Loose steering feels like it has play and drifts

[Jeepsterfreak]

Just checked my ball joints and sure enough there loose. Good job Jeep quality control.

You can thank Hyundai Mobis for this, but yes ultimately Jeep is to blame since the vehicle wears the Jeep badge, not Hyundai.

Or maybe DANA is to blame if the front axle assembly is delivered with the knuckles pre-installed.

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[NCJeepn73]

I have the blue marks on the ball joint castle nuts that mark the torque/tightness of the nuts to the housing. For sake of testing those marks I just took both bottom cotter pins out and tried torquing those two castle nuts further. I couldn't torque the driver's side any bit more without the cotter pin hole then not lining up when done. So, mine are good at the point they were already torqued. Does everyone else have the blue marks visible on these nuts?

So, again, for me, the July 7th steering TSB and the ball joints did nothing for my steering whatsoever.

 

[Vicki Kamphuis]

It gets my blood boiling when i hear yll post service people saying this is normal.

I want to either make a doc or just post the dealer name number and service tech or advisors name so we can log this crap and or ill start calling them one by one and sternly educating them about the known issue.

Hey I just had the same experience can you please tell me what the known issues is I have a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara and I’m in love but this drift is brutal. Dealership put in new steering box and clock spring stil has a drift and they say it’s the way the Jeep drives grrrr

 

[LLRubylady]

Is the play in steering in automatics or manuals?
Reason why I ask is I test drove auto at one dealer and there was much play in the steering.
I test drove a manual at a different dealer and it was fine.

 

[chadc880]

I have the blue marks on the ball joint castle nuts that mark the torque/tightness of the nuts to the housing. For sake of testing those marks I just took both bottom cotter pins out and tried torquing those two castle nuts further. I couldn't torque the driver's side any bit more without the cotter pin hole then not lining up when done. So, mine are good at the point they were already torqued. Does everyone else have the blue marks visible on these nuts?

So, again, for me, the July 7th steering TSB and the ball joints did nothing for my steering whatsoever.

No blue marks on mine and mine were loose.

Mine is an Auto.

 

[jmcdtucson]

Mine have the blue marks

 

[Midwest22]

For the past 6 weeks and 2500 miles I've tried to convince myself that the steering issue is just "a jeep thing". Heres what Ive discovered:

1. If I hear "Its a Jeep thing" one more time I'm going to lose my mind!
2. This is a REAL thing with a REAL solution!

I took mine to the dealership last week and proceeded to tell them both the problem AND the solution. Im sure dealerships hate people like me but in reality they should love us. After all they didnt have to read 800+ posts to figure out whats REALLY going on !

Luckily the lead tech I spoke with drives a JL which was plagued with the dreaded steering lock up. He mention that they only replace the steering boxes, they don't adjust them. Either way we were both certain that mine needed to be adjusted.

Long story short, they applied the TSB AND tightened the screw on the steering box. It drives straight as an arrow now (or rather as straight as I can expect a Jeep to drive). This made my 300 mile weekend trip SO much more enjoyable. I didn't have to death-grip my steering wheel anymore or pray as I approached 70mph. In summary, this is NOT "a Jeep thing" but if you want to live with a $50 - $60k vehicle that drives like a 1970 Chevy Caprice Station wagon and justify it by saying those 3 words, go for it! BUT, know that it shouldn't and doesn't have to be like this.

Sadly I wish my story ended there. My happiness was deflated less than a day later when my infotainment panel said that my rear locker was engaging at 60 mph on the freeway. I wont hijack this thread but suffice to say its back to the dealership tomorrow to fix yet another problem.

Anyone else here feel like their JL was built by assemblymen after having a few too many Bud Lights during lunch break in Toledo?

 

[jeremyjeep]

Hey I just had the same experience can you please tell me what the known issues is I have a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara and I’m in love but this drift is brutal. Dealership put in new steering box and clock spring stil has a drift and they say it’s the way the Jeep drives grrrr

If it was a JL, test drive the same model - JLU vs JLU, JLUR vs JLUR, etc. with the same tires from one of vehicles in the dealer's inventory. I'm not sure what you would do about a 2013 model year, but some of these might apply (except the TSB). Then have them test drive the same two vehicles and prove to them it is NOT a Jeep thing. Here is a list of possible steering fixes that I posted to a similar thread: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/my-steering-issues-have-been-fixed.12843/

Your vehicle may have 1 or more of the issues below for steering problems (not in priority order):

1. Tire Pressure - tires are way over inflated from the dealer. Match them to the door jam numbers.

2. Steering box adjustment. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...el-play-how-much-is-normal.12526/#post-306343

3. Steering box replacement.

4. TSB # 08-092-18 Steering Issue / Restore Vehicle Configuration routine. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...sist-steering-lockup-at-highway-speeds.12226/

5. Front end alignment.

6. Toe-In adjustment. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=4

7. Control Arm Adjustment - loosen, then tighten to the correct amount. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...y-how-much-is-normal.12526/page-2#post-310933

8. Break-in period. Some in the forums reported that their steering problems went away after 700, 900, 1,000, etc. miles.

9. Steering recall on some VINs - https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/steering-recall-06-01-18.9747/

10. Check all 4 ball joint nuts. Many have reported they aren't tight.

 

[HiJinx69]

I had an interesting thing happen the other day. I got a new steering box to fix the lock ups. Fixed! But there is a dead spot, about two inches, where absolutely nothing happens. The other day. I went for a drive up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. I kept thinking to myself how crappy it was to drive. I was on the interstate for bout 45 minutes, then all of a sudden, the steering got stiffer and the dead zone completely disappeared! I thought I was loosing air in the front tires. Nope, the PSI's were normal. I thought it strange, but the Jeep drove perfect! My level of joy in driving it went up ten fold. The Blue Ridge Parkway winds through the mountain, it did awesome! No wandering or over-correcting. I had a blast, even went on a jeep trail nearby.

Then driving home on the interstate, all of a sudden, the dreaded DEAD ZONE reappeared! Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. In all seriousness, I think it is a software issue. I plan on asking for the TSB/Flash for the steering. Many have seem to have had success with this. I will post an update once this is completed.

 

[Mr Bill]

Please do. I was planning on scheduling the TSB flash soon and will do the same!

 

[viper88]

For the past 6 weeks and 2500 miles I've tried to convince myself that the steering issue is just "a jeep thing". Heres what Ive discovered:

1. If I hear "Its a Jeep thing" one more time I'm going to lose my mind.


Anyone else here feel like their JL was built by assemblymen after having a few too many Bud Lights during lunch break in Toledo?

It's more then a "Jeep Thing". Drinking and smoking weed during lunch maybe? Unreal..



http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...rs-canned-for-drinking-on-job-reinstated.html

 

[viper88]

Just checked my ball joints and sure enough there loose. Good job Jeep quality control.

How is this for Quality Control? It's serious.

 

[stangken]

How is this for Quality Control? It's serious.

That’s insane!

 

[LLRubylady]

Just curious if all the parts of jeep are made in the USA or some parts in China?
I remember reading a while back that a chinese company wanted to buy jeep.

 

[carolinaclan]

The "and Chrysler apparently" line seems totally incomprehensible to me.

i have had the exact same experience and in the end Jeep said the same thing. I have had to resort to legal proceedings to get them to address the issues. Still working through that process but to spend 40K on a new jeep and have them throw their hands in the air and just suddenly claim its operating as normal when they have exhausted ways to fix is horrible. It will cause a safety issue and someone will get killed from the issue.

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