Drivers door handle proximity function not working

[idiotdiy]

@ShadowsPapa takes the win! Yesterday I tested the wires between the handle and the pins and sure enough there was no continuity for one of them. I found that wire to be completely broken about 8" from the pins. There were two others about to break as well.

I used some wire I had and some heat shrink solder connectors to make patches. Hopefully this holds for a while.

I am a little disappointed in Jeep for not thinking about this. My JK never had this issue with the door wires. I barely have 35k miles on my gladiator, and between the brakes I worked on last weekend and this, I am not feeling great about longevity.

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[ShadowsPapa]

@ShadowsPapa takes the win! Yesterday I tested the wires between the handle and the pins and sure enough there was no continuity for one of them. I found that wire to be completely broken about 8" from the pins. There were two others about to break as well.

I used some wire I had and some heat shrink solder connectors to make patches. Hopefully this holds for a while.

I am a little disappointed in Jeep for not thinking about this. My JK never had this issue with the door wires. I barely have 35k miles on my gladiator, and between the brakes I worked on last weekend and this, I am not feeling great about longevity.

Just a suggestion - buy some silicone wire from Amazon. It's flexible beyond belief, has more strands that are finer so flexes better and the jacket should not crack. I use the silicone wire in my blower motor and certain other restorations where it's possibly subject to vibration, oil and fuel fumes in classic cars.

My 2004 WJ had the same issue - not with passive entry because it had none, but the remote unlock function stopped working. The wires in that rubber conduit were cracked. Of course it has 122,000 miles and a lot of years on it. I agree - disappointed that Jeep didn't do better with that area.

This is just one example - you can buy it by the spools, or shorter lengths like this, whatever, and several different gauges and colors -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08QV9CS7Q

 

[Fpolanco]

Anyone have any luck figuring out this issue?

Driver side handle wasn’t working so I started swapping parts from the passenger side. All parts are working. Even checked the wiring on the door harness for any frayed wires. All looked good.

Besides digging into the RFH (which looks like a nightmare), any other suggestions to test?

 

[idiotdiy]

Anyone have any luck figuring out this issue?

Driver side handle wasn’t working so I started swapping parts from the passenger side. All parts are working. Even checked the wiring on the door harness for any frayed wires. All looked good.

Besides digging into the RFH (which looks like a nightmare), any other suggestions to test?

Did you test the continuity of each wire? Mine looked fine, right up to where they were broken. Which was my issue.

 

[Fpolanco]

Did you test the continuity of each wire? Mine looked fine, right up to where they were broken. Which was my issue.

Very stupid question but…how do I do that?

 

[idiotdiy]

Very stupid question but…how do I do that?

You would need to use a multimeter. Look up YouTube videos on continuity testing of wire with multimeter.

There are only two wires that are for that in the harness that need to be tested.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Did you test the continuity of each wire? Mine looked fine, right up to where they were broken. Which was my issue.

It's a common Jeep issue - at least for older models. Looks like modern JLs and JTs are catching up as the doors get used.

 

[Fpolanco]

You would need to use a multimeter. Look up YouTube videos on continuity testing of wire with multimeter.

There are only two wires that are for that in the harness that need to be tested.

Awesome...you rock! Thank you!

 

[Fpolanco]

It's a common Jeep issue - at least for older models. Looks like modern JLs and JTs are catching up as the doors get used.

"...as the doors get used"

This made me chuckle b/c only Jeep...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

"...as the doors get used"

This made me chuckle b/c only Jeep...

Yeah, I can understand that..............

My SX4 is still using the original door wiring harnesses from a salvaged Eagle from the 1980s. 40 years later, it's all still working. (power locks and windows)

Supposedly, AMC used the same switches in their Eagles and Jeeps of the 80s, and some say the wiring harnesses are the same (that, I can't verify - but the switches I've found are the same)

 

[camodog]

My driver door just stopped working recently. Passenger proximity works fine. So do both remote fobs.
I guess I need to check the wires with the meter and see if that is the issue.

 

[kabookie10]

My door proximity and lock button on the handle quit working. Thanks to you all I checked the harness where it wraps around the door jam that’s covered in the cloth sleeving. I found two broken wires. Fixed them but my lock button on the handle doesn’t work still. Anyone know what wire controls that?

 

[Hootbro]

Anyone know what wire controls that?

 

[kabookie10]

I got the unlock portion to work but the lock button on the handle won’t work for some reason now. I swapped both pieces to the handle from side to side and it works fine on the passenger side.

 

[georamorim]

So my driver's side proximity stopped working as well. I also noticed the control to the passenger side mirror stopped working too. Seemed too coincidental that so many others I've read had the same problem with the driver side door only.....the one that is opened and closed the most. With the help of these forums I figured It had to be the wiring in the sheath between the door and cab that bends and straightens each time the door is opened and closed. Bend a paper clip enough times and it breaks (not brakes ffs). I didn't do a continuity test, didn't have to. If you lightly pull each wire, there will be at least one that pulls out. I had 4. I pulled back the sheath to repair them and found another 3 on the verge of breaking. Soldered them back together and tada. I gots me a working proximity sensor. Passenger side mirror works too. If you want you can buy a new harness, but solder and heat shrink tubing is cheaper. Oh, also, to fix this, you will need to remove the door panel. Makes access to the wires easier. It was about an hour or so to fix. And I didnt have to lube up and head to the dealer.


It seems my gladiator and I are in a toxic relationship. Rusty hinges, clutch recall, leaky doors, a camshaft replacement, seized e-brake, and now these broken wires. Loads or red flags. And yet… take the doors off, drop the top, hit the road—and suddenly none of it matters.

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