general problems of the 2020 Jeep Wrangler - part 1

A burning smell and an electrical burning smell electrical panel not always working.

When driving down the road, 55mph, I drove across some bumps in the road, and my steering, tires and the front of my Jeep started shaking violently. Couldn't hardly control it. Please help.

These new Jeep wrangles came from the factory with an aluminum steering box and Jeep has made 8 new steering boxes to try to fix the "wondering" steering issue but has not made any recalls. This is a safety issue because while driving down the road if you hit the smallest of bumps the Jeep will be sent into oncoming traffic in cases. They are impossible to drive on little 2 lane roads that has a lot of semi traffic as the semis naturally put low spots on the edge of the road and cause the Jeep to jolt to the right if you don't have death grip on the steering wheel. Something needs to be done to keep Jeep accountable for yet again putting these wrangles on the road with steering issues.

On July 1,2026 , my 2020 Jeep Wrangler jl sport died in the middle of traffic causing a safety issue. I was not able to start my Jeep and move out of traffic. I was able to disable the transmission and roll out of the road. But it was very dangerous while cars were passing me and coming towards me. Also before I was able to disable to roll my steering column was locked. The cause of this safety issue is the set up of the batteries. A Jeep has 2 batteries a main and underneath an auxillary battery. Without any kind of warning your battery can die caused by the drain of the auxillary battery on the main battery causing the main battery to just stop working without notice. This is the 2nd time this happened. I had to call a tow truck both times. 1st time 4/14/24, then on 07/02/2026 I had it towed to the same dealership as the time before. This is an on going issue with Jeeps that have the 2 batteries. Not only is it unsafe but a costly issue.

Death wobble. Going over 70 or under 30. Violently shakes the steering wheel and causes driver to lose control. More than once have I gone off the roadway.

Driving downhill at 70mph on highway. Crossed from #2 lane to #1 lane. I did not hit any potholes, I believe I just drove over the "bot dots". This started the "death wobble", the uncontrolled oscillations in the front suspension/tires. I had to take my foot off the accelerator and let the vehicle come down to about 35mph before the violent shaking stopped. I could reproduce this on my own by hitting potholes at speeds as low as 60mph. There were no warning lights on the dash before, during or after incident. Suspension was subsequently checked at an independent shop but they saw no "smoking gun" in the front end.

My steering wheel locked while driving on the interstate during heavy traffic and almost causing me and my children to wreck. It has now done this while driving slow causing me to almost lose control of my Jeep.

Steering gear box. Very sloppy while driving . Not safe.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving at 50 mph, the vehicle was violently shaking. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred after driving over a bump in the road. The contact stated that the violent shaking felt like a tornado. In addition, the contact stated that the failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed steering damper. The contact was informed that the steering damper needed to be replaced. The vehicle ws not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

My Jeep steering wheel and entire vehicle shake violently at high speeds and after a bump.

Death wobble really bad.

Steering wheel electrical failure. Melted wiring inside steering wheel. Potential airbag and steering safety failure. Serious safety defect. Fire risk! while getting ready to leave a retail parking lot with heated steering wheel on, we became overwhelmed with fumes. Noticed the steering wheel was hot. Immediately shut off the car and opened the doors. When the fumes subsided, started the car and made sure the heated steering wheel was off. It no longer worked at all, when car was re-started. This could have been life threatening had we been traveling on the highway and not in a parking lot. Took vehicle to our dealer- central Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge for repair. Dealer service advisor unable to diagnose exact cause due to extent of damage. Also commented shock that we didn’t experience a fire that could have caused the airbag to explode as well. Service advisor stated steering wheel heating element short and steering wheel wiring to clock spring melted due to excessive heat in circuit. I requested photos. I received one photo. I do not believe there were further inspections. Repairs were completed at my expense. Both dealership and stellantis refuse to cover the cost of repairs citing I had no warranty coverage. I believe this goes beyond normal wear and tear. I did smell something mild, like sugar burning earlier in our errands yet it dissipated quickly and I assumed it was outside, in the air. It wasn’t until the overwhelm of fumes upon starting the car in a retail parking lot that we became aware there was a serious problem and immediately turned the car off.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle experienced the "death wobble". The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle violently shuddered and vibrated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on uneven pavement on two separate occasions. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 60,000.

I purchased this 2020 Jeep Wrangler from suntoyota car dealership in holiday, FL on [xxx]. There have been several ongoing concerning safety issues with this vehicle and the car dealership over the past year since I purchased it. My vehicle has had immediate malfunctions and service visits upon purchase. On 12/31/24, the car went to the shop for broken visor (as is) as listed on service invoice- during this same visit I explained that turn signals lights were not functioning properly- was told that it was too much labor and they are aftermarket lights that the dealership cannot fix- dealership did not attempt to rectify the issue at this time. Broken visor/turn signal lights did not function properly upon purchase of the vehicle. In February, the car had what is known as the “death wobble” on major highways [xxx] and [xxx] in florida, which was an extremely dangerous experience for all passengers in the vehicle. Invoice from 2/27/25 reflects suspension concern in regards to “death wobble” that was rectified, but again highly unsafe, and vehicle is beginning to shake again at high speeds as of December 2025. Invoice from 10/19/25 highlights the turn signal malfunction once again (it was never fixed from previous visit after purchase of vehicle and continued over several months). Car was taken back to dealer. Received call on 11/11 stating it was ready, to receive another call on my way there stating another issue with lights arisen. Received call on 11/12 stating it’s ready again, service advisor not present, and all lights flickering severely worse. Spoke to executive director, dylan, who stated “[xxx] things happen” and walked away. Vehicle stayed at dealership. (invoice from 11/12 highlights the turn signal issue again. ). Vehicle was returned to me on 11/28/25, where lighting and turn signals appeared to work properly. As of December 2025, the turn signals have malfunctions again. When I tried to get in contact with the dealership they didn't call back. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of inform.

Suddenly at 82,000 miles, my 2020 Jeep Wrangler sport s 4 door began shaking uncontrollably while I was driving. It was a terrifying experience. I took it to the mechanic and he replaced the steering damper. The uncontrollable shaking continued. The mechanic replaced the steering damper again. The shaking continues. I have had a wheel alignment and tires balanced. I am scared to drive the vehicle. I don't know what else to do, except trade it in?.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking violently. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the shaking was extremely violent, and the vehicle was uncontrollable. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving on a busy highway. The contact stated that a tractor-trailer driver who was nearby slowed down to assist the contact with getting the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was driven to the residence. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred three times within an hour of the contact driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the vehicle was still at the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. The VIN was unavailable.

I was pulling into work when my dash lit up with all warning lights, I was unable to shut my vehicle off. I had to disconnect the battery to do so. After a couple hours of being disconnected, it operated normal. Few hours later, went to leave a store and it lit up again, this time my steering was nonfunctional. The common issue was the can buss connector. For several years this has been an issue, apparently a TSB was placed but I am unable to find it. This should be a national recall. This part controls literally every electrical component of this vehicle. It's I intermittent and unknown to when it will malfunction. This creates a huge hazard to driving as when it does malfunction, you're unable to steer, your vehicle can shut off, it's not safe at all. Then come to find that the part isn't even covered as a replacement on the TSB. There is no reason this part should not be recalled, how does a small plastic block become defective other than poor craftsmanship? when the vehicle can't communicate to the other parts (engine, transmission, steering, fuel system, etc) that is a huge problem and is not worth the risk of death because someone can no longer drive or steer when going 65 mph.

Problem seems to be within the steering component. While driving it wanders back and forth pretty bad. Yes it would available for inspection if requested. It has not been confirmed by a dealer but I have reed many complaints about the same problem. I think it is dangerous the way it wanders.

When 4h on transfer case is on,the front tire wobble when turning even in a slow driving speed. Also suspension is very horrible when the vehicle is running on an uneven pavement driver and passenger were like being shaken inside left to right vise versa .

Wiring to the steering column melted causing concerns with air bag. Dealer wants us to purchase a new steering wheel.

Steering seems off like u having to turn wheel a good distance before the wheels actually turn , not safe whatsoever ! I did have something done to steering a while back but don’t remember what it was.

Death wobble on this vehicle. It shakes uncontrollably at higher speeds after hitting a bump in the road.

- (1) failed/black instrument cluster/panel. Unable to see mileage, fuel level, engine temperature, tire pressure, etc. - I can hear multiple warning lights going off, but I'm unable to see any. - the vehicle has been brought in for servicing at my nearest Jeep dealership - the vehicle is currently being inspected at my nearest Jeep dealership - there were no warning messages or lamps prior to failure. The issue first appeared on 1/25/2025. The panel has not turned on since.

About 70-75 mph the entire vehicle shakes briefly, and steering wheel will wobble, the steering wheel will wobble uncontrollable on bumps at hwy speed. There doesn't appear to be any worn or damaged parts.

Wandering steering at highway speeds, unable to maintain safe control of the vehicle.

- when driving on the highway, vehicle and steering wheel will shake uncontrollably if going over any bumps or grooves. Vehicle is available for inspection and is currently being inspected by nearest dealership. - car would begin shaking and steering wheel would begin shaking and locking up. - problem is currently being assessed by nearest Jeep dealership. - no warning signs or messages appeared prior to vehicle and steering wheel trembling. Problem first appeared 1/2/2024.

Steering wheel gets very hot and the steering wheel and steering column start to smoke. Burning smell is toxic. This is a safety issue that needs to be repaired by Jeep.

When driving at freeway speeds, bumps in the road cause the "death wobble". This has occured on multiple occasions. The wobble remains until the Jeep comes to a complete stop.

During highway speeds when terrain changes during a slight turn or just terrain changes in road Jeep starts to shake and vibrate violently lasting a minute untill slowing down finally stops it.

While driving on a freeway, going over 40mph if I hit a bump or do not grip to my steering wheel very very tight the steering wheel gets wobbly, and starts shaking violently for a long period of time until I slow back down to under 30mph. Luckily traffic wasn’t too bad and I was able to safely do so. But it’s dangerous to slow down that much on the freeway, especially not having complete control over the steering wheel. Has happened multiple times, not just this once.

Just purchased a 2020 Jeep Wrangler jl unlimited 4 door. At low speeds, the vehicle wanders a little on the road. At highway speeds, in traffic, the vehicle swerves towards passing vehicles. In heavy traffic, it becomes a white-knuckle experience trying not to hit or be hit by other vehicles. The steering is just so loose that it feels unsafe. Noticed online that many other Jeep owners complain of loose steering as well. Jeep has published a service bulletin # 08-074-20 to address the known issue but has not issued a formal recall.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was difficult to control, causing the vehicle to drift from side to side. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to drive in a straight line. Additionally, while driving at highway speeds and pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle was drifting to the left. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering gear box was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under a manufacturer extended coverage to address the failure. The failure mileage was 25.

I recently purchased a 2020 Jeep Wrangler unlimited rubicon from a private party. The vehicle has not been used much for highway driving, only town. During driving at several different speeds, I have experienced difficulty in controlling steering to include but not limited to instances of jerking and the vehicle drifting from side to side. When these episode have transpired the vehicle failed to drive in a straight line. Additionally, while driving at highway speeds and pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle has drifted severely to the left. As the vehicle is under warranty, I set up an appointment at south point Jeep in tulsa, ok and notified the repair person of the issue. I was advised that my vehicle had no open recalls and that they did not take into consideration any TSB's. The vehicle has not yet been repaired.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle shuddered and was difficult to maneuver. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the steering damper, inner tie rods, adjuster sleeve, outer tie rods, and the drag link assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer, vallejo Chrysler Dodge Jeep ram (4325 sonoma blvd, vallejo, CA 94589), where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering damper, inner tie rods, adjuster sleeve, outer tie rods, and the drag link assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,500.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65-70 mph, the vehicle experienced the death wobble. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the failure was related to the track bar. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the death wobble failure was intermittent but had progressed over time. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.