Hi everyone,

I recently purchased a 2012 Crew AWD 3.6 V-6 (~850 miles on it thusfar), and I wanted to check with the community if I'm experiencing a totally normal phenomen with my D, or if I have a problem. Here's what I'm experiencing:

When accelerating, at certain RPM, I can feel a very slight vibration from the engine through the steering wheel. The wheel does not visibly shake and the engine generally sounds very smooth, but I can feel just a hint of roughness through the wheel. What I can't tell is whether this is just a hint of roughness in the Pentastar, or if something is wrong. I've also thought at times that I'm feeling a general vibration through the wheel around 40 mph. I initially thought it could be a wheel balance issue, but I do not always feel it, and certainly don't feel it on the highway. How is the steering on your D? Does anyone else feel an ever so slight vibration? I can't tell if I've simply driven vehicles in the past (mostly Hondas and one BMW) that had numb steering and didn't convey any vibration, or if something is off. I could see the Hondas' steering being numb and the BMW simply not having vibration due to the inherent smoothness of the inline 6.

Thanks.

 

JL,

Welcome to the forum.

The only known vibration issue is listed in the service bulletin below and involves the intermediate shaft. The dealer could check the next time you are there to see if this is your issue.

NUMBER: 19-004-11
GROUP: Steering
DATE: August 20, 2011

SUBJECT:
Clunk And/Or Bump Felt Through The Steering Wheel Under Moderate Braking And/Or
Driving Over Rough Roads
OVERVIEW:
This bulletin involves road testing and if necessary replacing the intermediate shaft.
MODELS:
2011-2012 (WD) Durango
2011-2012 (WK) Grand Cherokee

 

Thanks Chris. Unfortunately this TSB doesn't seem to be it. I was going to drop the D off at my local dealer here in NJ (I actually bought it in NY), but I couldn't feel much of a vibration on the drive over, so I decided there wasn't much point in having them look at it. The service advisor said that if it turned out to be a wheel imbalance issue, I'd have to pay out of pocket, as the warranty wouldn't cover wheel balance issues even if it only had 800 miles on it. I think what I need to do is test drive another one to see if it feels the same.

 

I might be experiencing the same thing. I have a 2012 R/T though. I notice it when i am at a stop and begin pushing on the gas, the car starts to go and i push a little more on the gas and i get a vibration (a kind of drone), but once it changes gear, press on the gas more or back off. i was thinking maybe it had to do with the eco function where you aren't at WOT, eco turns on but you are still accer;ating but doesnt have enough torque at eco to rev smothly.

I also notice like original poster a shake or shimmy at times. but this is intermidate when braking. Brakes also on occassion squeak.

Car has 400 miles on it.

 

I have the same exact issue with vibration in the steering wheel. Bringing in for the third time this week. I contacted Chrysler as well. According to Dodge dealer several people are complaining of this. No resolution yet

 

I have felt it as well, 2012 citadel AWD hemi. It's a drone that seems to be happening right around ECO mode. It's almost like it wants to downshift but Eco won't let it. I'm interested in what you guys find.

 

I've been fighting the same issue. I have 11,000 miles on our Citadel (again, chrome-clad wheels) now and the dealer and Goodyear are pointing fingers at each other. Goodyear states the wheels have excessive runout (I'm leaning to this one) and the dealer says the tires are defective.

I watched the wheels today on a balancer (using the finger plate to mount the wheel to the balancer) at Goodyear and I have about 1/8" runout on two of the rims (it's plainly visible when you spin them on the balancer)...the other two rims have just under that. Could there have been a bad run of rims on the early models? I know when I test drove other Durangos last summer that I felt the vibration in other ones I drove.

Road force balancing has not improved things, either. After having the wheels rebalanced five times with no improvement, I'm holding out for new wheels and tires. It seems to be the only thing that will fix this. If I was made of money, I'd buy aftermarket rims and tires just to fix the problem, but I'll wait and see if this can be resolved through "official" channels.

Argh!!!

 

Jlused-----You need to go back to that dealer and tell that idiot Adviser to read up on his warranty information this is from your warranty book : Section F pages 6-7.

But the
following items are covered only for 12 months
or for 12,000 miles on the odometer, whichever
occurs first:
• brakes (rotors, pads, linings, and drums);
• wiper blades;
• clutch discs or modular clutch assembly (as
equipped);
• windshield and rear window; and
• wheel alignment and wheel balancing

I have had my wheels balanced and 3 wheel alignments all at no charge.

 

I think I have the same issue.....like jlused said, not a typical tire vibration and definately no visible shake in the steering wheel....and doesn't seem to be related to road speed of the vehicle. The best way I can describe it, is a "buzz" through the steering wheel, like grabbing a power steering pressure hose when fluid is flowing through it....If i'm traveling down a straight, flat road, steering wheel in the neutral position, then feed a couple degrees of steering input (left or right) I get the buzz or vibration.....almost feels like over sensitive road feel from the 20" tires....
I have not had the vehicle in to the dealer yet.
2012 Crew AWD, V-6 with 20" tires, 3900Km

 

Do all of you have the 20" wheels. I have the 18" wheels and the only issue I have had was the wheels were out of balance. Covered under factory warranty.