Stuck in 2nd after axle swap

phillypete

New member
My 2013 JK is currently sitting at a local offroad shop stuck in 2nd gear. It was there for them to finish up the Junkyard Axle Swap project I started over a year ago.

The story goes that initially they got everything buttoned up but attempted to drive it prior to having all the ABS sensors hooked up. This is when the Jeep initially got stuck in 2nd.

They got the sensors all wired in, ran the tuner program for new gears and tires but still wouldn’t get out of second.

Next I suggested taking it over to the local dealership to have the ECU flashed back to stock and re-run the gear and tire program. Still stuck in 2nd.

The shop has no clue what to try next and neither do I. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!
 

phillypete

New member
Just a shot in the dark but did you reuse the old wheel speed sensors?

Two of the four were reused. The front ones were replaced to fit two sensors on each rear wheel. This is an Artec Axle Kit where all four sensors go on the rear wheels.
 

Noble Woodsman

New member
Is this a manual transmission? An automatic tranny should not even start unless it's in park or neutral due to the NSS. If it's an auto, there is a slotted hole on the base plate of the shifter where you can insert a screwdriver to release a jammed shifter. Not sure about a manual.


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OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
Is this a manual transmission? An automatic tranny should not even start unless it's in park or neutral due to the NSS. If it's an auto, there is a slotted hole on the base plate of the shifter where you can insert a screwdriver to release a jammed shifter. Not sure about a manual.


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He is saying it’s stuck in second gear, not that it’s stuck in drive.


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OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
You’re jeep should work if it’s got missing wheel speed sensors. It will go into limp mode. Not sure how they drove it without them installed. I would guess your gap at your tone ring is not accurately. Have they tried pulling a code? Sometimes it’s specific as to which one. The gap on the tone ring needs to be very specific. That’s where I would start.


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phillypete

New member
You’re jeep should work if it’s got missing wheel speed sensors. It will go into limp mode. Not sure how they drove it without them installed. I would guess your gap at your tone ring is not accurately. Have they tried pulling a code? Sometimes it’s specific as to which one. The gap on the tone ring needs to be very specific. That’s where I would start.


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The mechanic didn’t mention the specific codes, but he did say all 4 speed sensors were reading the same when hooked up to the scanner, but yet I still have the traction control and ETS lights on the dash.
 

jeeeep

Hooked
My 2013 JK is currently sitting at a local offroad shop stuck in 2nd gear. It was there for them to finish up the Junkyard Axle Swap project I started over a year ago.

The story goes that initially they got everything buttoned up but attempted to drive it prior to having all the ABS sensors hooked up. This is when the Jeep initially got stuck in 2nd.

They got the sensors all wired in, ran the tuner program for new gears and tires but still wouldn’t get out of second.

Next I suggested taking it over to the local dealership to have the ECU flashed back to stock and re-run the gear and tire program. Still stuck in 2nd.

The shop has no clue what to try next and neither do I. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

what tuner did they use to program with? Did they put the tune to stock using the tuner then disconnect the battery to reset the ECU then try the tune again?

having the dealer flash the ECU might have bricked the tuner so it won't take the tune?

I had a similar issue when I changed tire sizes and the tune failed to take, had the transmission removed for rebuild but when tested it checked out fine.

Steps I took to reset the ECU after I used the tuner to reprogram to stock:

1. Disconnect the battery by removing the positive battery cable. Remember, the positive battery cable.

2. Ground the positive cable to the negative cable for 30 seconds to erase the electric charge in the capacitors. - or let the Jeep sit for 20 minutes to let the capacitors discharge

3. Reconnect the positive cable to the battery.

4. Turn the key to on but do not start.

5. Turn the headlights on.

6. Turn the headlights off.

7. Turn the key off.
 

Ddays

Hooked
A quick fix would be killing all of the sensors by cutting the purple wire under the console & installing a switch. I just did this to my JK to get rid of the goddam TSC kicking in when I didn't want it to. You'll also kill the anti-lock brakes doing this so you have to weigh if it's worth it to you. :idontknow:
 
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Noble Woodsman

New member
He is saying it’s stuck in second gear, not that it’s stuck in drive.


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Ok I see. The JK automatics also have the manual shift feature, so i was wondering if the OP meant "stuck in second" in the manual mode.

Since it is a true manual transmission with this issue, i am confused. Are there solenoids in the transmission to prevent the shifter or synchronizers from moving, even if the clutch pedal is depressed? I mean, what kind of electrical/mechanical component would be tied to the computer that could prevent shifting in a manual?

I dont mean to hijack the thread, just trying to learn.


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Ddays

Hooked
Ok I see. The JK automatics also have the manual shift feature, so i was wondering if the OP meant "stuck in second" in the manual mode.

Since it is a true manual transmission with this issue, i am confused. Are there solenoids in the transmission to prevent the shifter or synchronizers from moving, even if the clutch pedal is depressed? I mean, what kind of electrical/mechanical component would be tied to the computer that could prevent shifting in a manual?

I dont mean to hijack the thread, just trying to learn.


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:thinking: He has an auto, not a manual.....
 

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
Ok I see. The JK automatics also have the manual shift feature, so i was wondering if the OP meant "stuck in second" in the manual mode.

Since it is a true manual transmission with this issue, i am confused. Are there solenoids in the transmission to prevent the shifter or synchronizers from moving, even if the clutch pedal is depressed? I mean, what kind of electrical/mechanical component would be tied to the computer that could prevent shifting in a manual?

I dont mean to hijack the thread, just trying to learn.


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He has an automatic. Not a manual. There is nothing in the manual that will prevent it from shifting. You don’t need wheel speed sensors in a manual to be able to drive.


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phillypete

New member
A quick fix would be killing all of the sensors by cutting the purple wire under the console & installing a switch. I just did this to my JK to get rid of the goddam TSC kicking in when I didn't want it to. You'll also kill the anti-lock brakes doing this so you have to weigh if it's worth it to you. :idontknow:

I don’t ABS will be much help considering the front wheels don’t actually have speed sensors.

Will this also get it out of creep mode?
 
Will this also get it out of creep mode?

That’s what they’re trying to diagnose. If you cut that system it removes it from the equation. So if it starts working normally then you know that’s where your problem lies, if not you have to continue troubleshooting.


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bkac

Caught the Bug
Question, did you set the ratio of 5.38 to 4.66 if you used the Ford front sensors. I didn’t read the entire post so I’m not sure this was said but the tone rings are 60 vs 52 so you have to do the math to get the ratio correctly. And you must use an older flashcal that allows for manual entry. Hope this helps if not disregard [emoji1360]


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Exodus 4x4

New member
Question, did you set the ratio of 5.38 to 4.66 if you used the Ford front sensors. I didn’t read the entire post so I’m not sure this was said but the tone rings are 60 vs 52 so you have to do the math to get the ratio correctly. And you must use an older flashcal that allows for manual entry. Hope this helps if not disregard [emoji1360]


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This could be the issue, but since he put all the sensors in the rear I’m assuming he went with 52 count rings instead of 60.


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2012 and newer need to have a wheel speed sensor on each wheel. You can't simply put all 4 on the rear wheels. The ABS system sees the steering wheel turning and freaks out when the wheel speeds don't correspond.
 

phillypete

New member
2012 and newer need to have a wheel speed sensor on each wheel. You can't simply put all 4 on the rear wheels. The ABS system sees the steering wheel turning and freaks out when the wheel speeds don't correspond.

That is exactly what this Artec kit does. I saw nothing in the documentation that it would not work on 2012+ vehicles.
 
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