Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Jeep Wrangler owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Steering wheel shaking at about 50 mph. Then warning lights on dash came on ABS- ESP and BAS. I slowed down drove home and parked it. Can't get into shop until next week. Jeep has less than 48,000 miles.Not safe to drive!
I was traveling on a busy highway at a speed of 65 miles per hour when out of the blue the Jeep started to shake uncontrollably. To make matters worse, I had a semi right behind me hauling a gas tanker. Fortunately for me I was traveling in the speed lane which is adjacent to the emergency run off the lane. I let my foot of the gas and rolled/trembling off the highway into the emg lane till I came to a complete stop. After catching my breath and my heart. I proceeded to get out of the car to check and see if there was something wrong with the front end axle. I did not see anything problem so got back in the Jeep and drove off. I drove about another 50 miles that night and was not able to duplicate the problem at any speed. So a couple of days later I took the Jeep in to see my service advisor at planet Dodge in doral, fl. …
I was traveling on a busy highway at a speed of 65 miles per hour when out of the blue the Jeep started to shake uncontrollably. To make matters worse, I had a semi right behind me hauling a gas tanker. Fortunately for me I was traveling in the speed lane which is adjacent to the emergency run off the lane. I let my foot of the gas and rolled/trembling off the highway into the emg lane till I came to a complete stop. After catching my breath and my heart. I proceeded to get out of the car to check and see if there was something wrong with the front end axle. I did not see anything problem so got back in the Jeep and drove off. I drove about another 50 miles that night and was not able to duplicate the problem at any speed. So a couple of days later I took the Jeep in to see my service advisor at planet Dodge in doral, fl. …
My Jeep's horn began honking, wipers came on, door locks began locking and unlocking. Nothing stopped until I got home and my husband disconnected the battery. He connected it several hours later and it was fine. I took it to the dealership where they told me nothing could be done as the problem had stopped. Several months later, the same thing occurred along with the A/C shutting off. We went through the same steps; disconnect battery, reconnect and took to dealership. Again I was told that they really couldn't diagnose because nothing was happening at that point. Last night my Jeep began shaking violently and scared me as I could not regain control. I had to slow and pull over so it could stop. My husband came to get me and was following me when in addition to the past things happening (I call it possessed), the warning lights came on; brake, engine, ABS, battery, etc. …
It has only happened once so far, but it was very scary. The front wheels began an uncontrollable wobble. I was going 55-60 MPH and had to wrestle the car off the highway as it was fighting to stay on road. It felt like the front wheels were falling off. The car behind me almost hit me. It was fine once I stopped the car and hasn't happened in 2 weeks. Upon checking the internet, there are a whole lot of people with the same thing happening to them. They even have a name for it, it's called "the Jeep death wobble" and it's common in jeeps wranglers of all ages. And most people have it happen to them several times. Look it up. I talked to dealers and Chrysler corporate and they all said "we have heard some stories, but don't have a real fix for it.". …
I was just driving down a paved residential road on a slight decline about 40 MPH and it started wobbling and shaking the entire car. I felt like I was going to lose control and couldn't swerve over since there was traffic. I applied the brakes lightly, but not too much since there was other vehicles behind me that I didn't want to slam into me from behind if I suddenly braked too hard. Even while applying brakes the Jeep was still wobbling violently. Violently! Seriously thought I was going to cause a wreck. Finally the Jeep stopped wobbling where I pulled over and checked if my tires were lose or anything. Everything was fine on the outside. When I came home I wanted to see if anyone else had this issue, and turns out it even has a name called the "death wobble". My Jeep is a 2008, with 40,000 mile. This Jeep is rarely used. This is unacceptable. …
Driving vehicle over 60mph resulted in multiple episodes of the death wobble within a 3 week period of time. Vehicle was purchased at used car dealership and state inspection was performed on the day of purchase. Within 24 hours of having the vehicle, I experienced the first encounter. I was driving down a hill at approximately 60mph and the steering felt shakey and the wheel began to wobble. It subsided as I slowed down. The next day, this occured on a major interstate at 65mph and car was towed to a Jeep dealership. I was informed the ball joints should never have passed inspection along with the fuel system. I took the car back to the dealer and he claimed to have fixed the problem. Within 3 days of getting the Jeep back, once again the wobble occurred at a speed of 65mph and I almost lost control of vehicle. This vehicle should not be on the road. …
Takata recall: while on the highway traveling at 50mph or higher, if the Jeep hits a small bump, the vehicle will begin to violently shake, only stopping the vehicle makes it come to a stop. This extreme wobble makes controlling the vehicle difficult, which could have resulted in severe highway accidents. Extremely dangerous in any type of inclement weather.this has required me to pull off the highway several times, which in itself is also a dangerous situation to be in. I have taken my vehicle to the dealership of purchase 2 times with in the first 6 week of purchase and then the dealership of purchase sent it to the local Jeep dealership which it has been there 3 time in a 2 month period in an attempt to fix it. …
While driving this vehicle, along with two toddlers in the backseat, at 50 MPH, without warning, the suspension began to shake violently. As ii had never experienced anything like this in my life, my first instinct was to apply the brakes, as I had absolutely zero control of the vehicle. Wrong move! This caused the Jeep to hop, and skip , I also lost the ability to steer. I then began to pray for my babies, who had been asleep in the backseat. I removed my foot from brakes, and fought with the steering wheel until I could crawl to a stop in the middle of the road!!! I was so shaken up, that I fear for my teenage son, who I share this vehicle with. After this incident, and some extensive research, I cannot believe these vehicles are allowed on the road! They are a hazard to so many innocent lives. Thank god, there was not any incoming traffic, on the highway at thie time. …
I own a 2008 Jeep Wrangler that has been experiencing the 'death wobble' more frequently. The cause for concern first happened (2) years ago after hitting a pothole on the highway. I took it in for inspection and maintenance. The mechanic told me it was a loose steering stabilizer bar. About a year or so after the repair, my Wrangler has been experiencing the 'death wobble' more frequently. It seems to happen when I'm driving on the interstate and hit some significant bump or pothole. I have to slow down to roughly 40 MPH for the violent shaking to stop. Then, I can accelerate back to normal speed. It can be real dangerous when other people are close behind me and I'm forced to apply the brakes to drop my speed by roughly 30 MPH. I don't have the money to keep taking the Wrangler in for more repairs, especially one that seems to happen periodically. Thoughts?
Suspension complaints in other Wrangler years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2008 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA has 213 complaints about the suspension of the 2008 Jeep Wrangler, 11% of the model year's 1,863 complaints. The component named most often is front (29 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Jeep Wrangler suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2008 Jeep Wrangler, though it has 7 recalls 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 2008 Jeep Wrangler suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension 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.