT SHAKE OF THE STEERING WHEEL FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP OR IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD. IT WILL USUALLY START OFF SLOWLY, BUT WITHIN HALF A SECOND THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR IS SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL, AND ONLY STOPS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP. WITH THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING VIOLENTLY, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. ALSO, SINCE THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS PROBLEM IS TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY, THIS CREATES A VERY HAZARDOUS TRAFFIC SITUATION. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE JEEP WRANGLER, AND CHRYSLER HAS ONLY ISSUED A TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO REPLACE THE STEERING STABILIZER. I HAVE DONE THIS TWICE NOW, AND IT IS ONLY A BAND-AID TO MASK THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM, WHICH JEEP REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL OR PAY THE BILL TO FIX. I AM LITERALLY SCARED TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE ON ANY HIGHWAY, AND I AM SURE THOUSANDS OF OTHER JEEP WRANGLER OWNERS OUT THERE ARE IN THE EXACT SAME POSITION I AM IN. *TR
Suspension, Apr 15, 2010
I HAVE A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON. I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING DEATH WOBBLE, WHERE THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND WHEELS ACTUALLY WOBBLE.I HAVE REPLACED SHOCKS, STEERING STABILIZER, ROTATED AND BALANCED TIRES AND HAD THE FRONT END ALIGNED AND CHECKED BY A CAR DEALERS SERVICE DEPT. THE WOBBLE LESSENS BUT STILL PERSISTS. IT OCCURS AT 40 MPH OR ABOVE. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO FULLY EXPLAIN A SURE FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. MY JEEP HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS 57,000 MILES. JEEP/CHRYSLER ARE NO HELP IN FIXING THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM. *TR
Suspension, Aug 5, 2009
THE PROBLEM IS VIOLENT FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN VEHICLE IS OPERATED BETWEEN 45MPH-55MPH. THE VIBRATION IS SO INTENSE IT CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER 5 YEARS OF OPERATION AND ESPECIALLY AFTER TIRE CHANGES. I HAVE HAD 2 DIFFERENT SETS OF TIRES ON THIS JEEP WHICH WERE BALANCED AND HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IN THE PAST I OVERCAME THIS PROBLEM BY ROTATING THE TIRES UNTIL I FOUND THE TIRE ORIENTATION THAT GAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF VIOLENT VIBRATION I HAD THOUGHT THAT I MAY HAVE HAD A HAIRLINE FRACTURE ON ONE OF THE RIMS BUT AFTER INSTALLING NEW RIMS AND THE THIRD SET OF TIRES THE PROBLEM IS BACK AND AS BAD AS EVER. OUT OF FRUSTRATION I TURNED TO THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT IF THEIR ARE ANY OTHER JEEP WRANGLER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. TO MY SURPRISE AFTER READING SEVERAL INTERNET FORUMS ON JEEP WRANGLERS MANY DO . THIS PROBLEM EVEN HAS A NAME THE JEEP COMMUNITY HAS GIVEN IT THE "DEATH WOBBLE" ! THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR IN THE 96-06 TJ BODY STYLE WHICH INCLUDES THE SAHARA,X AND SPORT EDITIONS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSSIBLE CAUSES AND REPAIRS THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME UP WITH BUT IT SEEMS AS NO ONE HAS PINPOINTED THE CORRECT REPAIR. THE RECOMMENDED REPAIRS SUGGEST THE TRACTION BAR AND STEERING STABILIZER ARE AT FAULT BUT PEOPLE HAVE HAD MIXED RESULTS REPLACING THESE PARTS. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE PEOPLE AT JEEP MUST KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT HAVE FAILED THEIR CUSTOMERS AT REMEDYING THIS HAZARDOUS PROBLEM. *TR