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Just bought a 2011 Jeep Wrangler

5K views 48 replies 21 participants last post by  jk'n 
#1 ·
Hello all. I'm glad to have joined this forum. I have always wanted a Wrangler but the wife and I have piddle farted around with buying VW Jettas and such. They're nice cars and all but I wanted something more suitable to my lifestyle which includes going down trails to do fishing and camping.

All of those cars were used and this is the first brand new vehicle I have ever bought.

I have a question if anyone could help. Something in the front end seems to be loose. I feel a slight jiggle when I go over mild bumps or taking turns. It appears to be coming from the left tire area. I'm not sure if it does the same thing on the right because I haven't ridden in the passenger side yet.

I noticed this immediately after I drove it off the lot. It's not the same Wrangler that I initially test drove and I don't remember if the one I test drove did the same thing or not.

The Jeep is under warranty but for me to take it to the shop to get it looked at is almost impossible because I work the nightshift. I'd actually have to request a day off in order to do so.

So what I'm asking from experienced Wrangler owners, is this kind of a normal thing? There's no play in the wheel or anything, just something feels loose when I hit slight bumps.

All help is appreciated.
 
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#11 ·
They didn't mention control arms and lower steering box for the recall. Just the axle bolts and the door latches. I actually took it back because of your post (thank you) and I looked up recalls on the internet and I didn't see anything about control arms and lower steering box. Maybe my search skills aren't up to par.


glad to hear you got it taken care of...sorry to hear it took so long
thank you. I've been driving since September knowing something was wrong, I'm not a mechanic but after owning about 8 used cars prior to this I couldn't be convinced that a new vehicle should drive like this.

I love this Jeep. Just took the hardtop off and put the soft one on and have been doing the wave like crazy.
 
#9 ·
so, I took it to the dealership to have it looked at shortly after I made this thread. They told me that there's nothing wrong with it. I took it in once again in March to have the recall done and I was thinking the noise and looseness would be taken care of and nope, it wasn't.

I took it in yesterday and told them the same thing about the noise and how it's feeling loose. Sure enough, they called me back saying that the controller arm needed to be fixed.

I'm kind of steamed over this. My first brand new vehicle and there has to be something wrong with it from the get go. Not just that but they were telling me that it's a 4 wheel drive vehicle and I can't expect it to ride like a luxury car.

I'm a former soldier who was assigned a humvee, a deuce and a half and a 5 ton. All of them 4 wheel drive vehicles and none of them felt loose in the front end like this did.

Now I'll be able to enjoy my Jeep without this damn thing bothering me everytime I drive it.
 
#12 ·
ericlee, welcome to the forum and I'm also pretty new around here myself. I also just picked up a 2011 Rubicon over the last week. I was going to wait for the 2012 but I got such a great deal and needed a vehicle, well the 2011 was a no brainer for me... This is my 3rd Jeep and I hope you have as much fun as I do with mine!
 
#13 ·
Welcome to the Forum.

Glad to have a fellow VW convert on board.

You've purchased VWs in the past, and are surprised that a brand new, mass produced vehicle can have a minor problem or two coming off the line? Come on! You've had a CEL or plastic window clip break off in a past life, I just know it! :D
 
#15 ·
My first car was my parent's 69 super beetle. Wife got an 87 Jetta that I spent a lot of time in. Volkswagen is a great passenger car for the money....generally. This is my first jeep. Always wanted one. I've spent more on this vehicle after market than any other vehicle I've owned. I've had it now for three years. Hope you have as much fun in yours as I have been having in mine. Now that you have the kink worked out you should be on your way.

Welcome to Wrangler Forum. :wavey:
 
#16 ·
ok, I just got it back from the shop today and it still makes a rattling noise going over bumps.

I don't know what to think at the moment. Maybe this is how it's supposed to be.

I checked the labor report and all it says is that they have replaced a nut and a bolt on the control arm.

So what I will do is go to a different dealership, test drive a new Jeep and compare. If it's doing the same thing mine is doing then I will be convinced that this is how it rides.

Can anyone tell me if theirs makes a noise going over bumps?
 
#17 ·
Mine makes a rattle noise over bumps. It comes from the driver's side door latch. This is a well documented issue. For mine, I may put some soft 5 minute epoxy on the latch loop to cure it. Some people put electrical tape on it. You could do that to see if it is what is causing the noise if you suspect the latch.
 
#19 ·
You know, they even mentioned that they were going to do the recall for the door latches but on the labor report it didn't show that they replaced them.

So, it does kind of make sense in a way but if that was the case, I wonder why they pinpointed the left front control arm as being the source of the noise.
 
#22 ·
Well, test driving a new one will help to define it better. Good luck tomorrow. Hope it works out.

Just to let you know, my rattle did sound like it was down low. I initially thought it was something loose in the seat-belt tensioner or something. Then I started reading all the posts about the door latch. What ever it is, I hope you get it resolved.
 
#24 ·
As a test, try putting some electrical tape on the loop that the driver's door latches onto. It is easy to do and can be removed after the test. If the noise goes away, you have located the source of the noise.
 
#25 ·
I've been so busy lately but I finally had time today to go and test a different jeep to compare and see if it's making any noise or looseness in the front tire.

None of that was going on. It felt tight and noise free.

I had the general manager of the dealership drive mine and he noticed something was wrong.

I have taken this thing into the shop 4 times to have it looked at. First time they said I had defective bushings so they replaced them. 2nd time, they said nothing was wrong with it. 3rd time they replaced a nut and a bolt in the control arm, still not fixed. 4th time, they said nothing was wrong.

I got tired of the run around and went to the general manager. Now that he knows something is wrong with it, he's contacting Chrysler on Monday. There's a possibility that I may be getting a new Jeep out of this.
 
#26 ·
I have a 2010 Rubicon 2-door, and it definitely makes no funny sound. You can tell from the steering zero feel that it's a recirc ball design, but even then the play is way less than it was in old worm screw systems. The suspension has no undue play anywhere, including most importantly the track rod. I think if it feels wrong, it is wrong. In the days of old, Chrysler dealers were just as bad as now, and friends of mine had to go Chrysler's district management to get anything resolved.
 
#27 ·
I have a 2010 2 door and I had/have the same issue. I originally felt and heard a bump or as some have described it a "knock" when turning the steering wheel back from left to center. I took it in and had the intermediate steering shaft replaced and the "knock or bump noise" went away.

However, I do still feel like something is loose under the front left tire or around in that area. The best way I can describe mine is that when driving, there is a little movement in the steering wheel or slight bumping that happens when the jeep drives over little bumps in the road. It feels like something is loose up there or has come lose. I'll be watching this thread, please update us as to what you ultimately find out and if you do get it fixed or diagnosed properly.
 
#33 ·
that sounds to seem to be the same issues. If I drive and jiggle the steering wheel left and right, I can feel some kind of play and looseness. A kind of clicking feel and I didn't feel it when driving the other Jeep. When I do turns, especially onto an exit ramp, I can feel the left front tire wobbling.

For the most, when it's in 4wd and I do a tight turn on dry pavement, the left front tire wobbles like it wants to fall off. I'm not sure if that's normal.

It's in the shop right now and I probably won't get it back till Friday. When I took it in, the mechanic foreman looked at it and said that he found 2 things wrong with it as compared to "nothing wrong" the last time I took it in.
 
#28 ·
Congrats on the new ride and glad to hear the problem was fixed for you.
Also a VW guy here but I am into the vintage bugs.
Currently redoing a 1957 Ragtop Oval window beetle.
This is my 3rd Jeep - '82 CJ-7 owned for 20yrs, an '09 "X" traded for my current '11 Rubi and 5th VW which have included 63, 64, 66 bugs, 69 Fastback Type 3 and my current 57.
 
#30 ·
No, my problem isn't fixed yet. As mentioned, I drove a new Jeep and there wasn't anything going on with it as I'm getting with mine. Being that, I'm not convinced that this is normal. I remember mine feeling loose in the left front and rattling as soon as I drove it off the lot.

Also, when I put mine in 4wd and make turns, my left front tire wobbles like crazy. I'm not sure if this is normal behavior.

Anyway, the general manager said he called Chrysler today and they said to have the foreman mechanic look at it and fix it. If it still does the same thing it's time to get it switched out.
 
#32 ·
ericlee, This will not help you with your situation but.... I have a 2011 2dr Sport (only had it 5 days) and mine is solid as a rock. No noises whatsoever even on bumpy roads. I could not believe how quiet it was. I am sure this changes over time with off road use, but not right off the lot. Sorry to hear you are having issues with yours and I hope you get it fixed.

Keep taking it back, and make them fix it. Best of luck to you!
 
#34 ·
Thank you and the way you describe your Jeep is the same way the one I test drove felt last Saturday.

I won't take this back if I still I have the same issues. I will go to the general manager of the dealership and contact Chrysler and fight for a new Jeep. The lemon law states that if there's a mechanical problem that can't be fixed in 4 or more times, the vehicle can be switched.
 
#35 ·
Oh, and let me tell you some of my comedy dilemma.

I have wheel locks on my wheels. I took mine in the shop yesterday. I get a call and they're telling me that they need the key for the wheel locks. I tell them where it is and they say that it's not there.

I'm thinking for a minute. I remember the last place that had used the key was a gas station that I had my tires rotated which is 2 miles away from me.

I call the gas station about it and they said they have my key and they have been holding it for me.

So, being that I have no vehicle to drive and pick up the key, I have to ride my bike for 2 miles to get the key. After that, I have to take the subway and ride it for an hour, walk 10 blocks to the service center, give them the key and walk 10 blocks again to get to the subway and ride the train to work.
 
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