Loose steering feels like it has play and drifts

[glang1992]

After 2 alignments, my jeep steers no better than before, so the loose steering/wandering/constant corrections are still a huge issue. Upgraded track bar and steering stabilizer made no difference. It's to the point where I hate driving the Jeep and want to get rid of it. I'm in a 3-year lease, so I'm stuck for a while. Do I even both continuing to go to my dealer and trying to explain the situation to them? They've acknowledged the loose steering, but have offered no solution other than the alignment.

I've been through a bunch of this thread, but not all 343 pages...has there actually been anyone who's had a dealer that's been efficient at addressing and actually FIXING the issue?

I feel like I have 2 options: deal with the steering issues until Jeep releases some kind of recall, or wait until my lease is up so I can dump the vehicle and never look back...

I know someone who paid over $2k just to improve it about 80%

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[HoundDude]

Here is our 2020 JL Rubicon. I had to upload to YouTube as for some reason I could not upload directly from my MacBook to the forum here. Notice how much play there is in my steering with 534 miles on odometer. As many here know, this vehicle is now parked and in litigation.

my 2019 Sahara was like this when delivered, almost 3" play. "drives as intended".

you should plaster this video all over social media... it's well done because it clearly demonstrates that the Jeep does not respond as you turn the steering wheel *slowly* through several inches. most people who do these videos rapidly rotate the wheel back and forth which demonstrates nothing.

 

[HoundDude]

hey @RagTopDeluxe, is it in? we need a post-install drivability report

 

[thadius65]

My wife and I drove back from dinner one night and she was afraid of getting pulled over due to the constant adjustments needed. This is why she will no longer drive the Rubicon and doesn't want to take it when we go out. Frustrating because I love it!

 

[Streetrodder]

https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...ca-rico-law-corrupted-labor-talks/4248317002/

FCA better get their act together and do something about the steering issues

My wife and I drove back from dinner one night and she was afraid of getting pulled over due to the constant adjustments needed. This is why she will no longer drive the Rubicon and doesn't want to take it when we go out. Frustrating because I love it!

My JLUR has 287 miles on it and it’s parked in the garage. Not safe to drive!

 

[RagTopDeluxe]

hey @RagTopDeluxe, is it in? we need a post-install drivability report

Not yet! It’s a major surgery so I’ll get it tomorrow. It’s going to be a looooooooooong day in the office.

 

[thadius65]

Not yet! It’s a major surgery so I’ll get it tomorrow. It’s going to be a looooooooooong day in the office.

May the force bring center balance to your JL.

 

[RagTopDeluxe]

My wife and I drove back from dinner one night and she was afraid of getting pulled over due to the constant adjustments needed

May the force bring center balance to your JL.

That’s awesome.

 

[Rdmitch]

Wishing for a speedy recovery and a healthier steering system

 

[Brad W-Jeep JL]

Yeah that means you don’t have the steering problem. Congratulations. I don’t have AIDS but I wouldn’t say that I think this whole AIDS thing is just people with too high expectations of their health. I don’t tell blind people that they just expect too much from their eyes.

Good response - my 2018 JL has the problem and does not drive any where near as good as my frame-on-body 2000 Ford F150 with 162k miles with the original steering stablizer, tie rods, etc. This problem is not "a Jeep thing" but a real problem that affect many Jeep JL and JT vehicles. I've been trying to get mine fixed for the past 9 months. PS. I also have a 1949 Plymouth 2 door special deluxe and the steering in that vehicle is tighter - yes it was made 70 years ago!!

 

[Brad W-Jeep JL]

Hi Dave,
Yes when cold the steering is slightly tighter but after maybe 20-30 minutes the loose steering is back. Most have reported this same thing.

I had my JL in for the 7th time to get Jeep to fix the play and was told that since they have replaced the track bar and steering stabilizer and did an alignment to the new specs it was as good as they could get it. I do have to say the track bar reduced the play in the steering by about 1/2 but it still has 1 inch of play. The alignment fixed the wandering left to right where I used to not be able to drive it in a straight line. However in this case I had taken it to a different dealer to see if they could do anything else. They said no. I was out of town on travel so my wife picked up the Jeep and told me she thought it was worse on the drive home. It sat for 3 days and the weather here got cold. I drove it before 6 AM yesterday when the temperature was 35 degrees - meaning all of the steel/aluminum would have been at or near 35 degrees. I went straight to the highway near my house on the way to work and for the few miles the Jeep drove GREAT! I was surprise and thought the dealer maybe did something and didn't tell me. The steering got looser as I continued to drive -- but for those first few miles it was perfectly tight. This is new information for me and I think that has got to be some data point that can help us figure out the exact problem.

 

[Brad W-Jeep JL]

My wife and I drove back from dinner one night and she was afraid of getting pulled over due to the constant adjustments needed. This is why she will no longer drive the Rubicon and doesn't want to take it when we go out. Frustrating because I love it!

Yes, my wife said the same thing - every time she drove (before the dealer updated the alignment) it she thinks she's going to get pulled over for drunk driving. I'd recommend the alignment be changed to the latest specifications from Jeep. That will help the wandering. I still have play in the steering wheel but the Jeep tracks straight now.

 

[LennyF]

I have created another post for 2020's JLU's, but by far the most populated one is this one since it spans everything from 2018 on.

Seeing all of these posts and the many many possible resolutions, what would you say is the MOST effective 100% guaranteed result in resolving the "pulling" issue (which also seems to be linked to loose steering)?
I have seen posts about Yeti. I have seen posts about PSC complete new steering assembly (I believe it reverts back to hydraulic correct?).

I have a 2020 JLU Rubicon stock...what would be your resolution based on all the possible resolutions out there?

Also, for those that do have a 2020, I am trying to track build dates and plants where they were built. I have now test driven a half a dozen newly built (after October 1) JLU's and NONE of them had any of these problems. All were tracking straight, little to no play in wheel, and I felt like I could put my hands in my pocket on the freeway without worry. You can tell the build date from the sticker found on the driver side inside door area. It will say MDH - Month, Day, Hour. Your VIN (11th digit) will be a letter indicating the plant it was built. Visit my other posts and post your results if you wouldn't mind.

THANKS!

Canadian 2020 2-Door JL Rubicon - Build Date 110714 -11th Digit of VIN = W

 

[cosmokenney]

Anyone just joining this forum with loose steering, file a complaint at https://www.nhtsa.gov/
Report the problem to the Vehicle Safety Hotline 888-327-4236.

Nothing will happen on FCA's end until we collectively report the issue to NHTSA.

Done.

 

[VWE]

I went straight to the highway near my house on the way to work and for the few miles the Jeep drove GREAT! I was surprise and thought the dealer maybe did something and didn't tell me. The steering got looser as I continued to drive -- but for those first few miles it was perfectly tight. This is new information for me and I think that has got to be some data point that can help us figure out the exact problem.

All signs point to defective steering boxes.

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