2002 Jeep Wrangler Steering Problems

You purchased a 2002 Jeep Wrangler from a dealership, but the control arm bracket was damaged and not properly attached to the frame — a critical safety issue you weren't informed about. The bracket eventually broke away from the frame due to rust, causing the stabilizer link to break as well, making the vehicle undrivable. The dealership allegedly tried to cover up the frame damage with undercoating and has refused to return your calls about the $7,375 you spent on the vehicle and repairs.

Your Jeep experiences severe vibration and shaking in the steering wheel multiple times daily, typically triggered by hitting bumps or rough road patches at speeds around 35-40 mph. The shaking is so intense that you sometimes have to slow down to 20 mph to make it stop. Despite replacing numerous steering and suspension components including U-joints, ball joints, tie rods, the steering stabilizer, and drive shaft components, the problem persists.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V234000 (POWER TRAIN , STEERING). THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE; THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE ARE NO FAILURES AT THIS TIME. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000.

VIOLENT SHAKING (WITHOUT WARNING) IN THE FRONT END OF MY JEEP WRANGLER ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. JARRING AND TERRIFYING, I HAD TO SLOW DOWN, GET OVER AND GET TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS WRITTEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE ADVISORY 19-002-12 AUGUST 2012 BUT TO DATE AUGUST 2013 REFUSES TO RECALL AND CORRECT THIS ISSUE. I HAVE A STOCK JEEP (I.E. NO LIFT KITS, WHEELS, SUSPENSION COMPONENTS OR TIRES) THAT WOULD WEAR ON THE STEERING COMPONENTS AND I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY WRANGLER. BE AWARE AND BE PREPARED - I WAS LUCKY, I GOT AN ELEVATED HEART RATE, SWEATY PALMS AND I HAD TO DRIVE SLOWLY TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE. THIS "STEERING SYSTEM" CONDITION HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS AND ROLL OVERS PER OTHER REPORTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT LEAST 65 MPH, THE FRONT END WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SHOULDERS TO SIT FOR A WHILE BEFORE THE SHAKING WOULD STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

AS I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH THE FRONT END STARTED TO WOBBLE VERY VIOLENTLY, I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND IT STOPPED, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND IS VERY SCARY AND DANGERS THING. I HAVE 3 SONS WHO ALSO EACH HAVE JEEP WRANGLERS AND THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO THEM REPEATEDLY. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER JEEP OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED LONG AGO. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS MADE TO THE GOVERNMENT AND CHRYSLER WITH NO RESULTS. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND FIXED BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING 55 MPH OR HIGHER, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WE ARE A JEEP FAMILY. JEEP LIBERTY 2002 WAS BROUGHT IN FOR RECALL ON THE BALL JOINTS ON 11/26/06. IN EARLY DEC WE STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING. BROUGHT THE JEEP INTO DEALERSHIP AND THEY QUOTED US $1680 TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE &SWITCH & RACK AND PINION. I WAS SURPRISED THAT A JEEP THIS NEW WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT 3 OTHER JEEP LIBERTYS WERE SERVICED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITHIN THE LAST WEEKS. THEY SAID IT WAS STRANGE BECAUSE THE LIBERTYS HAD ALL JUST HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE ON THE BALL JOINTS. ALL 3 JEEP LIBERTYS HAD THE SAME POWER STEERING, RACK & PINON PROBLEM AFTER THE RECALL WORK WAS COMPLETED. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WAS A CONNECTION TO THE RECALL BUT COULD NOT SAY THAT IT WAS DEFINITE. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WOULD CONTACT CHRYSLER JEEP AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO MINE RECORDED. 1/31 I CONTACTED JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE (REFERENCE #15916486) AND TALKED TO SENIOR STAFF AGENT ANGELA. THE AGENT SAID THAT SHE RESEARCHED AND NO OTHER PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ; JEEP DID NOT AGREE THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE RELATED TO THE RECALL. I DID GO ON THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE COMPLAINTS NOTED ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THE JEEP BALL JOINT PROBLEM CONTRIBUTED TO THE STEERING PROBLEM AND THAT JEEP SHOULD REPAIR MY CAR AT THEIR EXPENSE. JEEP DISAGREES. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE OR APPEAL PROCESS TO MAKE CHRYSLER FIX THE RACK & PINION PROBLEM OR AT LEAST CONTRIBUTE TO THE REPAIR.

STEERING COLUMN MOVES SIDE TO SIDE AND AFTER REPEATED MOVEMENT THE TILT STEERING LEVER LOOSENS UP AND THE STEERING COLUMN MOVES UP AND DOWN. THE DEALER HAS MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE COLUMN BUT DENIES THAT THERE IS A DEFECT. I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM IN JUNE OF 2003 WHEN THE TILT STEERING BECMAE LOOSE GOING AROUND A CORNER. I RECOVERED THE VEHICLE AND DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT BUT WAS CLOSE. WHEN I EXAMINED THE PROBLEM I NOTICED THE STEERING COLUMN MOVES SIDE TO SIDE APPROXIMATELY 1/4". OTHER VEHICLES THAT I HAVE EXAMINED DO NOT HAVE THIS MUCH FREE PLAY. THE DEALERS HAS ATTEMPTED REPAIR ON THIS FOUR TIMES BUT THE ORIGINAL STEERING COLUMN IS STILL IN THE VEHICLE. I AM NOT CURRENTLY DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS IT DOES NOT MEET MAINE STATE INSPECTION STANDARDS AND THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

WHILE DRIVING AT 50/55 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, THEN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL VIBRATED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE CENTER STEERING LINK PIN BREAKING.*AK