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Diagnosising ABS/ESP/Traction Controls Lights

187K views 41 replies 19 participants last post by  RubiCajun 
#1 ·
Last week a lady in front of me came to a stop. After waiting behind her for a while I made an abrupt maneuver and passed her on the right. About 300 feet down the road my ABS, ESP, and traction control lights all come on. My Jeep started throughing a fit by applying the front right brake. I pulled to the side of the road and pulled the J6 fuse so I could get home.

Thinking the problem likey was one of the front wheel speed sensors, I've replaced both front unit bearings and sensors, however the problem still persists. Any idea what I should look for next? I can't afford to keep throughing money at this thing because I just don't have it right now. I'm kind of wondering if maybe the clockspring went bad when I passed her. I did get the letter about the extended warranty so I tend to believe my Jeep was one of the ones who may be affected.

FWIW, when I start my Jeep the ABS, ESP, and traction control lights all remain all following the bulb check at start up. I also get a ding tone. This makes me thing something isn't passing the inital diagnostic check at start up.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Shaffer
 
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#2 ·
Well, just a heads up, mine dings when I turn it on also but that is because I turned ESP off. Have you at check your alignment? Is your steering wheel centered? If any of these things are off it can turn on all of those lights to make you think that something is wrong when it's really just a steering wheel off. Try disconnecting the battery for a half hour, turn the key and try and get all the juice out of the jeep. Keep us posted, but if you can, try and move this thread to stock Jk tech

Thanks
 
#3 ·
If your airbag light isn't on, then it won't be the clock spring. Did you re-insert the fuse when you got home? If not then your lights will stay on. Try it again with the fuse in. If the lights stay off, then find a level as possible, straight road. If your steering wheel isn't straight while you're doing this then recenter your wheel. If the light comes on right away, I'd start looking at the wiring and see if it didn't get cut or pinched somewhere along the way.
 
#4 ·
The steering is dead on. I know that's not the issue. No air bag light either. I checked the wiring at all the sensors but im sure it won't hurt to go over it again. I also tried resetting the PCM by disconnecting the battery cables and touching them together. That didn't work.

Something worth noting is this comes right on the heels of bedlining my tub. However I didn't disconnect anything except the two ground wires under the carpet and the battery itself. I don't know if that may have anything to do with it or not. I'm going to try checking the grounds.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
 
#7 ·
Just loosened the grounds and retightened. No change. :(

I'll probably have to remove a couple seat bolts to completely remove the ground wires and inspect them.

My next step might be to take the center console back out and retrace my steps. It sure does sound like dynamic sensor.


Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
 
#8 ·
Most likely one or both axles aren't centered.
 
#10 ·
I'm only running a Teraflex leveling kit and that's been installed for over a year. Uncentered axles shouldn't be an issue.





Maybe you have done this but it's worth mentioning...have you tried to see if there are any codes being thrown? Got a Superchips? It will read them.

Just a thought.
I did put my OBD II scanner on it. No codes, not even pending.

I just pulled out the seats and removed the ground wires. They were clean as a whistle. I also pulled the center console and inspected all the wiring and the dynamic sensor. Nothing appeared out of the norm.

If the clockspring did go bad do you think it would throw any OBD II codes?

Keep the ideas coming. I'm running out.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
 
#11 ·
Yes, a leveling kit will un-center the axles enough to trip the ESP light. Measure from the inside of the tire to the frame on both sides, front & rear. If they're off more than 1/8" you've found the issue.
 
#12 ·
I realize a leveling kit will uncenter the axle, however I fail to see how that comes into play in this circumstance. And why would it drive fine for over a year and than all of a sudden become a problem? Educate me please.:)

I understand that if the steering wheel is off center it will play hell with the ESP. I've experienced that shortly after installing the leveling kit. Once I recentered it all was well. What I'm experiencing now is entirely different than what I experienced when my steering wheel was uncentered. Now the ABS/ESP and traction control lights don't even make it through bulb check at start up. That kind of leads me to believe the CANBUS is detecting a fault somewhere.
 
#14 ·
If your lights are on, go to autozone and have then run the scanner for the abs codes. Mine did that same stuff and it turned out to be the rear passenger wheel speed sensor.
 
#16 ·
FWIW, i have the same issue. it all started after taking a turn a little too fast and the system kicking in. i have no codes, ive changed the fuses and relays, disconnected the battery, checked the connections at all four wheel sensors and the lights remain on. ive had it on a scanner, even drove it with the scanner on and get nothing!
 
#19 ·
You're a lucky dog. I don't even get that far. My lights are on a start up and I have no cruise control what-so-ever. Your problem definitely sounds like it's somehow related to the wheel speed signal getting to the computer. I can't believe it's throwing lights but no codes. WTH?:cwm13:
 
#20 ·
SchafferNY,

I didn't see it in your posts, have you tried "resetting" the clock spring?
I think it's something along the lines of 'start the Jeep, rotate the wheel all the way left, then all the way right, then center and shut off the Jeep'. I'll have to do a search for the procedure, but I used it when I first lifted my '07 and it complained about the steering wheel being off.

I suspect that the quick maneuver, coupled with the levelling kit, made the computer think one of the sensors was bad. you just need to tell it who's boss.
 
#22 ·
My symptoms are similar to Shaffers, and mine didn't come on until after taking a turn too fast and the system activating. I haven't heard of resetting the clock spring and at this point I'm willing to try any thing!


No, I haven't tried that. I didn't know it was possible to reset the sensor clockspring. Can you post the exact procedure? Thx
If you find this procedure before Grim does, pass it along to me? Ill do the same... Also, update the thread with your results or PM me with whatever yoi get to resolve your issue... Like I said above, I'm willing to try anything at this point
 
#24 ·
I didn't see you state this, so I'm going to ask.

You removed the ground straps before bedlining the tub, but did you clean the surface they attach to down to bare metal after? Ground straps won't work if it's not a clean metal to metal contact.

I know, stupid question, but I didn't see you say that.
 
#25 ·
Yeah, I taped them off. They just as clean as they were before the bedliner. I even scraped them with the back of my pocket knife the last time I snugged them down.

I dropped my Jeep off to the dealership this afternoon. They're supposed to start working on it at 8am tomorrow morning, so I should know what the deal is by tomorrow afternoon.
 
#27 ·
If it's under warranty let them do it. Otherwise, a super easy swap out of parts on the rear and the part is like 15 bucks.

Just did my front one. A little more involved to get to it than the rear but still easy.
 
#28 ·
$100 dedectible on my warranty and it's a $90 fix(parts & labor). :shaking: I asked how much it would cost me just to get the vehicle back; thinking I can change it out myself. I was quoted $38 for the diagnostic labor and another $20-25 for the part. I figure for the cost difference it's not worth me dicking with, not that it's a big deal to change it.

Also, since the dealership is an hour away, I want to make sure it's fixed before I get it home. For all I know they could change the sensor and find out that it's something different.

I guess what still baffles me is that all the lights would illuminate before the Jeep even moved. I could understand it if the wheel sensor had a CANBUS node in it, but I don't beleive it does. How does the computer know it's bad before the Jeep even moves?

On the upside, it's nothing I ****** up during the bedlining process. :D
 
#31 ·
On a lifted rig the rear sensors can be broken if you haven't allowed for enough slack in the wire harness to the sensors. Be sure to drop the rear out slowly on each side and check for sure.
 
#33 ·
I know its been a while since you had the traction control problem, but I just started having the exact same problem you described my lights stay on [traction control, ABS, and the other one] Your last post was that you were taking your Jeep to the dealer for service. The outcome? Please help!
Tom Ron
 
#34 ·
Check post 26. There are two pages to this thread, I suggest clicking on page 2.

Wheel sensor. Common issue. Especially on lifted Jeeps.
 
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