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Loose steering feels like it has play and drifts

fat_head

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We took a drive yesterday out to the Valley of Fire. Wind speeds were probably in the 30mph range. Posted speed limit was 75. It was down right scary driving this thing. Passing semi trucks was almost suicidal at times. I couldn't drive more than 65mph with out feeling like we were going to run off the road. I hope this isn't "A Jeep thing" This is my first jeep so at first I thought maybe this is just how it is. Not to happy with it in these conditions to say the least. Just over 1k on mileage stock JLUR.
I've got 6k+ miles on my JLU Sport, and driving on the highway with a crosswind is truly a white knuckle experience unlike I've ever had before.
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Young04

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I smell a steering box recall. Thankfully, I’m as of yet unaffected. My wheel is all the way pushed in (I have long monkey arms), and tires aired to spec (36 PSI). One-handed driving at highway speed is just fine, as long as it’s not a day with 30mph wind gusts.

Am I lucky? Or have they resolved this on latest builds (I was built on 6/3)? JLU, only? Or will I be posting my own horror story in a few hundred miles?

Hmmm.
My Jeep has a build date of June 5 (or thereabouts). I pick it up tomorrow and will be on the highway for about 15 miles. Hopefulyl you are correct re: the later builds...
 

Robojoe

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We took a drive yesterday out to the Valley of Fire. Wind speeds were probably in the 30mph range. Posted speed limit was 75. It was down right scary driving this thing. Passing semi trucks was almost suicidal at times. I couldn't drive more than 65mph with out feeling like we were going to run off the road. I hope this isn't "A Jeep thing" This is my first jeep so at first I thought maybe this is just how it is. Not to happy with it in these conditions to say the least. Just over 1k on mileage stock JLUR.
Hey Paul, I'm having the same issue with mine. Its going back to Jim Marsh service on Wednesday.
 

smuddy

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How's everyone's dealings with @JeepCares been going? They originally responded after 6 days but have gone silent on me. It's been 6 days again. Are they actually helping anyone? I'm waiting on steering box with no eta and I'm going to have to rent a vehicle to take on a 12 hour trip because I won't even think of driving this thing on the highway like that.
 

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WXman

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It's good to see that after telling me I was crazy for two months, the forum is finally acknowledging that this is a true problem with the JL that needs to be resolved.

On the way home from my dealership yesterday from getting the U62 safety recall done, my JL actually made me nauseous. I haven't been car sick since I was a kid. This thing is ridiculous.
 

Kysport

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Something is causing all of the excessive play in the steering. FCA needs to address this problem or this is my last Wrangler.
 

smuddy

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It's good to see that after telling me I was crazy for two months, the forum is finally acknowledging that this is a true problem with the JL that needs to be resolved.

On the way home from my dealership yesterday from getting the U62 safety recall done, my JL actually made me nauseous. I haven't been car sick since I was a kid. This thing is ridiculous.
The entire forum wasn't telling you that! I agreed!
 

WXman

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Is everybody filing complaints with Jeep and the NHTSA on this? Unless they hear from us, they won't acknowledge the issue.
 

smuddy

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Have details on best way to do that?
 

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pdavey168

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Hey Paul, I'm having the same issue with mine. Its going back to Jim Marsh service on Wednesday.
Keep me posted on the outcome, Hopefully there is a fix for this. I want to take some serious long hall trips in this thing but I'm second guessing that decision until a fix comes out.
 
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Keep us updated on your dealer visit. If our team needs to forward this on for further handling, don't hesitate to send us a direct message.

Jasmine
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Went to the dealer yesterday. Met with the shop foreman and went over the excessive steering paly with him. He crawled under the Jeep to visually check the suspension. We went on a drive and as soon as we went over 30 mph the play was noticable. When we got out on the highway and the speed increased the play had become much more apparent and he was able to observe what I was describing.

They kept the car for the morning and he stated a tech would go over the all of the suspension and steering bolts to make sure everything is tight and check the alignment.

The foreman told me the ended up lowering the tire psi from 42 to 36 all around, did an alignment (correcting the front left toe) and checked the intermediate shaft to make sure there was no issue with the weld referenced in the recent recall of January build JLs. I was told no issue was found with the weld as mine was a May build. The foreman said this should fix the issue as there was nothing else found wrong with the car. He also told me I was the first person to complain of this issue.

After leaving I went on a 30 minute drive to see if the changes made a difference. The play is better at lower speeds but once you get over 45 mph the Jeep still requires constant corrections to keep it in the center of the lane to to the play still being a problem. My wife and I are still concerned about driving 3k miles like this but don't know what other option we have. We love the Jeep so much but are disappointed with the steering and are not looking forward to the 5 days of driving across the country in 2 weeks.
 

Kysport

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^

So basically, you wasted your day. My JK drove like a Lexus compared to my JL. I also have a long trip planned in a few months. If Jeep does not figure out this issue soon, I will be trading. I'm at the point in my life that I can drive whatever I want, and I am not going to fight this steering issue much longer.
 

Capt-Zoom

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Check the welds on your trackbar bracket. One guys failed and i think the welds on mine are crap.
 

Man-of-methods

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Do you guys think that maybe, just maybe, that this "play" in the steering is the new tires? The tires are really soft and could be the result of the swaying feel in the steering you are encountering. From what I'm seeing, it's mostly in the Rubicons, right? When we get new tires in our fleet of tractors, everyone at work feels the sway and floaty feel in the steering for about a week.

In the beginning I felt this floaty feel when I took delivery. I figured it was the tires because of my experience from work. It drives great now, no sway, no play, no drifting feel. Now my wife's JL Sport never had this problem. Her tires are not as meaty as mine. She has never complained about her steering. Ever

We've been on trips on my Rubi, once through a storm with lots of wind. Yeah, that was a little scary for her and a little intimidating for me because of the way the Jeep was all over the road. That was the very first trip and the Jeep only had around 600 miles at the time. Now I have about 2300 miles and I don't feel what I did in the beginning.

I'm not saying you guys don't have steering problems, but I am saying that the tires, especially new meaty ones, will make you feel floaty and drifty on the road. I'm not an expert, but I've logged around 4 million miles on the road....just from work.
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