Steering and Suspension Defects in Michigan Lemon Law Cases

Steering and suspension defects routinely meet Michigan’s substantial-impairment test under § 257.1401(g).

Common defect categories

• Electric power steering (EPS) failures.
• Steering wheel vibration.
• Vehicle pulling or wandering.
• Air suspension failures (BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, Audi, Tesla).
• Strut and shock failures.
• Death wobble — Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, Ram trucks (significant Michigan case volume given Stellantis home presence).
• Road-salt-accelerated subframe and component corrosion.

Michigan-specific road conditions

Michigan’s combination of pothole-heavy spring roads, freeze-thaw cycles, and heavy road-salt use accelerates suspension and steering wear in ways warmer states don’t see. Early-life suspension failures (especially struts, shocks, control arms) are common Michigan complaints.

What manufacturers typically argue

• “Within design tolerance.”
• “Customer’s driving caused it.”
• “Repair was successful.”
• “Tire issues, not steering.”
• “Road conditions, not vehicle defect.”

What you should do

1. Report defect within 1 year of delivery.
2. Document each repair attempt.
3. Track loaner / rental days.
4. Send certified-mail notice.
5. Get a Michigan lemon-law attorney reviewing.

These cases settle reliably with Magnuson-Moss federal-court attorney fees when filed in E.D. or W.D. Mich.

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