Fiat Chrysler claims it has a fix for Jeep Wrangler 'death wobble'
Numerous Wrangler owners have reported the problem, which is also the subject of a lawsuit.
After numerous complaints, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles believes it has a fix for the Jeep Wrangler's "death wobble" issue. The term, which owners use to describe steering wheel vibrations at highway speeds, has been on the company's radar for years, but it's since been the subject of a new lawsuit.
While the litigation is ongoing, FCA thinks it's traced the problem back to a stabilizer. The Detroit Free Press reported last Saturday that the automaker will offer up a new steering damper, known as a stabilizer, to remedy the problem. The newspaper reported owners began receiving notices for the replacement part campaign this past Friday.
Owners have long argued the "death wobble" is a major safety issue. At highway speeds, should a driver hit a bump, the steering wheel will reportedly shake violently. Despite the alarming owner-coined term, Jeep told the newspaper it's not aware of any deaths or injuries due to the problem.
The automaker also maintains the issue can occur in any vehicle that boasts a solid-front axle and the problem isn't necessarily due to a defective part. Per Mark Chernoby, FCA's chief technical compliance officer, the issue comes from a "combination of [the] design and manufacturing process."
While owners will likely cheer a fix, the ongoing lawsuit has already raised concerns about installing a new stabilizer and called the practice a "band-aid fix." Instead, the lawsuit called on FCA to make major revisions and repairs to the suspension. Surely, we'll hear more about how the Wranglers behave after the first customers receive the FCA-condoned fix.
