Loose steering feels like it has play and drifts

[Jlrut]

I'll drive my Wrangler for a day or two then go back to another vehicle and end up swerving back and forth in my lane since I'm so used to the shitty Wrangler steering. Good thing is I adjust back to normal steering after a couple hundred feet lol.

what you're saying applies to me. I can sort of get used to it if I'm driving my jeep for the day...(I tend to use it as my weekend vehicle. Short trips or day rides on less traveled roads.) But when I get in my car, or this past Sunday swap with a friend that has a 4 door Recon, I realize that how bad my JL steering is.

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[jeremyjeep]

There are a few replies in this thread where people are reporting slight variations of the steering box part number that have changed in as little as two weeks, so obviously Jeep is aware of the steering issues. Some of the steering box part numbers end in AB, AC, or AD.

The problem is getting dealers to confirm the problem and not blame "it is a Jeep thing". They need to test drive it more than 5 minutes to replicate the problem. And they need to test drive a 2018 JK or JL just before so they have something to compare it to. THEN they will see the problem.

 

[Tod13]

I have a JL Sahara. I had the "57 PSI" issue and my 4 door was horribly squirrelly at highway speeds. Once I cut that back to 36-37 PSI, most of the steering issues went away. At the dealership yesterday, they were checking it out. I've thought of the 4HI-auto on the JL Sahara as "AWD", but I guess it isn't and is more off-road oriented. (I always heard Saharas never went off-road. LOL) The remaining vagueness was from using 4HI-Auto. Switching it into 2HI tightened everything back up. (I'm OK with the very mild vagueness in 4HI-Auto.)

 

[jeremyjeep]

Out of curiosity, does anyone see a steering difference with the different ESC modes - Electronic Stability Control button? I think I remember someone mentioning in a reply in this thread that there was a difference / improvement, but it would be interesting to get a bigger sample size. This wouldn't be a fix, but could provide more troubleshooting clues.

Page From the Manual 223/224:

ESC Operating Modes

ESC On
This is the normal operating mode for the ESC. Whenever the vehicle is started, the ESC system will be in this mode. This mode should be used for most driving conditions.
Alternate ESC modes should only be used for specific reasons as noted in the following paragraphs.

Partial Off
The “Partial Off” mode is intended for times when a more spirited driving experience is desired. This mode may modify TCS and ESC thresholds for activation, which allows for more wheel spin than normally allowed. This mode may be useful if the vehicle becomes stuck. To enter the “Partial Off” mode, momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch and the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will illuminate. To turn the ESC on again, momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch and the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will turn off.

Full Off — If Equipped
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use only and should not be used on any public roadways. In this mode, TCS and ESC features are turned OFF. To enter the “Full Off” mode, push and hold the “ESC Off” switch for five seconds while the vehicle is stopped with the engine running. After five seconds, a chime will sound, the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will illuminate, and the “ESC OFF” message will display in the instrument cluster. To turn ESC ON again, momentarily push the “ESC Off” switch.

 

[RDT300]

So I posted way back when in this thread about my steering and the play in it and the drifting and wandering, and have been following this thread for last few months.

Background.....I have an Unlimited Rubicon. Had dealer install 2 “ mopar lift, 35” KO2 and black performance mopar 17” wheels before I took delivery. Never took it out for a test drive before they did work bc was waiting for like ever for it to be delivered to dealer. I drove it for a good 6 weeks before I noticed any issue with steering. Reason being is I drive in stop and go traffic in densely populated area. I noticed it when I went to the shore one weekend and was able to get on a strait away with no traffic and no traffic lights. This was when I noticed how loose and how much play was in steering wheel to the point had to use two hands on wheel.

I have had 5 other Jeeps with mud terrain tires, all terrain tires, various lift heights, etc. Have also owned trucks and cars. None of those other vehicles ever had this much play in steering wheel.

So took it back to my dealer that next week. They took it to an independent off road shop to have alignment done. Dealer did alignment initially after installing the lift. When I picked it up the service manager even said how bad it was when he drove it to the shop and that it was much better now. Sure enough it was better, but not 100%. I would say about 75%. So I figured I would give it about a month or so see how it was as I continued to read the posts on this thread. I still felt a good amount of play in the steering wheel. So last week I took it back to dealer and told them to apply the TSB and check the ball joint nuts bc I was also getting the clicking noise on the passenger side when making left turns.

I have a very good relationship with my dealer and they have done everything I have asked so far. I was even back in the shop speaking with Tech. So the TSB was done and he found that the passenger side lower ball joint nut was loose. He took out cotter pins on all 4 and checked them. The clicking was gone and the TSB made no improvement to the play in the steering.

In speaking with the service manager and Tech I learned I was the only customer to bring in the JL for any steering issue. They are a high volume dealer in a very populated area and probably have sold about 200 JLs. But the Tech said I was probably the only one who noticed the issue bc most of the customers are driving in stop and go traffic. I don’t think there are nearly enough complaints into FCA yet. As of now I will wait and see if FCA eventually comes out with anything in coming months before I ask for new steering box or have the screw adjusted. Think about it.......there are 10’s of thousands of JLs on the road now but really only a hundred or so complaints of the steering issue of drifting and wandering and play in steering wheel.

I have attached three videos. First one is driving before alignment. Second is after alignment and TSB. Third is parked and engine running and moving the wheel to the point the tires actually begin to turn.








Not sure if the videos will work..I could not figure out how to upload on phone or laptop...kept getting error.

 

[bzjeep]

Took my JLUR (March build date) in this morning and mentioned the TSB. They drove it a bit and applied the update. Took them about 90 minutes total. Initial reaction driving into work afterwards was that the steering wheel itself still has a good amount of play; however, I did feel like the response was quicker and there was definitely less wandering. From the dealer, my tires were set to 50 psi; however I've been running them at 36 psi for the past few months and that alone did not seem to do much other than smooth out the ride quality a bit.

 

[Holymoly1963]

QUOTE="RDT300, post: 338768, member: 17242"]So I posted way back when in this thread about my steering and the play in it and the drifting and wandering, and have been following this thread for last few months.

Background.....I have an Unlimited Rubicon. Had dealer install 2 “ mopar lift, 35” KO2 and black performance mopar 17” wheels before I took delivery. Never took it out for a test drive before they did work bc was waiting for like ever for it to be delivered to dealer. I drove it for a good 6 weeks before I noticed any issue with steering. Reason being is I drive in stop and go traffic in densely populated area. I noticed it when I went to the shore one weekend and was able to get on a strait away with no traffic and no traffic lights. This was when I noticed how loose and how much play was in steering wheel to the point had to use two hands on wheel

I have had 5 other Jeeps with mud terrain tires, all terrain tires, various lift heights, etc. Have also owned trucks and cars. None of those other vehicles ever had this much play in steering wheel.


Holymoly1963 commented:

I think there are a lot of people, especially those who do mostly in town driving, that might not notice the problem. My wife had stopped commenting about the poor steering for about a month until we took her Wrangler out on I 40 and it scared her. Now she's afraid to drive it 150 miles to our daughter's house because it's mostly interstate. Meeting with FCA regional rep on Friday. This has gone on too long.[/QUOTE]

 

[Chubrocker]

I've been having this problem from the day I bought my new JLU last week and have been blown off/deflected by the dealership at every opportunity. "It's just a Jeep thing" "That's just how they drive" etc. Just got done driving a JKU daily for the last 3 years and test drove a JLU at a different dealership that did not have this problem. They have refused to apply the TSB since it doesn't apply to my VIN range and just gave me it back after 5 days at the dealership saying they could not replicate the problem. I take the service rep at his word since he claims he drives a TJ as his daily driver. The problem is absolutely still there and easily noticable.

The only thing I've been able to narrow down is that it seems to pull left when I accelerate and pull right when I let off the gas. Both will drift you out of your lane almost immediately unless you apply steering input to correct it which ends up having me bounce between the edges of my lane in city traffic when you are trying to keep pace with the vehicle in front of you. You end up swerving throughout your lane like a drunk driver does, ping-ponging down the road bouncing between the lane lines.

Is this similar to other's experience? Does acceleration/deceleration exacerbate the steering problem for anyone else?

YES, at least when braking. Had to jump on the brakes a few times, no where near panic stop level and it's all over the road and hard to control. Potholes and bump steer the same thing. I'm familiar with bump steer on solid axle vehicles but this takes it to a new level.

 

[kre62]

So who wants to create a "steering remediation package" that includes a new cast iron steering gear box and a reweld of the track bar/ball joint tightening? That package wold sell like fire. And then we can all get together and sue FCA to reimburse.

 

[NFRs2000NYC]

So I watched the third video uploaded by the gentleman with the blue JLU....forgive me I can't recall your username. I noticed you commented on the steering of the JK being tight, and you showed the play in your JL by wobbling the steering back and forth. I wanted to chime in and tell you, that I had a 2012 JKUSahara, and then I replaced it with a 2014 JKUR which I still own....both of them have had that exact dead spot, and I can wiggle my steering wheel just like that without any input to the wheels. The 2012 was my first ever Jeep, and then replaced with the 2014, and I chalked up the sloppy steering to it being a solid axle vehicle in addition to the fact that you wouldn't want super tight/responsive steering offroad where your wheel would be bouncing left/right nonstop and uncontrollably from side to side without that dead spot. That rationale seemed/seems reasonable. Looking at these comments/videos, either that IS the case, and the steering is not supposed to be telepathically responsive (meaning the slightest movement of the wheel results in front wheels turning) and there is nothing wrong with the JL steering.....OR, this problem is not only a JL problem. If you like, I can make the same video showing the dead spot in my JKUR.

 

[Jzsquared]

So if there is some magical download that helps the 4 door because it may been been programmed for the 2 door where is the download for the 2 doors? Mine is so sloppy it’s really not fun to drive.

 

[Jzsquared]

And what did they program the 2 doors with the 6x6 sold overseas ?

 

[Tylerjcloud92]

I think there are different levels of "fix". For example, the software update did fix the need to "white knuckle" driving to keep it from pulling hard into other lanes, but after the software update, the steering is now drifting and wandering gently. Multiple layers of problems, yes perhaps to a design flaw in the steering box, but might be a combination of problems that need to be addressed (lose joint nuts, over tightened control arms, software update, adjusting the steering box, etc.). But at least after the software update, you can drive it without worrying about a head-on collision due to steering. Maybe your test drives are at the level that people are now after the software update. The 2 door you test drove either was mfg after the May 2018 date when it already had the software update applied, or the dealership may have applied the update to it already, thus you don't experience the extreme steering problems and you only see the simpler steering issues, but many of us did.

right, that's basically what I'm saying mine was almost undrivable before its bearable now but not perfect by any means. the 2 door I drove was almost the same as mine post TSB so the minor issues seem o be common and probably play in the box itself. from what I understand the reason its so loose is that they used an aluminum box so when it gets hot it will bind up if the tolerances aren't as loose as they are I guess we'll see if the people that have adjusted theirs via the screw on the box will have this problem. I hope not it might be what I decide to do if the dealer and jeep turn into a dead end.

 

[Jlrut]

So I posted way back when in this thread about my steering and the play in it and the drifting and wandering, and have been following this thread for last few months.

Background.....I have an Unlimited Rubicon. Had dealer install 2 “ mopar lift, 35” KO2 and black performance mopar 17” wheels before I took delivery. Never took it out for a test drive before they did work bc was waiting for like ever for it to be delivered to dealer. I drove it for a good 6 weeks before I noticed any issue with steering. Reason being is I drive in stop and go traffic in densely populated area. I noticed it when I went to the shore one weekend and was able to get on a strait away with no traffic and no traffic lights. This was when I noticed how loose and how much play was in steering wheel to the point had to use two hands on wheel.

I have had 5 other Jeeps with mud terrain tires, all terrain tires, various lift heights, etc. Have also owned trucks and cars. None of those other vehicles ever had this much play in steering wheel.

So took it back to my dealer that next week. They took it to an independent off road shop to have alignment done. Dealer did alignment initially after installing the lift. When I picked it up the service manager even said how bad it was when he drove it to the shop and that it was much better now. Sure enough it was better, but not 100%. I would say about 75%. So I figured I would give it about a month or so see how it was as I continued to read the posts on this thread. I still felt a good amount of play in the steering wheel. So last week I took it back to dealer and told them to apply the TSB and check the ball joint nuts bc I was also getting the clicking noise on the passenger side when making left turns.

I have a very good relationship with my dealer and they have done everything I have asked so far. I was even back in the shop speaking with Tech. So the TSB was done and he found that the passenger side lower ball joint nut was loose. He took out cotter pins on all 4 and checked them. The clicking was gone and the TSB made no improvement to the play in the steering.

In speaking with the service manager and Tech I learned I was the only customer to bring in the JL for any steering issue. They are a high volume dealer in a very populated area and probably have sold about 200 JLs. But the Tech said I was probably the only one who noticed the issue bc most of the customers are driving in stop and go traffic. I don’t think there are nearly enough complaints into FCA yet. As of now I will wait and see if FCA eventually comes out with anything in coming months before I ask for new steering box or have the screw adjusted. Think about it.......there are 10’s of thousands of JLs on the road now but really only a hundred or so complaints of the steering issue of drifting and wandering and play in steering wheel.

I have attached three videos. First one is driving before alignment. Second is after alignment and TSB. Third is parked and engine running and moving the wheel to the point the tires actually begin to turn.








Not sure if the videos will work..I could not figure out how to upload on phone or laptop...kept getting error.

I agree with your second paragraph. Until you had an opportunity to drive on the open road, you weren't able to know the issue existed. I'm guessing this applies to most of the JL's...not just the few of us that are speaking out. This will be the comment if FCA gets it right and does a recall. ' Wow! This is so much better and I didn't even know I had a problem'

 

[Holymoly1963]

So I watched the third video uploaded by the gentleman with the blue JLU....forgive me I can't recall your username. I noticed you commented on the steering of the JK being tight, and you showed the play in your JL by wobbling the steering back and forth. I wanted to chime in and tell you, that I had a 2012 JKUSahara, and then I replaced it with a 2014 JKUR which I still own....both of them have had that exact dead spot, and I can wiggle my steering wheel just like that without any input to the wheels. The 2012 was my first ever Jeep, and then replaced with the 2014, and I chalked up the sloppy steering to it being a solid axle vehicle in addition to the fact that you wouldn't want super tight/responsive steering offroad where your wheel would be bouncing left/right nonstop and uncontrollably from side to side without that dead spot. That rationale seemed/seems reasonable. Looking at these comments/videos, either that IS the case, and the steering is not supposed to be telepathically responsive (meaning the slightest movement of the wheel results in front wheels turning) and there is nothing wrong with the JL steering.....OR, this problem is not only a JL problem. If you like, I can make the same video showing the dead spot in my JKUR.

The problem is: some JL's have a lot of play, some do not. A salesman at my dealership, who owns a good JL, took mine for a drive and said mine has a problem. Period.

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