Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Jeep Wrangler owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
As I was driving home from work on Feb. 14, 2023, in Rocky Hill, NJ. the vehicle developed a sudden loss of steering control. I had it towed to Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Princeton, NJ. The service manager informed me that the area of the frame to which the steering gear box is bolted had completely rotted, and the steering box had separated. The car was not driveable and could not be repaired. The vehicle will be available for inspection until April 15, 2023.
While in motion on a country road, comming out of some turns the front end/stearing suddenly began shaking hard rendering the vehicle unable to control. The vehicle then began to swerve until hitting an enbankment and rolling multiple times.
Jeep has severe death wobble when traveling @60 MPH. Front wheels will start to vibrate violently at this speed and seems to start when hitting a bump or imperfection in road surface. Required action is to apply brakes until shaking stops which could involve a decrease in speed of 15 MPH or more creating a dangerous situation especially in heavy traffic. I have had vehicle inspected at three shops with no worn components found. Had an alignment performed tires balanced track bar mount replaced control arm mount reinforced replaced steering stabilizer replaced tie rod end replaced sway bar links and still problem is no better. Jeep only has 49,000 miles so nothing is really worn too bad. This problem started roughly 10,000 miles ago and I am not sure what to do next other than replacing every steering and suspension component at a cost of probably a cost of thousands of dollars. …
Jeep death wobble - mine too, over 50 MPH, random wobble other times drives smooth, bumps do initiate it not always though, read all the complaints on NHTSA, stabilizer is key to resolving the issue and steering damper. I believe this design promotes accelerated wear of these parts which is why there are reports of it coming back after a year or so. I'm surprised there is no dealer fix for this, admitting the need for heavier steering components. I'll be getting after market heavy duty just to drive on the street. The fuel issue is another one that should be recalled, had to go through 300 plus entries here to find answers to the opda problem. Mine has not started with the fuel issue but at least I will know what it is when it does occur.
This is an update to NHTSA complaint 10919986 - death wobble, I have replaced the stock steering damper and added an additional steering damper for the driver side steering rod. This has resolved the reported death wobble when driving over 50 MPH. Rod deflection has been prevented by adding the driver side damper. Please make this available as a solution. I see many people have spent well over $1,000 for new suspension parts etc. This is a $60 steering damper shock fix!! Please pass along. I shocked this is not obvious at the dealer, the driver steering rod is long and will have deflection at high speed/bumps, like a tuning fork.
The death wobble at approx 60-65 MPH/ repaired steering stabilizer/front axel joint/ right outer pitman adjustment sleeve/ left hand steering arm to connecting tie rod/ left inner to lh adjustment sleeve/ alignment, repairs cost $675, have been on the highway and still shimmies.
Steering stabilizer goes out on average about 20,000 to 30,000 miles with normal street or highway driving. Steering wheel starts shaking back and forth and wheels shake violently . I see Jeep is now recalling some 2018-2019 jeeps and would like mine fixed too .
Hi, apparently my situation isn't unique, I have a 2005 Jeep Wrangler unlimited with less than 70K miles. At about 50mph it starts shaking violently, this has happened to me at least 5 times since I've owned this Jeep, about 2 1/2 months. I took it to the tire shop and they inspected the tie-rod ends and found no problem. It was shaking so bad I thought that surely my front end was coming apart so, I googled my problem and was LED to a plethora of information and found the term "death wobble", I thought it felt like driving over railroad tracks, but death wobble seems to also be an appropriate term as well, because the front end seems to be shaking to death. I, like so many others, went to kevin's off road, kor, website and read about the potential causes and cures. In my particular case there hasn't been any aftermarket modifications, it's as stock as they come. …
I bought my 2005 Jeep brand new off the lot. Within a year I began to notice the "death wobble". I had been a very moderate driver, and had less than 10,000 miles on the vehicle. When I took the Jeep to the dealer, they replaced the stabilizer arm, which the warranty covered, but the problem remained. The dealer then rotated and balanced my tires and adjusted my alignment. They charged me over $200 for that. This seemed to mask the problem for about a year, then the "death wobble" returned. I took the Jeep to a different dealership where I was promptly sold 2 new tires (stock uniroyal tiger paws @ $104 each) and a steering dampener. Total cost this time was well over $500. This took care of the wobble for about a year. Now the wobble is back, and I'm wondering what to do. I can't afford another dealer to fleece me again, and I hear Jeep isn't acknowledging this wide-spread problem. …
Hello, I own a 2005 Jeep Wrangler unlimited. While driving on the highway, trying to "maintain" the proper speed limit, my Jeep will develop a death wobble to the front end. This erratic and almost uncontrollable behavior occurs at anywhere from 55 to 60mph. After trying to research the solution to this problem, I have noticed multiple other Jeep owners having the same issue. My Jeep is my daily driver, and also is used to transport my 4 and 5 year old kids around. Due to the economy I can not afford to purchase another vehicle, nor will I sell these problems to someone else. I am surprised there hasn't been more highway related incidents/fatalities due to this issue. Any help will be greatly appreciated in solving this issue. Dealerships are no help and I cant afford to replace the whole front end just to end up with the same problems. Thank you for your time in this matter, [redacted]
Steering complaints in other Wrangler years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2005 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the steering of the 2005 Jeep Wrangler, 9% of the model year's 650 complaints. The component named most often is linkages (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Jeep Wrangler steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2005 Jeep Wrangler, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Jeep Wrangler steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 39,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.