Is A Jeep Steering Stabilizer Covered Under Warranty?
Is A Jeep Steering Stabilizer covered under warranty? If your car is covered under a manufacturer or factory warranty, repairs are generally covered at no cost to you. However, most manufacturer warranties only last a certain amount of time or mileage, with most standard factory warranties ending at 3 years or 36,000 miles. If your car’s steering stabilizer unexpectedly breaks and your manufacturer’s warranty expired, then you’ll left paying those costly repair bills on your own.
It’s important to check the warranty information for your specific vehicle before making any repairs. Some warranties may cover the cost of repairs, while others may only cover the cost of replacement parts.
Manufacturer’s Warranty
Steering stabilizers are commonly covered by the vehicle’s Manufacturer Warranty. This coverage typically applies to defects in materials or workmanship during the warranty period. The warranty duration for a vehicle’s steering stabilizers can vary. It may range from a few years to the vehicle’s lifetime. Check your vehicle’s warranty documentation or contact the manufacturer for coverage period.
Manufacturer warranties frequently include exclusions, such as coverage for typical wear and tear or damage resulting from accidents, misuse, or modifications by the owner. Should your vehicle’s steering stabilizers experience a problem covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, you can usually get it fixed or replaced at an authorized dealership or service center. In order to secure warranty coverage for your vehicle, proof of ownership is typically required. This can be provided through your vehicle’s registration or purchase documents.
Extended Warranty
Consumers may choose to buy extended warranties for their steering stabilizers. These are frequently provided by third-party companies or retailers and can offer coverage beyond the manufacturer’s warranty. Carefully review the policy to understand the coverage and circumstances for repairs under extended warranties.
The Jeep Extended Warranty, also known as the “bumper-to-bumper” warranty, is the most comprehensive extended coverage available for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram. It extends your Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram’s powertrain and basic component coverage beyond the 3-year/36,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty. Additionally, it covers more than 5,000 components, providing virtually complete mechanical coverage for your vehicle.
The only components not covered under this warranty include:
- Maintenance services and items used in such services.
- Glass, plastic lenses.
- Body and paint items, including soft trim.
- Wear items such as manual clutch assembly, brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums and belts are not covered at any time.
- Snowplows, winches and trailer hitches
What Is A Jeep Steering Stabilizer?
A Jeep steering stabilizer is a component that works much like a shock absorber, except that it reduces steering feedback and driver fatigue on top of improving ride quality. While it is mainly used to dampen the Jeep Death Wobble, it is essential for lifted rigs with larger tires and other extras.
When it comes to Jeeps, most consumers believe that Jeep steering stabilizers are solely for countering the infamous death wobble. This misconception is not true since Jeeps have been fitted with steering stabilizers from the factory since the dawn of Jeep CJs. The main role of a Jeep steering stabilizer is to mitigate vehicle vibration, provide steering wheel resistance, and aid in the longevity of steering components.
Whether or not your Jeep has the death wobble, it still deals with shock waves that reverberate through the front axle and entire steering system, progressively worsening if you traverse a lot of rough, uneven roads. Driving would probably still be bearable in these conditions. But without a steering stabilizer, components like tie rods and ball joints are likely to wear out prematurely.
How To Tell If Your Steering Stabilizer Is Going Bad
Masking suspension problems is something you should never attempt by adding aftermarket components to your vehicle. But a Jeep steering stabilizer upgrade would be inevitable if your current setup is shot.
That said, here are some ways to tell if your steering stabilizer is screaming for a replacement:
- You may notice wobbling, looseness, or oscillation in your steering wheel, especially when driving at high speeds.
- Parts of your steering stabilizer are bent, cracked, or broken.
- Your stabilizer offers little to no resistance when you push and pull the strut from the body.
- When you visually inspect the underside of your vehicle, there is leaking hydraulic fluid on the ground or surrounding steering components.
- When swerving, the steering wheel jerks or twitches in your hands.
- You hear clunking noises from under your Jeep even when you are driving on paved roads.
- The actuator shaft is pitted or rusted.
Steering stabilizers essentially last a lifetime. On average, their service life ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 miles. If you start noticing problems before this time, thoroughly check your front end for any issues before deciding to replace your Jeep steering stabilizer.
