2018 Jeep Wrangler Steering Problems
Owners have filed 1,117 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, 61% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 5,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “death wobble” (19% of reports).
- 1,117steering complaints
- 5,000median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,400typical repair cost reported by owners
- 78%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Death wobble: mentioned in 215 of 1,117 complaints (19%)
- Play steering: mentioned in 84 of 1,117 complaints (8%)
- Hitting bump: mentioned in 58 of 1,117 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler at $1,400, and half of them between $790 and $3,200.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2018–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 852 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,117 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury.
Jeep Wrangler steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Wrangler | 2 | 18% | — |
| 2025 Wrangler | 3 | 4% | — |
| 2024 Wrangler | 71 | 10% | 8,000 |
| 2023 Wrangler | 56 | 15% | 13,255 |
| 2022 Wrangler | 83 | 21% | 18,500 |
| 2021 Wrangler | 254 | 27% | 18,050 |
| 2020 Wrangler | 239 | 39% | 300 |
| 2019 Wrangler | 447 | 60% | 2,175 |
| 2018 Wrangler | 1,117 | 61% | 5,000 |
| 2017 Wrangler | 19 | 6% | 20,500 |
| 2016 Wrangler | 28 | 6% | 30,000 |
| 2015 Wrangler | 29 | 6% | 15,000 |
| 2014 Wrangler | 26 | 4% | 38,000 |
| 2013 Wrangler | 167 | 26% | 23,300 |
| 2012 Wrangler | 204 | 24% | 32,000 |
| 2011 Wrangler | 58 | 12% | 44,500 |
| 2010 Wrangler | 66 | 10% | 50,100 |
| 2009 Wrangler | 65 | 17% | 45,940 |
| 2008 Wrangler | 156 | 18% | 50,000 |
| 2007 Wrangler | 138 | 25% | 51,572 |
| 2006 Wrangler | 86 | 12% | 25,000 |
| 2005 Wrangler | 58 | 9% | 39,000 |
| 2004 Wrangler | 67 | 35% | 48,856 |
| 2003 Wrangler | 14 | 14% | 47,685 |
| 2002 Wrangler | 10 | 9% | 47,500 |
| 2001 Wrangler | 10 | 6% | 55,000 |
| 2000 Wrangler | 11 | 4% | 100,000 |
| 1999 Wrangler | 3 | 1% | — |
| 1998 Wrangler | 16 | 6% | 104,251 |
| 1997 Wrangler | 31 | 8% | 72,798 |
| 1996 Wrangler | 1 | 50% | 6,845 |
| 1995 Wrangler | 6 | 3% | 110,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. The intermediate steering shaft may not have been properly welded causing a split where the external spline is formed.
Risk: If the weld seam splits, the steering wheel may lose center positioning causing a loss of steering responsiveness and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the intermediate steering shaft, free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U48.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Death wobble dealer states was repaired by a bushing, lakeland Chrysler dodge selling and servicing dealer. They can not duplicate but no one is ever available to road test. Spoke with General manager and was told to trade in not we want to fix
My 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL has excessive play in the steering and wanders while driving, requiring frequent steering corrections to maintain the vehicle's direction, particularly at highway speeds. I have been dealing with the steering issue for over a year. I am concerned that the excessive play and…
2018 Jeep wrangler had a recall for the violently shaking front end suspension that happens while driving at high speeds of 65-70 mph and I hit a small bump. Also commonly known as the "death wobble". When this happens, I need to slow car down and pull onto the shoulder in order to get it to stop…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Jeep Wranglers have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,117 owner complaints about steering for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler (61% of the 1,827 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 5,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,400 (half paid between $790 and $3,200), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler?
The most frequent phrase is “death wobble”, in 215 of 1,117 complaints, followed by “play steering” (84).
Other 2018 Jeep Wrangler problems
- Suspension problems (343)
- Electrical System problems (268)
- Power Train problems (177)
- Engine problems (99)
- Structure problems (97)
- Wheels problems (61)
- Service Brakes problems (54)
See all 2018 Jeep Wrangler problems or steering problems across all Wrangler years.