What 885 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4-door

The vehicle manufacturer is aware of the problem with my Jeep, yet they have not taken meaningful action to resolve it. At this point, the local dealer continues to charge diagnostic and repair fees only, focusing on steering and wheel inspections, while the death wobble persists. During the warranty period, I submitted video evidence showing the vehicle shaking severely. After reviewing the video, the dealer immediately installed a steering damper at no cost. However, that solution was only temporary. The same dangerous shaking returned and has continued to repeat. Now it appears that the manufacturer is declining to take action because my warranty may have expired. However, I have documented proof that they acknowledged the defect during the warranty period and performed repairs related to it. I have records of those warranty repairs. This is not a minor vibration. This is a severe and potentially fatal instability that occurs at highway speeds. While driving, the vehicle will suddenly begin violent front to back shaking with loud noises, forcing me to rapidly slow down or nearly stop to regain control. These dangerous events happen far too often. For example, last month I drove a round trip between Chicago and North Carolina and experienced more than forty instances of shaking, ranging from moderate to severe. The vibrations are intense enough that other vehicles on the road can clearly see and witness what is happening.

NHTSA ODI 11718983

In the last month my wife and I have 4 experiences with an extreme vibration and wobble in the front end of my jeep while driving on the highway. The vibration is violent and the last time it seemed as if the wheels were going to come off my 2021 Jeep Wrangler. Once I slow down the to a lower speed, 45 mph for example, the wobble stops but it seems to be a problem with many Wranglers based upon my research. I am going to schedule an appointment with a dealer to have this investigated but I have less than 35,000 miles on my jeep and it seems to be a manufacturer issue. There are no warning lights that indicate I may have any kind of problem.

NHTSA ODI 11708352

The jeep upon hitting a bump on the right tire on freeway at speeds, right tire goes into a, "death wobble," and violently shakes steering wheel and vehicle like it is coming apart. . Around 60-70 mph. Usually on a left corner and right tire hits a bump. Steering wheel violently shakes. Jeep right wheel violently shakes. Has happened several times till the vehicle gets pulled over to a slow or stop. Once slowed to a crawl or stopped. It stops it. Very dangerous to drive.

NHTSA ODI 11696784

While driving on a couple occasions the traction control light kicked in and wouldn’t allow me to turn I had to come to almost a complete stop, I thought it had gone away and a few days later I had a death wobble that occurred on a very busy hwy and had to pull into the middle lane to prevent an accident. I could not let go completely of the wheel but I also couldn’t really control the vehicle I had to stop it. I was not turning when this one happened I was going straight I had already turned and drove straight for a few minutes before it happened. I was able to drive a quarter of a mile to the auto repair shop where it is sitting. He told me himself it is very dangerous to drive it when that occurs.

NHTSA ODI 11682704

Purchased this vehicle used from Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Mesa, Arizona. I was told the tires were newer and in great shape they looked to have a good amount of tread on them. However, I had an issue with one tire and the dealership patched it incorrectly making it a safety hazard Therefore they replaced one tire with the plug and when I went to a tire place for pressure issues and TPS sensor they pointed out the tires were over five years old which means these were the original tires that came with the Jeep in 2021. After only owning this vehicle for two months, I now have to replace all four tires Because there is a safety issue with the age and the tread. There was also issues with the steering damper, which they did repair due to wobbling, however there is a slight wobble still because I have one brand new tire from the dealer and three tires that are not new. The dealer refuses to take ownership of the sale of unsafe tires.. dealer offered three month 3000 mile max care warranty and they still won’t address the tire issue.

NHTSA ODI 11662136

Jeep Death Wobble. Dealer is acting like this is an unknown issue.

NHTSA ODI 11632334

Jeep will occasional shake violently at approximately 60 MPH. Had vehicle in to dealer in July 2023. Dealer said problem fixed. Most recent incident March 19th. Commonly referred to as Jeep “death wobble.” Vehicle in shop again.

NHTSA ODI 11579323

I have been experiencing the "death wobble" front end issues. It prevents me from highway driving. First experience almost caused an accident. Dealer said it requires a new steering damper but have been terrible with information on if and when part was shipped and when I can expect the issue to be resolved.

NHTSA ODI 11571209

At about 44,000 miles driving over 60-65 , going over a bump, or going around a curve at.a slower speed the jeep would violently shake, where you almost lose control. I took to the shop they replaced tie rod ends, drag link, track bar and that didn’t solve the issue they now replaced the something with steering and it’s better but still shakes a little when changing lanes. It is honestly the scariest thing ever. Something isn’t right and should be looked into, I am Not the only one with this issue and soon as my lease is up I am getting rid of it. Keep in mind I live in MN and have done NO off-roading. Someone is going to crash of these issues do not get fixed

NHTSA ODI 11566391

The car and steering column start vibrating very aggressively and it is difficult to control the vehicle. It has happened 4-5 times since purchasing the vehicle in September. Sometimes it occurs after hitting a bump or pothole, but not always. Something is very wrong and it seems dangerous.

NHTSA ODI 11562382

- The front suspension, steering and tires are available for inspection. - A safety risk occurred immediately as I crossed an uneven transition from asphalt to concrete at the beginning of a bridge. The steering wheel/front end/vehicle began to shake violently at highway speed and maintaining control became difficult. I was unable to keep the vehicle in my lane. I immediately decelerated and with a semi on my rear, was eventually able to slow enough to use one hand to engage emergency flashers. The shaking stopped at about 35 mph. I've since learned this is referred to as a 'death wobble'. - Appointment made for dealership inspection on June 6, 2023. - There were no messages, symptoms or warnings.

NHTSA ODI 11525239

Driving over 60 mph if I hit I bump the vehicle starts to violently shake. I then have to slow down for it to stop

NHTSA ODI 11512996

Driving own I95, heading south in Maryland, hit a bump and vehicle started shaking/wobbling, almost lost control and had to slow down until vehicle stopped wobbling. This happen 6-9 times that day. Also has occurred several times in NJ on the turnpike and 280. Contracted Jeep HQ, told to contact a dealer.

NHTSA ODI 11508197

Hit a small bump in the road and the steering wheel and tires began shaking violently. I tried slowing down and the vibration continued until I was below 20mph on highway. Not the first time I have experienced this. I had tires balanced, rotated and pressure checked.

NHTSA ODI 11500846

On the interstate, my Jeep developed the "death wobble" causing us to have to greatly decrease speed among other drivers. This issue continued after each small bump in the road that we hit at interstate speeds, causing the vehicle to shake violently and requiring me to decrease speed repeatedly among other fast-moving traffic. It eventually required me to have to move over to the slow lane for easy road departure if needed. After an attempted repair with a steering damper at the dealer, the issue returned 1.5 weeks later, and after 2 weeks, my vehicle remains at the dealer while they try to figure out how to correct this dangerous issue.

NHTSA ODI 11500218

In late October I started experiencing a total vehicle body "shudder" when driving on the freeway and hitting uneven paving. This condition started getting worse and worse. The car was unmanagable when travelling at a speed over 58 and hitting uneven paving - the shudder took over the entire car and steering. There was no recourse but to try to safely pull over and stop the car. Upon research I found this is a now COMMON OCCURENCE called the DEATH WOBBLE. Generally it happens in modified Jeeps however my car is les than two years old with less than 16,000 miles on it. When I could finally get time at the dealership I was met with, oh yes we had five new jeeps in here just last week with this condition we are seeing it all the time. The part that is supposed to provide remedy is back ordered by at least three weeks - is this as there as so many incidents?. The dealership told me to take my car home until they had a part. The car is NOT SAFE to drive at any accelerated speed with this condition. There was no prior warning of this condition and nor would I expect it in a new vehicle but upon research I am learning how many people are experiencing this and questioning why there has not yet been a recall. The part offered as remedy by the dealership - the steering damper - has been identified as a "band aid" - and that it is likely the condition will re-occur. This is not acceptable or safe for any new Jeep owner (or any Jeep owner) I urge, no I BEG you, to investigate this "death wobble" condition and strongly consider a recall for the manufacturer before there are serious injuries and deaths caused by this. Having personally experienced this it is a terrifying experience - the entire car feels like it is out of control and everything is going to fall off including the tires and that the axle will break - it makes me never want to drive that car again with any degree of confidence and feeling of safety. I urge you to just google DEATH WOBBLE. Please help

NHTSA ODI 11496201

This Jeep is unsafe. The jeep has a problem when you are driving 70 miles per hour on the highway. If you go over a bridge with road bumps or hit a pothole, the Jeep goes into an uncontrollable wobble. I have to slow down to about 40 miles per hour to get the Jeep to stabilize. Suddenly needing to slow down because the jeep feels like it will shake itself apart is incredibly dangerous. We tried to have it fixed at a dealer in Vermont and they said it was fixed but it isn't. I took it to the dealer in Albany NY today where we bought the Jeep and it happened again on the way. They tell me that it might take up to 2 months to get a part - a steering dampener - to fix the problem. This car is unsafe. How can there not be a recall on this issue?

NHTSA ODI 11495298

I am now trying, for the third time, to have Jeep dealership resolve a classic symptom of "The Death Wobble" that has manifested for the last year with our under 20,000 mile vehicle. Two hours ago, I encounter a sever episode of a recurring issue with my 2021 Jeep. At speeds above 50mph, the Jeep's front-end will begin to shake violently after crossing the leading edge of a a bridge on the Florida Turnpike. The oscillations which rotate the steering wheel can become violent and will not smooth out for up to a quarter mile. Two dealers have replace steering dampeners and more recently front shocks. The replaced shocks seemed to work but now, less than three two months late, the Death Wobble is back and worse. At the moment of wobbling, the Jeep is not safe. It would be even more dangerous for folks who may be on snow and ice. I have been driving for over 50 years and am also a very good mechanic. My 2021 is the first year of the Hybrid and perhaps the front-end geometry is at issue.

NHTSA ODI 11471089

I almost had a car accident because my car shacked uncontrollably which is dangerous!!! I had my children in the car, the shaking started last year, my car is still new and shouldn’t be having these problems!!!!

NHTSA ODI 11448108

Within a few days of purchasing the vehicle, I noticed that the vehicle moved dramatically to the right and to the left, and the steering mechanism of the vehicle was extremely loose. At 150 miles, I brought it in...the adjusted the steering and aligned the tires. I went on a three hour trip on the highway on April 18th, 2021, Sunday. I nearly crashed into a huge tractor trailer truck because the vehicle swung rapidly to the right and the steering mechanism was so loose, it would not respond sufficiently in time. In addition, the vehicle swings wildly with even mild wind. I managed within inches to swing the car away. I have now brought the vehicle back two more times to the dealership, and they deny any issue. I have provided videos with my spouse driving. My son also drove and found the same issue. The issue occurs both at speeds above 50...and at a speed of 15 miles. This steering column of this vehicle is defective and a true danger on the highway. The manufacturer refuses to take any responsibility in spite of ample knowledge and notice by consumers. Complaints about this issue are all over the internet. We have videos of the defect, which have been provided. I have tried to return the vehicle but they refuse. It has been in the shop 5 of 7 weeks of ownership. The dealership states the vehicle is to manufacturer specifications...this is a serious defect.

NHTSA ODI 11417748

OUR 2021 JEEP STARTED SMOKING IN THE ENGINE AND WITHIN 10 MINUTES BURST INTO FLAMES. THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR / BURNED AND FIRE STATIONS HAD TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. MY DAUGHTER, DOGS AND I WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT OF THE CAR BUT VERY SCARY.

NHTSA ODI 11403621

I PURCHASED THIS 2021 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2020. IT IS A TOTALLY STOCK VEHICLE WITH NO MODIFICATIONS OF ANY SORT. IT HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN OFF ROAD AT ALL, AND ONLY ON CITY STREETS, HIGHWAYS, AND INTERSTATES, NO ACCIDENTS. WHILE DRIVING ON A NEARBY INTERSTATE IN JANUARY OF 2021, AT ABOUT 77 MPH, A MINOR SEAM IN THE ROAD SENT MY VEHICLE INTO WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS 'DEATH WOBBLE' MODE. HAD ABOUT 4,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON A FIVE HOUR ROAD TRIP, IT HAPPENED OVER A DOZEN TIMES ON THAT TRIP ALONE.I VIDEOED THE CAR IN VIOLENT WOBBLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND RETURNED THE CAR FOR ANOTHER DAY OF SERVICE. THE LOCAL JEEP SERVICE CENTER ORDERED A 'STEERING DAMPER' ASSEMBLY AS A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THE 2021 WRANGLERS COME WITH THAT STEERING DAMPER AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT STARTING THIS YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PART IS ON AN EXTENDED BACK-ORDER, I AM TOLD, AND WON'T BE AVAILABLE FOR SOME TIME. IN THE MEANTIME, THEY DID A 'ROAD-FORCE' WHEEL AND TIRE BALANCE AS AN INTERIM FIX. ONE TIRE WAS AT 24 LBS, ONE WAS AT 17 LBS, AND THE OTHER TWO WERE AT 10 LBS AND 1 LBS. SINCE THEN THE CAR HAS HAD FEWER, MOMENTARY, WOBBLES OF MUCH SHORTER DURATION, AND HAS RECOVERED QUICKLY MORE IT DOES WOBBLE BRIEFLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS NOW AS WELL. WHILE DRIVING, I CAN FEEL THE SUPPRESSED WOBBLES IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND GAS PEDAL AND AM CONCERNED FOR SAFETY AND CONTINUED WEAR AND DAMAGE TO FRONT SUSPENSION AND TIRES, AND THE FREQUENCY OF HAVING TO DO COSTLY ROAD FORCE BALANCING ON THE TIRES. I LOVE THE JEEP BUT I'VE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR AT THIS POINT. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO UPLOAD SOME VIDEO OF ONE OF MY CARS DEATH WOBBLES, SHOWING ITS INTENSITY, AND REFUSAL TO SUBSIDE UNTIL DECELERATED TO ABOUT 55 MPH. THE VIDEO EXCEEDS THE SPACE ALLOWED FOR THIS DOCUMENT, SO YOU'D HAVE TO CONTACT ME TO ARRANGE ANOTHER WAY TO VIEW IT IF NECESSARY.

NHTSA ODI 11398971