Complaint 1430387

Complaint Summary

SUSPENSION

Owner Narrative

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IF YOU HIT A POTHOLE OR SEAM IN A CERTAIN WAY IT SETS IN MOTION WHAT WE CALL THE "DEATH WOBBLE" -- AN UNCONTROLLABLE, VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE FRONT END THAT CAN ONLY BE STOPPED BY SLOWING DOWN DRAMATICALLY (USUALLY BELOW 30 MPH). IT FEELS LIKE SOME SORT OF MECHANICAL HARMONIC FEEDBACK LOOP IS SUDDENLY TRIGGERED IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION THAT INCREASES IN VIOLENCE AND INTENSITY AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE CONTINUES FORWARD. IT FEELS LIKE THE WHOLE TRUCK IS GOING TO FLY APART. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK INTO AN ISUZU DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES TO HAVE THIS ADDRESSED WITH NO PERMANENT FIX. THE PROBLEM CAN BE MASKED WITH NEW TIRES BUT IT RETURNS, WELL BEFORE THE TIRES HAVE REACHED WHAT SHOULD BE THE END OF THEIR LIFE. IF YOU GOOGLE "ISUZU DEATH WOBBLE" YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMONLY OBSERVED PROBLEM WITH NO KNOWN SOLUTION. IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DESIGN ISSUE AND IS ENDEMIC TO THIS VEHICLE. BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENCE OF THE SHAKING, THE SUDDEN, UNPREDICTABLE ONSET, AND THE NEED TO BRAKE SUDDENLY IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY YOUR ORGANIZATION BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS KILLED. I'M SURE I'M NOT THE FIRST ONE TO CONTACT YOU ABOUT THIS

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.