How much steering play does your JL have?

[aldo98229]

I think you’re exaggerating the scale of the problem and in the absence of any data to prove your ‘tens of thousands’ claim that’s what I’ll continue to believe.

The internet and forums always magnify these issues as this is where folks come to complain and seek advice. The happy majority are silent.

As somebody who admits to not having these problems your participation in this thread is somewhat curious and serves to illustrate how the internet magnifies these issues.

My not having the issue doesn’t disqualify me any more than it qualifies you.

You say you like to quantify things, so do some simple math:

FCA has built at least 400,000 JLs in the last two years.

Now pick a number; any number. Just take a guess: let’s go easy and say 1% have this issue. That right there is already 4,000 units.

Now this issue is known to have been going on in 2018, 2019 and, apparently, it is still going on in 2020. So it is very likely to be much higher than 1%. Who the hell knows, but IMO 10% or 20% is not out of the question. That means 40,000 to 80,000 units right there.

It doesn’t take much to get into “tens of thousands” when a manufacturer has sold already 400,000 units...and going into Year 3 still hasn’t even come up with a convincing fix.

Sponsored

 

[Rudolph Hart]

My not having the issue doesn’t disqualify me any more than it qualifies you.

You say you like to quantify things, so do some simple math:

FCA has built at least 400,000 JLs in the last two years.

Now pick a number; any number. Just take a guess: let’s go easy and say 1% have this issue. That right there is already 4,000 units.

Now this issue is known to have been going on in 2018, 2019 and, apparently, it is still going on in 2020. So it is very likely to be much higher than 1%. Who the hell knows, but IMO 10% or 20% is not out of the question. That means 40,000 to 80,000 units right there.

It doesn’t take much to get into “tens of thousands” when a manufacturer has sold already 400,000 units...and going into Year 3 still hasn’t even come up with a convincing fix.

lol

 

[KrazyKirk]

Any vehicle driving down the road requires tiny amounts of steering input to track straight. I’ve had 2 lifted JKUR’s and they didn’t wear me out driving. My JLUR requires so much extra steering correction to go straight that it’s mentally tiresome.

At any speed, I can move my steering wheel about an inch either direction and my JLUR doesn’t change direction.

By the way, the dealer did find that my steering stabilizer shock was installed wrong at the factory and it was damaged. They replaced it, but I didn’t see any change. I told the dealer that I think the steering box lash doesn’t seem to be adjusted properly and I’d like for them to install a new box since they aren’t allowed to touch the adjustment screw. But the dealer (Ed Voyles in Marietta) said the way it drives is normal and they won’t replace the steering box. I’ve read all about this on the forum, but I wanted to do a poll to see if mine drives any different than yours.

I opened a JeepCare case and they said the next step is to take it to another dealer to see if they think it needs any other work. I want to see if I’m wasting my time. It could be just the way this model is designed. That might be the disappointing reality.

thanks!

When I bought my 2018 JLU Sahara it had what I refer to the old Ford drift. If you every driven an old ford with the twin I-Beam suspension you would have an idea what I am talking about, no play just a lot of steering corrections. Since then I upgraded to 35's with a 2" lift which left me with the same feeling but not quite as bad. I had no play in the steering, still just had to correct the tracking. Once I put a FOX after market steering stabilizer on it, it rides very nice and only have to correct any steering when hitting very large potholes at a decent speed.

 

[Jebb]

I have driven my son's 2019 4DR Wrangler JL several times since he bought it and every time I feel "uneasy" in the thing - like it's not doing what I'm telling it to. I noticed it felt odd the first time I pulled away from the curb - almost like the truck has NEGATIVE caster. It is hard to keep it going straight down the road and feels like it would dart off left/right if I let go of the wheel (haven't tried that though - and not going to!).

We added adjustable track bars for about 0.5 degree more caster - which helped - but the steering still seems weird. It's like the tires turn more than the steering wheel (oversteer) one minute and then not enough (understeer) the next. I suspect the electric power steering pump may be to blame, IDK.

I've been driving 4x4s for 30+ years - some with huge tires - so I am used to trucks - but the JL has a diffferent feeling altogether. "Unstable" is the word I would use to describe it.

BTW - he had the "death wobble" TSB performed on it awhile back (new steering stabilizer). He never reported wheel shimmy before but he has 2x since. I don't think FCA knows what they are doing, IMO.

 

[KnG818]

My not having the issue doesn’t disqualify me any more than it qualifies you.

You say you like to quantify things, so do some simple math:

FCA has built at least 400,000 JLs in the last two years.

Now pick a number; any number. Just take a guess: let’s go easy and say 1% have this issue. That right there is already 4,000 units.

Now this issue is known to have been going on in 2018, 2019 and, apparently, it is still going on in 2020. So it is very likely to be much higher than 1%. Who the hell knows, but IMO 10% or 20% is not out of the question. That means 40,000 to 80,000 units right there.

It doesn’t take much to get into “tens of thousands” when a manufacturer has sold already 400,000 units...and going into Year 3 still hasn’t even come up with a convincing fix.

For 2019 the percentage is literally .08%

2018/2019 combined "complaints" = .27%

There is no fix for something that's not broken...what dont you get lol

 

[aldo98229]

For 2019 the percentage is literally .08%

How would you know this if FCA itself doesn’t even what’s wrong with the steering, or how to fix it?

 

[KnG818]

How would you know this if FCA itself doesn’t even what’s wrong with the steering, or how to fix it?

your dead serious too

 

[aldo98229]

your dead serious too

Dude, you must be blind. Just read the damn posts and stop pretending this issue doesn’t exist.

I thought I had left all the fanboys in the Tacoma forums once I sold that truck.

 

[KnG818]

Dude, you must be blind. Just read the damn posts and stop pretending this issue doesn’t exist.

I thought I had left all the fanboys in the Tacoma forums once I sold that truck.

Oui veh

The "issue" is in your expectation..your perception.

This is the way Wranglers handle buddy. It's not a defect or malfunction.

 

[aldo98229]

I have driven my son's 2019 4DR Wrangler JL several times since he bought it and every time I feel "uneasy" in the thing - like it's not doing what I'm telling it to. I noticed it felt odd the first time I pulled away from the curb - almost like the truck has NEGATIVE caster. It is hard to keep it going straight down the road and feels like it would dart off left/right if I let go of the wheel (haven't tried that though - and not going to!).

We added adjustable track bars for about 0.5 degree more caster - which helped - but the steering still seems weird. It's like the tires turn more than the steering wheel (oversteer) one minute and then not enough (understeer) the next. I suspect the electric power steering pump may be to blame, IDK.

I've been driving 4x4s for 30+ years - some with huge tires - so I am used to trucks - but the JL has a diffferent feeling altogether. "Unstable" is the word I would use to describe it.

BTW - he had the "death wobble" TSB performed on it awhile back (new steering stabilizer). He never reported wheel shimmy before but he has 2x since. I don't think FCA knows what they are doing, IMO.

I agree.

Either FCA knows what the issue is, and in typical FCA fashion, it doesn’t want to spend the money to fix it, or it has no clue.

Chances are these symptoms owners are reporting are the result of different things, like the tires, the track bars, the steering boxes, the software programming, etc. That’s why FCA is having a hard time getting its arms around it.

 

[KnG818]

I agree.

Either FCA knows what the issue is, and in typical FCA fashion, it doesn’t want to spend the money to fix it, or it has no clue.

Chances are these symptoms owners are reporting are the result of different things, like the tires, the track bars, the steering boxes, the software programming, etc. That’s why FCA is having a hard time getting its arms around it.

 

[Dkretden]

Dude, you must be blind. Just read the damn posts and stop pretending this issue doesn’t exist.

I thought I had left all the fanboys in the Tacoma forums once I sold that truck.

I don’t have an issue . Zero. None.

that said, I do believe that there is an issue for some but I don’t know how many. And the internet magnifies the issues.

I have become very skeptical of some videos on the web which reportedly show the ‘problem.’ I am also highly skeptical of some folks commentary on here. As I recall one member reported that his Jeep had a big steering issue. Dealer said, “no, normal”. He test drove a handful of other wranglers and they “all” had the same issue. Hmmmmmm. Maybe it’s not the vehicle?

I also seem to recall one poster on here had not even heard about the issue before buying his Jeep. Loved his Jeep. drove his Jeep everywhere. Loved it. Then read the posts here and decided to test his Jeep’s steering and was concerned that he had an issue now. Hmmmmmm.

is there an issue with the steering on some COMPLETELY STOCK Jeeps? IMO, yes, probably. But i think it’s a very small number.

 

[aldo98229]

Oui veh

The "issue" is in your expectation..your perception.

This is the way Wranglers handle buddy. It's not a defect or malfunction.

I have owned eight (8) Wranglers before, so don’t feed “this is a Jeep thing” crap. This is not how Jeeps drive.

FCA set out to attract a “new” type of buyer with JL: more affluent, supposedly more educated, so that it could charge these ridiculous prices. If FCA now finds itself in a position where these “new” buyers don’t like how JLs drive, then it only has itself to blame.

Besides, even if it were “perception”, as you call it, FCA still has to address it because it is clearly not meeting customers’ expectations.

Anyway, time to hit the ignore button.

 

[Rudolph Hart]

I have owned eight (8) Wranglers before, so don’t feed “this is a Jeep thing” crap. This is not how Jeeps drive.

FCA set out to attract a “new” type of buyer with JL: more affluent, supposedly more educated, so that it could charge these ridiculous prices. If FCA now finds itself in a position where these “new” buyers don’t like how JLs drive, then it only has itself to blame.

Besides, even if it were “perception”, as you call it, FCA has to address it because it is clearly not meeting customers’ expectations.

Anyway, time to hit the ignore button.

 

[aldo98229]

I don’t have an issue . Zero. None.

that said, I do believe that there is an issue for some but I don’t know how many. And the internet magnifies the issues.

I have become very skeptical of some videos on the web which reportedly show the ‘problem.’ I am also highly skeptical of some folks commentary on here. As I recall one member reported that his Jeep had a big steering issue. Dealer said, “no, normal”. He test drove a handful of other wranglers and they “all” had the same issue. Hmmmmmm. Maybe it’s not the vehicle?

I also seem to recall one poster on here had not even heard about the issue before buying his Jeep. Loved his Jeep. drove his Jeep everywhere. Loved it. Then read the posts here and decided to test his Jeep’s steering and was concerned that he had an issue now. Hmmmmmm.

is there an issue with the steering on some COMPLETELY STOCK Jeeps? IMO, yes, probably. But i think it’s a very small number.

Well at least you are willing to admit the issue exists.

How would you feel if your $55,000 JLUR drove like a 30-year old Buick?

I doubt you would be very happy.

Sponsored