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Does traction control and ABS lights lit usually indicate wheel sensor issue?

36K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  TOK 
#1 ·
About a week ago, the ABS and traction control lights lit up. I have a 2.5" lift but the steering wheel is straight.

Tried googling info and some of what I found pointed to a wheel sensor. I tried the ignition on/off 3 times to display codes and none are stored, it just goes from dashes to saying DONE. From what I read, the display should tell you a left/right side without pinpointing specific wheel?

Will a regular OBD scanner give me more info?

Thanks for any insight!
 
#2 ·
Yes. Usually wheel sensor related or weak battery. It could be a broken wire to the sensor or the plug disconnected. Or a bad sensor. Especially if you've done a lift recently and didn't unplug the wire retainers for the sensors during droop for the coil change.
 
#3 ·
Its been lifted almost a year without an issue. About time to rotate the tires anyway, so I guess I will have to take a look.

Still under warranty, but I always wonder if the dealership is going to give me a hassle about the lift. If its something I can take care of myself, I'd rather do that.

Thank you for the info!
 
#13 ·
Steering wheel is straight? That's all it takes. Straighten wheel and drive it will fix it if that is a problem.

Unit bearing in the front going out can also cause it. Super easy to replace.
Sensor is separate from unit bearing and tone rings are not usually damaged as these are enclosed.

Superchips will tell you which sensor is acting up. See if you can borrow one.
Thanks for the heads-up! I will take a look at the Superchips. I was considering buying an Innova 3160. Anyone have experience with that one? I think it will also display ABS errors for Chrysler.

I have two other OBD2 vehicles that are out of warranty, so a decent scanner would be helpful to have around.
On my 08' the trail dash tells me what side only. The obdII scanners available might tell you the same or give more info than this.
 
#5 ·
The light is flashing? Yeah usually a sensor. I've broken two, one replacing a U joint, the other because I flexed it a little too much after my lift, the wire pulled apart. It's easy to replace, and the sensor usually costs about 20 bucks. If it does turn out to be a front, I'm not sure of the year of your Jeep but ask for a sensor from 2011 or newer. The sensor wires are longer than 07-10.
 
#7 ·
Its a 2013... Both the ABS and traction control light (skidding car) are solid.

I just pulled all the wheels to take a look, and everything appears to be intact. I think I remember the instructions on my Teraflex lift said to pop the plastic retainers on the rear wheel sensor lines from the frame, which I did when installing the lift. Feels like there is plenty of slack in them.

Also noticed the hill holder function is disabled, which I think is one of the other symptoms. Seems like I'm totally on the right track.

I guess my last question is if an OBD scan identifies the sensor position, or at least a side? I could buy a couple and shotgun it, but I'd rather get it the first time.

Thanks again for all the help.
 
#8 ·
Probably not. The OBD scanners that are readily available may not give you any direction as to which side is giving you the issues. The dealer's STARscan probably could, but no sense in going to them for that. I know with my swaybar (Rubicon) unplugged, I don't get any codes, but the light is on the dash.

Now, that sensor runs from the wheel to a plug in the backside of the coil tower, so make sure you inspect the lines all the way to there. Sometimes they will break but the wire casing will stay mostly intact. Whereas your issue seems to be steady, I'm guessing that there is an actual broken connection someplace. In the back, they run quite a distance. The rear passenger one actually runs over the gas tank I think, and I have heard of them breaking around that area. If you still can't find a broken wire, break out the multimeter and pull the sensors till you find the culprit.
 
#9 · (Edited)
The fronts look pretty easy to trace, was hoping it would have been something more obvious. From the looks of it, I'd have to pull the rotors to even tone the lines out with a voltmeter. I have a regular Sport, so I'm guessing this issue also defeats the brake lock feature in the front that sort of makes it a phoney limited slip?
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the heads-up! I will take a look at the Superchips. I was considering buying an Innova 3160. Anyone have experience with that one? I think it will also display ABS errors for Chrysler.

I have two other OBD2 vehicles that are out of warranty, so a decent scanner would be helpful to have around.
 
#14 ·
The wheel is straight, Jeep tracks straight. Out of curiosity about how far does it need to be off for this to happen? When I did the lift, I spun the adjuster maybe 3/4 of a turn. If the wheel is off, its only by a couple of degree's, not even enough to notice while driving it. It had also been OK for nearly a year.

The light was off when I shut the Jeep down one night, came on the next day when I started it.

Thanks BigTB for the link. My buddy has a '12 and the setup looks identical. Looks like all makes only go up to 2012 on that list, maybe thats just when that document was done.

Doing family stuff for Labor Day, won't even have a chance to look at this till next week.
 
#15 ·
Look at wheel sensors then. I was merely pointing out it can be an off center steering wheel. It's straight then I would look at the wire harness at each wheel to ensure its condition is good. Then look at replacing wheel sensors.

I damaged a rear wheel wheel sensor harness putting in the lift. Soldered it up quick. A year or more later and it was a source of my problems again. You lose the cruise control too.
 
#19 ·
The confirmation that the Jeep software reports a position is good news. I read conflicting info, some said it didn't other said it would only report a side. Hoping any better CAN and ABS compliant scanner can pickup the position.

The Jeep is the newest vehicle I own by 9 years, sure I'm gonna need to read codes on the other klunkers any minute. :cwm13:

Thanks so much!
 
#21 ·
I went to Autozone and they said they could only scan engine codes, not ABS. I always seem to have shit luck when it comes to cheap/simple solutions!

I ended up ordering a Flashcal 3570. Even though I wanted an all-in-one scanner for my non-Jeeps, the info on the capability of the other ones I looked at was all over the map regarding CANBUS and ABS diagnosis.

It pushes my repair back a few days, but the driveability isn't really affected. I'll update this when I do my final repair. Just wanted to say thanks again for all the great tech help/info offered in this forum.
 
#23 ·
I have a Snap On modis scanner sitting here that'll tell exactly what's up, bar graphs too if needed. Comes in handy when a sensor decides to drop out at 5 mph

edit: Of course these run upwards of $9K
 
#24 ·
I probably should have just bought that, I'll probably end up spending that much anyway!

I didn't want to bug the dude that does my inspections, but maybe he'll let me throw it on their scanner if I pay him shop time. Thought I was going to be taking the Jeep on a 600 mile road trip, but that changed and I'm bringing my pickup. At least the pressure to get it fixed quickly is off.
 
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