FCA US LLC, the maker of Jeep, reached a class action settlement covering owners of certain Wrangler and Gladiator models who experienced a violent steering and front-suspension shake known among owners as the “death wobble,” with final court approval granted June 29, 2023, according to settlement documentation.

Key Points

• The case, Reynolds, et al. v. FCA US LLC, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan under case number 2:19-cv-11745-MAG-EAS.
• The settlement addresses claims that affected vehicles’ steering and front suspension are defective, producing “a so-called ‘death wobble’” involving violent shaking on bumpy roads at highway speeds, according to the settlement summary.
• FCA US did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement, but agreed to extend warranty coverage for the steering damper and front suspension components to 8 years or 90,000 miles, whichever comes first.
• Owners who already paid out of pocket for a qualifying repair can seek reimbursement through the settlement, per the terms.

What’s Affected

• 2018 through 2020 model-year Jeep Wrangler
• 2020 model-year Jeep Gladiator
• Vehicles within the class covered by the Reynolds v. FCA US settlement

What Owners Should Do

• Eligible owners can submit a claim through the settlement administrator, CPT Group Inc., at CPTGroupCaseInfo.com/FCAUSSettlement or by calling 1-888-318-0175.
• Owners seeking reimbursement for a prior repair should have documentation of the repair and cost ready when filing.
• Vehicle eligibility can also be checked through FCA’s own VIN lookup tool at chrysler.com’s VIN input form.
• Owners with steering or suspension symptoms matching the described wobble should have their vehicle inspected by a dealer under the extended warranty terms before the coverage window closes.

The term “death wobble” predates this litigation by years, circulating among Wrangler and Gladiator owners describing a shake that can appear suddenly at highway speed, often triggered by a pothole or uneven pavement, and that can be difficult to stop without slowing down significantly. The settlement gives owners a formal path to repair costs that many had previously covered themselves.