Jeep settles death wobble class action suit with a band-aid

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https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...eath-wobble-settlement-agreement/69840727007/
The company has consistently said the issue is not a safety problem, a point disputed by many owners.

Although “Death Wobble” sounds dramatic and the phenomenon has a long complaint history online and to federal regulators, the company, which prefers to use the term “vibration,” said in 2019 that it was not aware of any deaths or injuries related to it.

That was the year FCA said it had a fix for the issue — a new steering damper, a part also known as a stabilizer, for affected Jeep Wranglers. Many owners have referred to the damper as a “Band-Aid.”

[emphasis mine]
 
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How many people will have voided warranties from modifications. I think the only people getting money are the lawyers in this case.

Yeah, do any stock vehicles have this issue, which would be the manufacturer’s fault, or is it only modified vehicles, which would be the owner’s responsibility?
 
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This is the same solution Ford came up with on their Super Duty trucks and Navistar came up with on their class 8 trucks.
 
Yeah, we just got the notification in the mail for our JLUR. I laughed and threw it away.
 
Yeah, do any stock vehicles have this issue, which would be the manufacturer’s fault, or is it only modified vehicles, which would be the owner’s responsibility?

I believe I am correct stating that there are many examples of stock vehicles that have experienced death wobble.
 
Yeah, do any stock vehicles have this issue, which would be the manufacturer’s fault, or is it only modified vehicles, which would be the owner’s responsibility?

This is the same solution Ford came up with on their Super Duty trucks and Navistar came up with on their class 8 trucks.

I believe I am correct stating that there are many examples of stock vehicles that have experienced death wobble.

I have a former coworker who had it on a bone stock superduty only a year old with under 20k miles. They never did get rid of it, she ended up trading it in for a Titan XD.
 
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Yeah, do any stock vehicles have this issue, which would be the manufacturer’s fault, or is it only modified vehicles, which would be the owner’s responsibility?

I've had four TJs and four XJs over the last 30+ years and never once had anything resembling "death wobble". All stock and all well maintained. Recently, I had a 1996 XJ with over 200k miles with no issues and currently have a '97 TJ again with over 200k miles with no issues.
 
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Yeah, do any stock vehicles have this issue, which would be the manufacturer’s fault, or is it only modified vehicles, which would be the owner’s responsibility?

Yup, Rambler. They had a trunion front suspension that was spring and shock over, and when the pivot joints wore out, instant death wobble.

It was my first experience with that phenomenon.
 
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You knew there were worn parts on that vehicle, so it makes sense.

I don't know what causes DW on super duty and navistar vehicles. Did those have faulty designs or was it worn components?

Navistar was a poorly designed front end, and wheel ends I believe.

Ford I am not sure of, I would honestly guess something in the design.
 
Navistar was a poorly designed front end, and wheel ends I believe.

Ford I am not sure of, I would honestly guess something in the design.

An F250/350 is a track bar/control arm/coil spring system just like our TJs- except it makes a TJ look like a toy- the track bar is as big as a TJ control arm, and the control arms look like suspension bridge parts.

It can be everything from freaky harmonics, bad rotors,bad rims, imbalanced tires and or loose/worn parts-all the usual suspects.

My 250 would get it at 78 mph, joyful at that speed. It was the track bar, but, it took that speed to generate enough energy to set it off - perfectly balanced tires may have gone up to who knows how fast -

Automotive manufacturing is sort of like building a house- the manufacturer procures the design, develops the vehicle, and subs out various parts and systems- so a lot can be hard to sort out later when it comes to cause and blame. Construction attorneys have an easy fix- sue everyone. I’ve had a near death experience with this twice because I stood my ground with an unfair client. I survived, but slightly skinned up.

Like the above post- the winners in most legal matters are the attorneys- outcomes often really don’t matter, messy litigation and billable hours rule they day. All attorneys are not evil, and thank God for them. At the same time any time matters can be sorted out without them it’s better. Why would clients have to ever sue over a real problem? Jeep could get powerful good will by saying- hey , it’s got 7 year/70k - bring it back and we will make it right- or even better, we are on the way with a loaner, have it ready.

It takes the deepest of faith to see that you will not fail by doing right for clients- because there is little immediate benefit.
Smart business owners know it works.

I rebuilt my company around the philosophy of Bob Tasca, a wildly successful Ford dealer. My plumber thought I was nuts. I was broke and had little to lose, so I gave a no holds barred, we always do what it right warranty, and the client never ever has to to push us to do that.

It took 3- 5 years to start seeing it come back- now, nearly 15 years later, we are booked into 2025, charge 10,000 -50,000 to lock in and develop a job and the biggest problem I currently have is people literally strong arming us to get on our schedule.

Jeep never should have let it get as far as it did - those attorney fees were millions- that will fix a lot of death wobble.
 
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