2006 Jeep Wrangler Suspension Problems

Your Jeep experiences dangerous front-end vibration and wobbling, especially when braking or hitting bumps at highway speeds (55+ mph). This is an ongoing problem that creates a serious safety hazard. The suspension components in your vehicle are the same design as newer Jeeps that have had this issue addressed, suggesting older Jeeps remain at risk. A mechanic will need to inspect and likely replace worn or misaligned suspension components like the track bar, drag link, or tie rods to resolve the death wobble.

Your front end shakes violently at around 55 mph, especially when accelerating or decelerating—a condition known as "death wobble." The shaking usually stops once you change speed. This happens about a third of the time you're changing speeds. The fix typically involves inspecting and potentially replacing worn suspension components like tie rods, ball joints, or steering dampers.

I JUST PURCHASE A THIS VEHICLE AND I NOTICES THAT FRONT SUSPENSION STARTS SHAKING AFTER HITTING A BUMP ON THE ROAD, IT IS VERY SCARY AND IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO LOOSE CONTROL. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR ON THE FREEWAY TWO TIMES AND IT ALREADY HAPPENED LIKE 6 TIMES. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED AND I HOPE THIS IS AN EASY FIX, I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER BUT I DON'T THINK I CAN RUN THE RISK OF GIVING IT TO HER IT WOULD BE VERY IRRESPONSIBLE OF MY PART TO GIVE MY DAUGHTER SOMETHING UNSAFE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING OVER 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED VIOLENTLY AFTER DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO TAKE HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP SHAKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT LEAST ONCE PER YEAR SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED NEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (DIEHL CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM OF ROBINSON, 6181 STEUBENVILLE PIKE, MCKEES ROCKS, PA 15136) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE JOINTS, CONTROL ARM, AND WHEEL BEARING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE SAME DEALER EACH YEAR FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 33265612. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING OVER 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE SHOCKS AND BRAKE ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND SHOOK WHEN THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A BUMP. THE CONTACT HAD TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL AGGRESSIVELY, SLOW DOWN, AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHOCKS AND TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DAMPER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

WHEN DRIVING AT APPRX. 50 MILES PER HOUR, IF YOU HIT SEMI ROUGH/ROUGH ROADWAY THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO A HORRIBLE TOTAL FRONT END SHAKE. IT WOULD ONLY GO AWAY BY PUTTING ON YOUR BRAKES, AND THIS IS NOT SUCH A GOOD IDEA WHEN EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROADWAY IS GOING THE SPEED LIMIT AND YOU HAVE TO HIT YOUR BRAKES AND SLOW DOWN TO GET YOUR FRONT END UNDER CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 40-45 MPH WHEN THE FRONT END STARTED TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THE FRONT END STABILIZER BAR NEEDED TO REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

WHEN MY 2006 JEEP WRANGLER HITS A BUMP OR AN IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD WHILE TRAVELLING AT 45MPH AND ABOVE, THE JEEP WILL BEGIN TO SHAKE SO SEVERELY THAT A CRASH SEEMS INEVITABLE UNLESS I SLAM ON THE BRAKES AND PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME MORE THAN I CAN COUNT AND CONTINUES TO BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DROVE OVER A ROAD BUMP WHEN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE STABILIZER BAR TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

EXPERIENCING "DEATH WOBBLE" WHEN DRIVING OVER MANHOLES AND/OR STORM SEWER GRATES. UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING IN FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS ON 03/05/2012. HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR 25 DAYS. REPAIR PARTS/LABOR CURRENTLY AT $1050+TAX. VEHICLE IN WORSE CONDITION THAN PRIOR TO HAVING REPAIRS. HAS NOW ALSO DEVELOPED A "SHIMMY" IN THE STEERING THAT WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN VEHICLE BROUGHT IN TO DEALER. VEHICLE WILL BE RETRIEVED ON 03/31/2012 AND TAKEN TO DIFFERENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP. PROBLEM NOT UNIQUE TO MY VEHICLE. RESEARCH OF PROBLEM ON INTERNET HAS NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. PLEASE HELP PRIOR TO VEHICLE CAUSING ACCIDENT AND INJURIES/DEATH TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFAULT, IE. POOR DESIGN AND NO SOLUTION FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. *JS

I AM A SECOND OWNER OF A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED. AFTER PURCHASING THE JEEP, I EXPERIENCED THE "DEATH WOBBLE". THIS IS WHEN THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE OF THE VEHICLE HITS A BUMP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION GOES INTO AN UNDRIVABLE WOBBLE. TO RECOVER YOU EITHER TAKE YOUR FOOT OF THE ACCELERATOR OR ATTEMPT TO BRAKE. THERE ARE YOUTUBE VIDEOS SHOWING THIS OCCURRING. I TOOK THE JEEP TO A SHOP WHERE THE OWNER HAD A JEEP AND KNEW ABOUT THE "DEATH WOBBLE". HE ALIGNED THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTED ALL THE FRONT END SUSPENSION PARTS. THIS DID NOT HELP. HE BALANCED ALL THE TIRES. THIS HELPED FOR BUT THE WOBBLE RETURNED. AFTER RETURNING TO THE SERVICE SHOP THE OWNER REPLACED THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. THIS HELPED FOR 2-3 DAYS. NOW THE DEATH WOBBLE IS BACK. THE JEEP IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN A ROAD BUMP WAS DRIVEN OVER OR WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD WOBBLE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT END STABILIZER AND SHOCKS, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING COSTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP, AT ANY SPEED, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD VIOLENTLY SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,756.

WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, STRIKING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROADWAY CAUSES SEVERE FRONT END OSCILLATION FROM THE AXEL. THE VIBRATION IS SO VIOLENT, IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO FEEL AS THOUGH IT WILL COME APART. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VIBRATIONS IS TO ABRUPTLY REDUCE SPEEDS TO A STOP. *TR

WHEN I GO OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT OR A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE SHAKES AND I AM UNABLE TO CONTROL IT. I HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. *TR

2006 JEEP WRANGLER- AT 65,000 MILES DEVELOPED WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE". I HAVE SPENT OVER $1500.00 TRYING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AND STILL AT 50- 65 MILES PER HOUR DEVELOPS A VIOLENT SHAKE THAT FELLS AS THOUGH THE FRONT WHEEL WILL FLY OFF THE VEHICLE- THE ONLY THING TO DO IS SLOW DOWN. NOW DUE TO THIS PROBLEM OTHER PARTS OF THIS VEHICLE ARE BREAKING INCLUDING THE FRONT HOOD LATCH THAT ALLOWS THE HOOD TO FLY UP INTO THE WINDSHIELD. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL OF THIS DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION WOULD BOUNCE AND CAUSE ROUGH HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE, MORE SO IN COLDER TEMPERATURES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 12 MPH. THE DEALER TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A TEST DRIVE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. HE DID STATE THAT THE THROTTLE BODY COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 5/3/10 *CN THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSON. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER NOT TO USE FIRST GEAR, BUT TO START IN SECOND GEAR. UPDATED 06/28/10*JB

DEATH WOBBLE ON A 2006 JEEP. I WAS GOING 55 AND HAD IT HAPPEN TOOK IT TO A SHOP THEY SAID MY TIRES NEEDED TO BE BALANCED. A WEEK LATER IT HAPPENED AT 58 MPH AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE JEEP GOING OFF THE RAD TOOK IT IN TO THE SHOP THEY SAID IT WAS MY BRAKES. AFTER THE BRAKES IT STILL HAPPENED AT 58 MPH I HAVE NEW BRAKES , SHOCKS, BRAKE PADS, BALANCED, STEERING ROD TOTAL OF OVER 2000.00 AND 5 DAYS OF MY TIME. *TR

THERE WERE TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS WHERE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT BETWEEN 30 TO 40 MPH AND ENCOUNTERED TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE"S STEERING DUE TO CONSTANT BACK AND FORTH OSCILLATIONS OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE OR BROKEN STEERING DAMPER ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO STOP THE VIBRATION. SHE SPOKE TO TWO OTHER JEEP OWNERS AND THEY REFERRED TO THIS ISSUE AS A "DEATH SHAKE". THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT FEELS AS IF THE FRONT WHEELS ARE COMING OFF. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,000. UPDATED 07/10/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED AT A COST OF $300.00 AND THEN AN ALIGNMENT HAD TO BE PERFORMED. UPDATED 07/10/09.*JB

DEATH WOBBLE ON JEEP WRANGLER AS REPORTED ON WSOCTV THIS HAS OCCURED IN MY VEHICLE ON MANY OCCASIONS. THE JEEP IS ALL FACTORY. NO LIFTS, ETC. *TR

ENTERING THE INTERSTATE AND DRIVING UP TO APPROXIMATELY 60-65MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT WHERE I NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY TO STOP THE VIBRATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON THE13TH OF MARCH AT EWALD JEEP IN FRANKLIN WHEN THEY TOLD ME TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE 2/32. I TOLD THEM THE TIRES HAVE ONLY 15,000 MILES ON THEM THEN THEY TOLD ME TO SEE THE PLACE (POMPS IN RACINE) THAT SOLD ME THE TIRES. POMPS SAID I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. THEN, ON THE 8TH OF APRIL DRIVING AT 40MPH ON A BUMPY ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AGAIN WITH WHAT FELT LIKE THE FRONT WHEELS WERE LOOSE. TO STOP THIS VIBRATION, I NEEDED TO SLOW TO 10 TO 20 MPH. I CALLED FOR SERVICE ONCE AGAIN TO EWALD ON THE10TH OF APRIL. THEY REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPER ($126.28 AND $98 FOR LABOR). THEY ALSO PERFORMED A 2 WHEEL FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THEN ON SATURDAY THE 18TH OF APRIL, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AS SOON AS I GOT HOME, I CALLED EWALD AND TOLD THEM THE SHAKES ARE BACK. WENT IN ON MONDAY THE 20TH AND HAD A SERVICE TECH DRIVE IT. HE SAID NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY OCCURRED WHILE HE DROVE IT. MINOR SHAKES IN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT 'THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE BEAST', HE SAID. THEY PROCEEDED TO LOOK INTO IT MORE AND 20 MINUTES LATER, THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE REPLACING THE STEERING DAMPER THEY REPLACED ONLY 10 DAYS EARLIER. I OWNED A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER AND NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS THEN. AFTER TALKING WITH OTHER JEEP OWNERS, I BELIEVE IT TO BE A BAD DESIGN AND HOPE CHRYSLERJEEP CAN CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR