Loose steering feels like it has play and drifts

[amckinney]

I just emailed Mr. Manley about my steering issues and dealership experiences. I’m doubting I will get a reply but it is worth sending the email.

You will without a doubt get a reply, just from someone on the referral team. While I still haven’t really gotten anywhere on mine, they have tried to pressure the dealership to help me.

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[josephavellino]

I got a video of my steering wheel shaking after a bump. Is this related?

I had something happen like that to me in my Hyundai. The service manager for Hyundai is also service manager for Jeep at my dealership. I can't remember what he did to fix the Hyundai issue like this but if you PM me, I can get you his number and number.

 

[sonchik]

Confirming the whole cold vs hot weather differences. It is strange but I have to agree that when temperature decreases there is less play in the steering wheel and less wondering around. As temperatures increase the wobbling comes back. With everything that this forum/thread analyzed and debated I wonder how temperature plays a role in this defect. I'm clueless but are there fluids in the steering system that 'loosen up' liquefy with warmer weather and solidify when cold?

My issue has gotten just a little bit better when the dealer performed alignment but the problem is not fixed and I continue to have the issue now 5K miles into driving the car. Just noticed the temperature thing.

 

[vavaroutsos]

Confirming the whole cold vs hot weather differences. It is strange but I have to agree that when temperature decreases there is less play in the steering wheel and less wondering around. As temperatures increase the wobbling comes back. With everything that this forum/thread analyzed and debated I wonder how temperature plays a role in this defect. I'm clueless but are there fluids in the steering system that 'loosen up' liquefy with warmer weather and solidify when cold?

My issue has gotten just a little bit better when the dealer performed alignment but the problem is not fixed and I continue to have the issue now 5K miles into driving the car. Just noticed the temperature thing.

There is hydraulic fluid for the power steering, but it reaches operating temperature fairly quickly and I can't see ambient temperature affecting this much. Ambient temperature would affect tire air pressure and might have some effect on rubber control arm and track bar bushings.

 

[Saejin]

Second the cold weather effect. It’s in the high 20s and low 30s now in Maryland. Steering is tighter, but still drives the same in the highway as in it wanders a bit. Mine isn’t that bad and I can drive with one hand doing about 80mph.

FCA will never come up with a silver bullet fix for this. There are just too many variables and too many other Jeeps out there that drive fine. They are just going to band-aid it as owners report issues.

For me, when the current suspension wears out I plan to replace most if not everything with an after-market setup.

Also, I doubt it has anything to do with the hydraulic fluid in the steering pump. The cold will have an immediate effect on bushings, tires, tire pressure, etc. My bet is on the bushings. I read somewhere that the trackbar May be the culprit as it’s hollow and pretty much a pice of sh!t. Also, don’t think FCA is using the highest quality bushings in the linkages.

I bet if you replaced the front and rear trackbar, upper and lower control arms (f & r), tie rod, and set caster to 5+ degrees, the Jeep would drive like a dream.

 

[jmcdtucson]

Jim Click or Larry Miller? I took mine to Jim Click with loose steering issue but was told that they would not even be able to do anything about because of my lift and 35’s.

Larry Miller. That's good to know - I won't waste time driving across town to Jim Click.

 

[cableline01]

Im taking mine to a "Jeep" Shop to get a 2nd opinion then give jeep the results since the dealer is crap.

 

[MeepMeepJeep]

I just wanted to confirm that others are having the same issues I am-I picked up my JLU on Halloween. The steering felt great, tight, no issues for the first 100 miles or so. Then I drove it on the highway to the airport to go on a business trip-and it was rainy and windy-I was literally ALL over the road. Sometimes, when I turned the wheel to turn back into my lane, it didn't seem to be responding. Then I got back home with it, and the ride home it was absolute calm-no wind, no rain. It felt the same. Like it was drifting all over the road-handles very similar to my 1993 Searay Sundancer that had a pully steering system-it yaws back and forth, won't track in a straight line.

Went to the airport again-pulled out of a Dunks and realized I had turned my wheel halfway around the entire circumference of the wheel to do a 15 degree turn-not good. Whole ride to the airport, I'm trying to keep from side swiping people in the other lanes. When I get in the draft of an 18 wheeler-really bad.

I can move the wheel 2-3 inches from center and the car does not even shimmy in either direction. If I try to keep it dead on, it just picks a side and drifts that way.

I've been driving Wranglers since 1990-this is NOT a "Jeep" thing.

 

[jeremyjeep]

I just wanted to confirm that others are having the same issues I am-I picked up my JLU on Halloween. The steering felt great, tight, no issues for the first 100 miles or so. Then I drove it on the highway to the airport to go on a business trip-and it was rainy and windy-I was literally ALL over the road. Sometimes, when I turned the wheel to turn back into my lane, it didn't seem to be responding. Then I got back home with it, and the ride home it was absolute calm-no wind, no rain. It felt the same. Like it was drifting all over the road-handles very similar to my 1993 Searay Sundancer that had a pully steering system-it yaws back and forth, won't track in a straight line.

Went to the airport again-pulled out of a Dunks and realized I had turned my wheel halfway around the entire circumference of the wheel to do a 15 degree turn-not good. Whole ride to the airport, I'm trying to keep from side swiping people in the other lanes. When I get in the draft of an 18 wheeler-really bad.

I can move the wheel 2-3 inches from center and the car does not even shimmy in either direction. If I try to keep it dead on, it just picks a side and drifts that way.

I've been driving Wranglers since 1990-this is NOT a "Jeep" thing.

Check out the last two cases in the Recall, TSB, Issues thread about steering. What is your mfg date per the door jam? What is the date code on your steering stabilizer? And what is your tire PSI at?

 

[jforse]

Confirming the whole cold vs hot weather differences. It is strange but I have to agree that when temperature decreases there is less play in the steering wheel and less wondering around. As temperatures increase the wobbling comes back. With everything that this forum/thread analyzed and debated I wonder how temperature plays a role in this defect. I'm clueless but are there fluids in the steering system that 'loosen up' liquefy with warmer weather and solidify when cold?

My issue has gotten just a little bit better when the dealer performed alignment but the problem is not fixed and I continue to have the issue now 5K miles into driving the car. Just noticed the temperature thing.

It has been 10 degrees here and the Jeep still wanders badly.

 

[jforse]

I've been driving Wranglers since 1990-this is NOT a "Jeep" thing.

Exactly. I have had multiple XJ, TJ, ZJ, WJ, JK and now the JL. NONE of them handled this bad. To me it feel likes the steering gear needs to be adjusted and there isn't enough caster, BUT you can't adjust either on the JL. LOL

 

[jforse]

You will without a doubt get a reply, just from someone on the referral team. While I still haven’t really gotten anywhere on mine, they have tried to pressure the dealership to help me.

I received a reply at 8:40 PM last night from an Executive referrals Manager. I'm interested to see where this goes.

 

[Periokid]

I think I spoke too soon about the cold and improved steering. Still wanders.

 

[Grayce's mom]

My Sahara is in the shop right now. A couple weeks ago I was getting off a highway. It was wet out but I was only traveling about 30mph. The Jeep began a front end driver's side drift sending me towards the guard rail. I stopped the vehicle, turned the wheel, and started driving again and the car continued towards the guard rail. I put the car in park, put it back in drive, and tried again. The car moved in the correct direction but I drove about 10mph the rest of the way home. I figured it was the wet pavement or maybe someone had spilled oil from their car and mine slipped on it. A couple days later I was driving 75mph on a highway and I hit a rough patch. It felt like the car lost it's steering. Luckily I got control of the car, as I was next to a tractor trailer. I finally called service. My Jeep has been in the shop for over a week. At first they kept telling me they couldn't replicate the problem. Finally, yesterday, the lady in the service department called me and said something about a steering coupling (?) shehthen told me it's a known Jeep issue and that the part is back ordered. They have to rent me a car and I have no idea when it'll be done. They said they were given permission to use non mopar parts to fix it. I'm not sure I agree with that but what can I do? Anyway, I found this article and it may be repetitive so sorry if it is. I now worry about safety.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.tflcar.com/2018/09/2018-jeep-wrangler-jl-steering-problem/amp/

 

[318Polara]

Well I received Mopar lower control arms for 2.5 lift kit this weekend. Installed them today on my JLR and we have improvement. Much more comfortable to drive but still not where it should be. Myself, my son and my wife all test drove it and concluded same thing much better but still not quite right. Wife was the first one to drive it home from dealer when first thing she said is that steering seemed loose and hard to keep in a straight path. Mind you she has driven wranglers for the last 15 years last one being a 2009 Sahara. I would like dealer to do a full torque check on all the front end components as well as the rear suspension but as I found out they are only paid to do visual check and tell you its normal. Anyway will have to do what many have already dig deep pay for it yourself. Will continue to monitor forum for any new info.

BTW Jeep Care if you are monitoring forum just want to let you know today at breakfast today a friend, who is a GM customer, came up to us today to tell us about the wandering and death wobble. He is not a jeep owner just knew that we had got a new one. FCA seems to believe the number of owners dealing with these issues is small and that maybe true, but if non jeep owners know of these issues and talk to there friends who might be interested in a jeep JL it could hurt sales. Just might want to pass it on if anyone cares.

My wife loves her jeep and we know these issues can be fixed so we won't be trading it in or selling it. It is horrible that JL owners with very few miles have traded in for something else, especially those that have loyal to the brand for years. Remember your dealer did not engineer or build your jeep. They have nothing to do with where parts are manufactured from. FCA needs to stand up and pay dealership and mechanics to at least try and make the customers of these affected jeeps happy with their purchase.

Hopefully soon a fix will be here.

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