FCA Offers a Fix for Jeep Shimmy Issue

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV says a revised steering damper should solve complaints about Jeep SUVs developing a persistent shimmy at highway speeds.

The effect, which U.S. owners describe as a “death wobble,” is triggered when a wheel encounters a routine bump. They complain that severe vibration, which jiggles the steering wheel, may develop and won’t stop unless they slow down significantly.

A lawsuit filed two months ago in U.S. District Court in Detroit demands that FCA make expansive modifications to the front suspension to prevent shimmying. The case seeks class-action status on behalf of owners of 2015-2018 model Jeep Wranglers.

FCA says the phenomenon can occur with any vehicle which, like the Wrangler, uses a solid front axle rather than an independent suspension. The company says only about 2% of Wrangler owners have reported a shimmy. It also contends that the issue is not a safety problem it does not cause a loss of steering or braking.

FCA argues that the issue is not a safety problem because there is no loss of steering or braking.

Nevetheless, FCA has begun a “customer satisfaction” campaign to replace the factory-installed Wrangler steering damper with an updated design. The device, which functions like a horizontal shock absorber, is designed to prevent wobbles from occurring.