About this problem
"Death wobble" is a violent shaking of the front wheels and steering, usually after hitting a bump at highway speed, on trucks and SUVs with a solid front axle. It comes from worn or loose steering and suspension parts, such as the track bar, ball joints, tie rods and steering damper, that let the axle oscillate. It stops only when the driver slows right down, and it can happen again until the worn parts are fixed.
Across all owner complaints filed about the Jeep Wrangler since 2012, 938 (10%) describe death wobble, making it the most reported problem we track on the Wrangler. The reports cluster on the 2018, 2019 and 2021 model years, and the 2018 drew the most, with 378. It tends to show up early in the car's life: half of the owners who gave a mileage were between 5,000 and 18,000 miles. 3 reports describe a crash or fire linked to it. No recall covers it, so repairs are usually paid by the owner once the warranty ends.
What owners report
Wrangler owners describe a violent shaking of the steering and front end after hitting a bump at highway speed, which only stops when they slow down sharply. Jeep owners call it the death wobble. Complaints jumped with the new JL Wrangler in 2018, and many reports come from trucks with fewer than 20,000 miles.
How it gets fixed
Dealers often replace the steering damper, but the lasting fix is usually tightening or replacing worn track bar bushings, tie rods, ball joints and other front-end parts. Jeep issued a recall for the steering damper on some JL Wranglers.
Typical cost: A steering damper is $150 to $400. A front-end rebuild with track bar, tie rods and ball joints often costs $1,000 to $2,500.
Complaints by model year
In owners' words
"My 2 month old sahara has experienced violent shaking and vibrations through the steering/suspension system on multiple occasions. The car is not safe to drive. I delivered my sahara to the dealer, auto world of petaluma on 10/29."
2018 Jeep Wrangler, 3,000 miles
"Steering issues caused by weak steering components and poor suspension geometry. Death wobble and jumpy, loose, wandering steering from factory. Brought into dealer may for updated oem trackbar with stiffer bushing update and updated steering stabilizer."
2019 Jeep Wrangler, 1,000 miles
Excerpts from public owner complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, lightly trimmed.
Government investigations
Defect petition DP18004 · 2018, 2019 · opened Nov 2018, closed Sep 2019
Preliminary evaluation PE19012 · 2018, 2019 · opened Sep 2019, closed Oct 2023
Before you buy a Wrangler
- Drive at highway speed over expansion joints or rough patches.
- Have a mechanic check the track bar, tie rods and ball joints for play.
- Check the VIN for the steering damper recall.
Questions
Which Jeep Wrangler years have death wobble?
Complaints are highest for the 2018, 2019, 2021 model years. The 2018 drew the most, with 378 reports.
At what mileage does it usually start?
Among owners who gave a mileage, the middle figure was about 10,000 miles, and half reported it between 5,000 and 18,000 miles.
How much does it cost to fix?
A steering damper is $150 to $400. A front-end rebuild with track bar, tie rods and ball joints often costs $1,000 to $2,500.