My Jeep is trying to kill me...
- Thread starter Necro
- Start date
Necro
New member
I've heard there is a fuse that can be pulled, but it disables the ABS also which is what I don't want to do.
Disabling used to be the official dealership response to anyone with a lifted Jeep that had this issue from what I have been able to find out while researching. Up until the engine switch in 2012 the system could be permanently overridden by doing the "steering wheel dance" and it would still allow the ABS to work correctly. After 2012 it seems that the SWD only works when in 4 high. I actually wouldn't mind a switch to disable it if all it disabled was the traction control/stability control etc. IMO it's more dangerous to have it malfunctioning at freeway speeds than it is to not have it on at all.
thardy
Banned
Sorry, but this is fucking stupid! Again, you're masking the issue instead of fixing it. It's like suggesting someone run dual steering stabilizers to "fix" death wobble.
Did you happen to check and see if there's a sensor on the axle side that's wires are pulled tight or slightly loose? So when you turn it causes the system to freak out?
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13_gecko_rubi
Caught the Bug
Ok so you replace the steering box with a psc box. Who did the work? Did u bungee the steering wheel in place when u swapped it? It's possible your steering wheel is "centered" but it is 360 degrees out from the clock spring if u accidentally rotated it a turn while installing the new box, very common. Since u have a procal, center your wheel with your wheels straight and use the procal to see if the jeep thinks it is centered (the procal reads the clock spring position). If the little light on dash doesn't light up with the procal then try doing it a full turn out left or right.
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TrainWreck618
Caught the Bug
Is Necro short for Necrophilia?
13_gecko_rubi
Caught the Bug
The SWD doesn't do anything in 2012+, not even in 4wd hi. That's the year the feds required ESC for all vehicles and it could not be permanently disabled. Just happened to be the same year they swapped engines. The SWD was disabled that year to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards.
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Necro
New member
Thanks for the input.
4wheelparts did the work, and no they didn't bungee the steering wheel in place and they broke the clock spring. Originally the problem was the traction control was engaging at all times and the light was stuck on the dash. They sent it to the dealership and had the clock spring replaced, and the steering wheel was/is centered to the factory location via the factory diagnostic computer while up on the alignment rack at the Jeep dealer. That got rid of the traction control light but now it engages whenever I take a turn faster than 25 mph...
Necro means Dead or Death in Latin. In my case it's short for Necromancer, which is my CB handle that I've had since the 80's.
Thanks for the helpful info, I've been researching this for months and that's the first time someone has actually explained why it doesn't work on the newer Jeeps. :thumb:
13_gecko_rubi
Caught the Bug
I'd check it anyway since it only takes 5 min tops with the procal. Wouldn't be first time dealer messed up.
Otherwise agree with other comment above about checking wheel speed sensor wiring to make sure it isn't coking loose or contacting something while turning. I've seen the cables routed wrong and rub through and when wire hits chassis it will ground out and cause errors. That would likely light up tc light though.
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Necro
New member
Thanks so far to the people that are offering helpful advice.
Here's what I think is happening:
I think that I'm experiencing axle roll steer, thus causing my Jeep to think I'm entering into a skid. The reason I think this is because I broke my sway bar end links a couple of weekends ago, and had to drive around with no front sway bar for two weeks while I waited for the new parts to arrive and be installed... while the sway bar was disconnected the traction control problem became ten times worse, and after the new end links were installed the problem went back to how it was before.
What I'm thinking is that the control system thinks that I'm over steering/sliding the rear end around for some reason. I believe this to be the case because it tries to apply the brakes and causes my Jeep to steer to the outside of the turn, which is what you should do when you're skidding out is turn into the skid etc... the only problem is that I'm not out of control at all, the Jeep just thinks I am, so it fights me for control of my Jeep all the way around the turn repeatedly grabbing the wheel and heading for the guardrail, then letting go causing me to steer towards the other guardrail, or into the other lane because I've been wrestling the Jeep for control and is suddenly let go, then after I adjust to get into my lane again it suddenly grabs the wheel and tries to kill me all over again. It's basically the equivalent of a prankster passenger reaching over and grabbing the steering wheel, then letting go, then yanking it the other way, then letting go, then grabbing it again...
So to all the people that think it would be safer for myself to and everyone else on the road for me to just keep on driving around with said annoying passenger rather than kicking them out of my Jeep, then you guys can bite me. How bout you give me a rid in your Jeep and let my grab and yank your steering wheel around while you're in a turn at 70 miles an hour, and see if you still feel like you'd rather have me riding with you or not.
I DO agree that fixing it would be better than turning it off though, it's just that I haven't figured out what's wrong, and I've looked at, checked for, and inspected everything, and so has the Jeep dealership, and so has 4 wheel parts, and we're all baffled.
Right now as it sits, The dealership is blaming it on the PSC steering, PSC says the steering works fine on everybody elses Jeep, and 4 wheel parts is blaming it on my Jeep saying they did everything right.
Here's what I think is happening:
I think that I'm experiencing axle roll steer, thus causing my Jeep to think I'm entering into a skid. The reason I think this is because I broke my sway bar end links a couple of weekends ago, and had to drive around with no front sway bar for two weeks while I waited for the new parts to arrive and be installed... while the sway bar was disconnected the traction control problem became ten times worse, and after the new end links were installed the problem went back to how it was before.
What I'm thinking is that the control system thinks that I'm over steering/sliding the rear end around for some reason. I believe this to be the case because it tries to apply the brakes and causes my Jeep to steer to the outside of the turn, which is what you should do when you're skidding out is turn into the skid etc... the only problem is that I'm not out of control at all, the Jeep just thinks I am, so it fights me for control of my Jeep all the way around the turn repeatedly grabbing the wheel and heading for the guardrail, then letting go causing me to steer towards the other guardrail, or into the other lane because I've been wrestling the Jeep for control and is suddenly let go, then after I adjust to get into my lane again it suddenly grabs the wheel and tries to kill me all over again. It's basically the equivalent of a prankster passenger reaching over and grabbing the steering wheel, then letting go, then yanking it the other way, then letting go, then grabbing it again...
So to all the people that think it would be safer for myself to and everyone else on the road for me to just keep on driving around with said annoying passenger rather than kicking them out of my Jeep, then you guys can bite me. How bout you give me a rid in your Jeep and let my grab and yank your steering wheel around while you're in a turn at 70 miles an hour, and see if you still feel like you'd rather have me riding with you or not.
I DO agree that fixing it would be better than turning it off though, it's just that I haven't figured out what's wrong, and I've looked at, checked for, and inspected everything, and so has the Jeep dealership, and so has 4 wheel parts, and we're all baffled.
Right now as it sits, The dealership is blaming it on the PSC steering, PSC says the steering works fine on everybody elses Jeep, and 4 wheel parts is blaming it on my Jeep saying they did everything right.
thardy
Banned
Way to completely ignore my question.
And.....found your problem.
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Necro
New member
I already checked all of that.
I'm wondering if the sensors can be individually disabled/unplugged one at a time so I can troubleshoot more effectively. If I could dial it in to one or two sensors I might be able to figure out what I need to do to correct it. Maybe I'll just find the ABS fuse and cut the wires behind the fuse panel and run them to a switch next to my shifter so I can shut it off before I enter a turn... maybe wire it to a tilt/tip switch so it does it automatically for me... I bet a few of the people on this forum would freak out!
I guess it wouldn't hurt to check the steering with the ProCal tomorrow though just because I haven't done that yet and I could at least verify with my own eyes/tools etc.
Necro
New member
Based on your earlier helpful posts I figured ignoring you is prolly the best way to treat your posts, and you once again live up to that conclusion. :boohoo:
thardy
Banned
Hold up, at what point did anyone say you should continue driving the Jeep as is? By driving it in its current state, your Jeep isn't try to kill you, YOU, sir, are risking your life and the lives of others by continuing to drive the vehicle. In fact, the vehicle should still be in the hands of a shop, trying to get the issue resolved.
I've driven rigs with PSC assist and I don't see how this can be the result of the PSC. You took your Jeep to 4WP where THEY started the problem by not following proper installation of the ram. At this point, I would follow gecko's advice and check the steering with the procal. If that checks out, check the sensors and wires as I suggested. If all else fails, I'd consider getting a lawyer. 4WP effed up your rig from the sound of it and they should either fix it, or cover the cost of having a better shop do so.
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thardy
Banned
You're some kind of special aren't you? While I might be straight forward about the situation, I am also giving advice to try and help you out. I guess you have it all figured out then. Really hope you don't wreck and injure someone else. At that point, you sir would be negligible for driving a vehicle that has been documented as unsafe to drive.
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RockinAZJK
Caught the Bug
My 08 does that. It's an eletronic roll mitigation I believe that kicks in on my when I get too much body roll... of course I was able to do the steering wheel dance. But same thing. Except dealer installed lift, took it for alignments, took it to several shops and nobody could figure it out. I realized it was the body roll when I didn't have my hard top on and had significantly less body roll and it never kicked on. Sorry I have no fix for you, just a thought as to what could be going on
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MR.Ty
Token East Coast Guy
The 4WP on Virignia Beach BLVD?
JeepJeep75
New member
If your steering wheel is centered according to your procal then maybe it could be one of the four tone ring sensors are going bad. Maybe one of them is loose and randomly not reading a tone correctly. It's not to difficult to pull each tone ring sensor out of the back of the brake backing plate to inspect them. You don't even have to disconnect the tricky plugs on the sensors to pull them out to have a look. If all seems in good order at each wheel maybe the direction sensor that's inside the jeep (under the center console somewhere?) is starting to malfunction. If I were in your position, having visually inspected all of the wheel sensors, I'd buy a new wheel speed sensor and start swapping it into one of the four corners, one at a time, driving in between swaps to see if the problem gets any better. Sounds like you need to fix this yourself as the dealer a 4wheel farts are leaving you high and dry while they blame someone/thing else. Good luck!
Necro
New member
I agree. It's something to do with body/chassis roll. It might have something to do with the raised track bar locations instead of running adjustable track bars.
Yep, that's the shop. But I don't think it's anything they did. All the wires are fine, none are stretched or unplugged, and the installation is correct for the most part. I did have a few issues with it but I have already corrected those myself. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone for anything unless you need a part and they have it in stock, but that's based on completely other issues besides my traction control problem.
Necro
New member
Thanks! I will give this a try after verifying the steering wheel. This is the kind of troubleshooting ideas I was hoping for. :thumb:
RockinAZJK
Caught the Bug
I am actually running RE adjustables front and rear and still have it.
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