2001 Jeep Wrangler Suspension Problems

Your Jeep's frame is rusting from the inside, and the rear control arm fell off while driving, which caused a crash. This is a serious structural failure that requires immediate inspection and repair of both the rusted frame and the suspension component.

Your Jeep's frame has rusted completely through just behind where the rear suspension arms connect, creating two holes about 1 inch across. The corroded metal has weakened the frame, and stress from normal driving has caused cracks to form and connect these holes together, compromising the structural integrity of your vehicle.

FRAME RUSTED COMPLETELY

TAKATA RECALL MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN IT LOST CONTROL ON A WET ROAD. THE CAR SLID ACROSS THE ROAD, OVER A SMALL DITCH, AND HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE CAR BOUNCED FROM THE TREE AND SWIPED THE DRIVERS SIDE WITH ANOTHER TREE AND FINALLY BOUNCING BACK TOWARDS THE ROAD. THE ROAD WAS SLIGHTLY CURVED DOWNHILL IN A SMALL TOWN. I ATTEMPTED TO USE MY BRAKES WHILE OUT OF CONTROL BUT THEY WERE INEFFECTIVE. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE THUNDERSTORMS ON AND OFF, RAINING IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE AIRBAG IS THE SAFETY RISK. THE CAR HIT THE TREE IN THE CENTER OF THE GRILL WHICH CRACKED THE RADIATOR, TWISTED THE MOTOR MOUNTS, DAMAGED THE SUSPENSION, FOLDED THE FRAME AND SEVERAL OTHER FRACTURES. THE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED, BOTH A BODY SHOP AND THE TOWING COMPANY SAID IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THE CAR IS CONSIDERED TOTALED. I WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. INJURY'S TO THE DRIVER INCLUDE BROKEN RIBS, SPRAINED ANKLE, BRUISED MUSCLES, AND A CUT ON MY FOREHEAD THAT REQUIRED 5 STITCHES AMONG A FEW MORE MINOR INJURY'S. I ALSO BELIEVE THE TALL STEERING WHEEL KEPT ME FROM BEING EJECTED.

WAS TRAVELING DOWN DIRT ROAD AT AT 20 TO 25 MPH, THEN HEARD DIFFERENT NOISE LIKE METAL SCRAPING. SHIFTING SEEMED A LITTLE HARDER BUT WAS STILL WORKING. AFTER RETURNING HOME I LOOKED UNDER THE JEEP AND FOUND THE TRANSMISSION SKID PLATE HAD RUSTED AWAY FROM THE FRAME AND ONLY 3 BOLTS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HOLDING THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE. IF TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IF BOTH SIDES BROKE LOOSE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT STORY. I'VE DONE SOME CHECKING AFTER THIS HAPPENS AND LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AS WELL AS RUSTING OUT IN OTHER PLACES WITH JEEPS AND THINK THE MANUFACTURER HAS AND LEAST SOME LIABILITY WITH THIS ONGOING ISSUE.

I HAVE A JEEP THAT HAS A FRAME THAT IS RUSTED IN THE REAR TRAILING ARMS AND WERE THE TRANSMISSION IS HELD. NO INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED YET BUT IF THIS WERE TO BREAK ON THE ROAD COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WORK FOR HYUNDAI WHO HAS A RECALL ON QUITE A FEW CARS AND SUVS FOR THE FRAME ROTTING OUT ON CARS AS OLD AS 2000 I ALSO NO TOYOTA AND NISSAN AND OTHER MANUFACTURES HAVE RECALLS ON FRAMES WHY NOT JEEP I REALIZE IT MAY BE SPECIFIC TO SALT BELT AREAS BUT THOSE OTHER COMPANIES ARE FIXING THE PROBLEM. ALSO THE CLIMATE CONTROL MELTED COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE I KNOW THIS IS ALSO A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

SKID PLATE THAT HOLDS TRANSMISSION FELL FROM RUSTED FRAME. IF I WAS GOING ON FREEWAY AT 55 OR PLUS THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD SITUATION....LOOKING INTO FRAME I SEE THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH WRANGLERS FROM LIKE 1997 TO 2002 AND IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT....YOU HAVE RECALLED MAZDAS, TOYOTAS AND OTHER 2000ISH VEHICLES DUE TO RUSTED FRAMES...THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FRAMES REPLACED BEFORE MORE FATAL THINGS HAPPEN....I AM LOOKING IN GETTING MINE REPLACED...BUT IF I DO AND THEN IT IS RECALLED DO I GET JEEP TO PAY ME BACK FOR MY REPAIRS??? *TR

FRAME RUSTED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AT BRUSH GUARD/TRANS SUPPORT, AND TRANSMISSION DROPPED WHILE DRIVING. BOTTOM OF FRAME UNDER DRIVER/PASSENGER SEAT WERE BRUSH GUARD ATTACHES IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY AND THE FRAME HAS STARTED TO CRACK UP THE SIDES. I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE A CRASH SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FRAME COMPLETELY RUST AWAY ON A 14 YEAR OLD CAR.

DRIVING OVER A RAILROAD TRACKS, HEARD A POP. DISCOVERED THE FRAME BY THE TRAILER ARM, ON RIGHT HAND SIDE BECAME COMPLETELY DETACHED, AS IT HAD RUSTED THROUGH. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS AND NOTICED AN UNUSUAL NOISE UNDER MY JEEP AND GOT OUT TO CHECK IT OUT AND FOUND THAT MY FRAME HAD CRACKED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WHERE THE CONTROL ARM IS WELDED TO THE FRAME. AFTER LOOKING MORE CLOSELY, THE FRAME HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND IS A HOLE HAS DEVELOPED FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 INCHES ALONG THE CENTER OF THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME RAIL AND UP AND THROUGH WHERE THE CONTROL ARM BRACKET IS WELDED TO THE FRAME. THERE IS ONLY ABOUT 1 INCH OF WELD STILL HOLDING ON THE OUTSIDE BRACKET. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE HOME. FROM THE LOOKS OF THE RUST, THE ENTIRE FRAME COULD BUCKLE AT ANY TIME. I AM NOT A ROCK CRAWLER AND DO NOT ABUSE MY JEEP. IT IS ALL STOCK AND HAS REALLY ONLY BEEN DOWN DIRT ROADS AND NOT TRAILS. UPON SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT MANY OTHER WRANGLER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING A SIMILAR PROBLEM SEVERAL ACTUALLY HAD THEIR CROSSOVER SUPPORT FOR THE TRANSMISSION FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I KNOW THESE VEHICLES ARE 10 YEARS OLD BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FRAME HERE. THIS IS UNSAFE AND CERTAINLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR DESIGN OVERSIGHT. AFTER ALL, IT IS A JEEP WHICH IS EXPECTED TO GET SOME USE OFF ROAD. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF I TRULY SPENT SOME TIME OFF ROAD. PLEASE TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO AT LEAST LET OWNERS KNOW THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM. I NORMALLY DON'T LOOK UNDER MY VEHICLE AND THIS COULD HAVE EASILY GONE UNNOTICED AND COMPROMISED THE ENTIRE FRAME STRUCTURE IF I HAD AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, HE DROVE OVER A BUMP AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY VIBRATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO STOP THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE OVER BUMPS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE REAR SUSPENSION BEGAN TO SHAKE THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION OF THE REAR SUSPENSION BY THE CONTACT, IT WAS DETERMINED THE LEAF SPRING BRACKET ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS FRACTURED. ADDITIONALLY, THE LEFT SIDE WAS NOT WELDED TO THE SPRING ASSEMBLY, BUT THE RIGHT SIDE BRACKET WAS ATTACHED BY WELDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. UPDATED 12/01/06. *JB

2001 JEEP WRANGLER HAS CORROSION IN THE ELECTRICAL BOX, AIR BAG IS CORRODED, PROBLEMS WITH THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND OIL LEAK.*MR ON THE DAY OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A LEAK BEHIND THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH CAUSED THE CORROSION. *JB

VEHICLE'S FRONT STABILIZER BROKE.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER READ THE INVOICE, HE NOTICED THAT THE EXACT SAME PART HAD BEEN REPLACED PREVIOUSLY. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE FRONT END COLLAPSED .AS A RESULT, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*AK

THE REAR AXLE BROKE.*JB

REAR BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN APPLIED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO BACK DOWN A DIRT INCLINE. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED, THE FRONT BRAKES HAD LOCKED UP AND THE REAR BRAKES DID NOTHING, THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE BACKWARDS. THIS HAPPENED IN THE SECOND INCIDENT AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH THE REAR AXLE-DANA 44/226 MM. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE USED FOR ITS PURPOSE. RIGHT REAR AXLE SEAL LEAKED GREASE ONTO THE RIGHT REAR OF THE DIFFERENITAL, DEALER FOUND BEARING FAULTY AND REPLACED THE BEARING AND SEAL. *SCC

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A SHARP TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION VEHICLE SHAKES AND WOBBLES UNTIL IT CORRECTS ITSELF TIRES ON VEHICLE ARE COPPING BECAUSE OF THE SHOCKS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK *JB