This should tug at the heartstrings. And I kinda threaten a social media fiasco. I'm comfortable created a social media nightmare. Heck, if a few hundred dollar broken guitar can make an airline look bad....I'll make something viral.
I'd like to start out by saying that ever since I was in high school I've wanted a Jeep Wrangler. Many of my friends in high school owned one, and the idea of having the top off in the hot Minnesota summers, with the wind in the hair, sun on the face, provokes an feeling of open air freedom (and also safer than a motorcycle).
It was with great pleasure, 16 years later, that I was finally able to purchase one. What made this unique is that I bought a JKU, because I wanted my then 3 year old son to also enjoy in the same experience I was finally able to have. The morning after purchase, he woke up out of his bed, said "Jeep" and opened the door to the garage and had me lift him to his car seat so he could just sit in his car seat in the Jeep.
We've taken trips all across the Midwest in the Jeep. But fast-forward to a few weeks back, I noticed a shimmy in the front of end. In doing research, and noticing more erratic behavior from the front end over the next few days, I found the problem to be "death wobble." I found this to be an interesting finding, because my 2011 JKU (VIN#) is 3 years old and stock...no modifications have been made, zero lift, and stock tires.
In doing more research, I noticed that Jeep/Chrysler determined that the problem is "not life threatening," and no recall has been issued. This is where I differ in opinion. As mentioned our family Travels the Midwest to visit family and take vacations. Chicago is one such destination. And going at traffic speeds on the highway, in the middle lane, with my family in car, I would fear for the experience and risk of trying to get to the highway shoulder and slow down to have the "death wobble" work itself out. I had this experience happen to me, and luckily this was a time when my family was NOT with me.
Needless to say, our family spent $951 (see copy of invoice and receipt) to get this fixed. Our mechanic is ASE certified, is himself a Jeeper (and has been showcased in 4x4 magazine), and was shocked that I experienced "death wobble" on a stock JKU. While the vehicle is now safe, my enthusiasm as an owner has waned a bit. And in writing you today, in an age of social media disasters, I want to be clear that I'd like Jeep/Chrysler to fix this. My ask is to cover the repairs. And while "death wobble" is unfairly named since zero deaths have been reported, why wait until one happens. While I'm asking for the repairs to be reimbursed, the bigger ask is to put a better quality front end in. Companies like Synergy and Fox are making after market money hand over fist and replacing your stock parts. I'd be more than willing to pay a little more overall for a safer, higher quality part, that has the ability to scale in case I did want to lift it in the future. Our family is greatly looking forward to your response.