2020 Jeep Wrangler · symptom sheet
Steering wheel shakes or the "death wobble"
- 68owner reports
- 28,000median miles
- 3involved a crash
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
238 of the 610 complaints on this car are about the steering system. 68 of those describe death wobble, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2020 Wrangler.
Tick what matches of 68 reports
Death wobble on other Wrangler years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the violent one. Owners describe the steering wheel shaking hard at highway speed, often right after the front end hits a bump or an expansion joint, and it keeps going until they slow way down. Six in ten complaints in this group use the word wobble, and plenty of owners call it the "death wobble."
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the steering damper (12 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the steering system covers the 2020 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the steering system on the Wrangler
Underhood fires. Closed sep 24, 2026, led to recall 26V-363.
Frame weld deficiencies. Closed oct 29, 2023.
Frame weld deficiencies. Closed sep 17, 2019.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 6,500 and 49,300 miles, from the 19 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2020 Jeep Wrangler that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Drag Link Long Socket FOR STEERING SHIMMY DIAGNOSIS, PLEASE REFERENCE S1819000004 Rev. Q AND 19 - Steering / Diagnosis and Testing (IN SERVICE LIBRARY).
Air Trapped in Steering Damper Warranty Extension XF1 A shimmy in the steering wheel after hitting an irregularity on the road surface (symptom is more prevalent in cold temperatures). This bulletin involves replacing the steering damper.
What owners wrote
“When driving at 65 mph and hitting uneven pavement the vehicle will begin shaking violently. When slowed to 45 mph it will come out of it. Jeep Dealership suggested replacing steering stabilizer. When part replaced as well as alignment checked twice the vehicle continues to have death wobble.”
Filed Mar 17, 2023
“When driving on a highway over 50 miles and you hit uneven road surface or a bump, it shakes terribly to the point you feel you have no control. Does not show any recall but there are a lot of people with the same vehicle and same problem.”
Filed Mar 7, 2023
“I have what they call the "Death Wobble" Jeep will not pay for the issue because I have 36,000 on 2020. I was going 70mph and hit a small bump and it started shaking my steering wheel. I had to stop for the shaking to stop.”
Filed Feb 27, 2023
“Driving on highway, 80 miles an hour in Southern Utah, three times I hit a normal bridge / road seam and the Jeep "Death Wobble" occurred. This is a well known thing amongst Jeep owners, but since I was a new owner I had no idea what was going on. After slowing down the wobble stopped. I thought I was going to crash. I am making an appointment with my local Jeep dealer to have it looked at.”
Filed Jan 7, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 3 of 68 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 67 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 51 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 30 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 26 reports