Heated steering wheel not working

[Wheelin98TJ]

My heated steering wheel quit working. Turn it on, light illuminates for 2-3 seconds, then light goes out and wheel doesn't heat up.

Did a little searching and didn't find much. Found a year old thread here. A few threads on the JL forums. Some are saying replace the wheel, others saying replace a module.

I'm out of warranty due to miles. Any pointers for troubleshooting this?

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[Undecided]

If it turns on and then goes off, I would guess module.
I'd expect it to stay on but not get hot to need to replace the entire steering wheel.

100% guess

 

[Lost1wing]

At this point I am just curious as I have no idea besides check fuses.

I have read on a Cherokee site that the heated seats and steering wheel turn off during a stop event. Some complaints were that they had to reselect them back on. The fix was a unconnect radio update. Still not what you want to hear. But, my thought and just a thought, does your ESS work? Could you have a message that says stop start unavailable. Could it be certain electronics are shutting down? Just an idea.

 

[Farmer Fran]

When was the last time you replaced or checked the battery. I know it seems weird, but I have seen all kinds of weird shit in new vehicles when the battery was dying.

 

[Lost1wing]

When was the last time you replaced or checked the battery. I know it seems weird, but I have seen all kinds of weird shit in new vehicles when the battery was dying.

This is where I was going with my post. The electrical system could be doing a load shed to save itself.

 

[Hootbro]

I looked around also but unless you want to shoot the parts cannon at it for either a SCCM and/or steering wheel, you are going to have to trouble shoot it with some diagnostic equipment. At a minimum a multimeter.

I would check to see if voltage is even briefly coming out of the SCCM to the steering wheel heater element. If not, would be ringing out those wires for continuity before calling the SCCM. Then there is the wiring coming off the steering wheel thermistor that converts into a LIN Bus signal going to the SCCM that I would ring out also.

If the voltage to the heater is fine and the thermistor side wiring checks out, then I would call the steering wheel.

Attached is the JT wiring diagram for the heated steering wheel and also copy of a Wrangler JL theory of operation for the heated steering wheel that I would imagine would be the same for the JT.

I do not think there is a magic bullet fix without proper troubleshoot or getting lucking first time if shooting the parts cannon at it.

 

[texanjeeper]

I think you're wasting your time with the fuse. If it was that, you wouldn't see it come on for a few seconds and then turn off. You would just see.....nothing.

 

[Lost1wing]

Interesting read! ESS, load shedding and possible code to be found if faults are present.

 

[Badunit]

An additional pdf to look at:

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have read on a Cherokee site that the heated seats and steering wheel turn off during a stop event. Some complaints were that they had to reselect them back on. The fix was a unconnect radio update.

Never had that happen with my 2020 or this 2022. In fact, even with my wife's prior Grand Cherokee - they stayed on, never had to reselect them or anything like that.
Wonder if that was a Cherokee only issue? Never a problem with WK2 or JT.

Low voltage is so very simple to check for - look at the volt meter!!
9 volts mentioned in the PDF is very very low and bound to cause other issues, aux switches not available and other things

 

[Rusty PW]

Could be the clock spring in the steering wheel. Had one go bad in my Power Wagon.

 

[Lost1wing]

Never had that happen with my 2020 or this 2022. In fact, even with my wife's prior Grand Cherokee - they stayed on, never had to reselect them or anything like that.
Wonder if that was a Cherokee only issue? Never a problem with WK2 or JT.

Low voltage is so very simple to check for - look at the volt meter!!
9 volts mentioned in the PDF is very very low and bound to cause other issues, aux switches not available and other things

I've never had that situation either. I was reading about ESS when that topic came up. They didn't mention whether the switch momentarily illuminated or not. Just the heat steering wheel and seats stopped working and a new aux battery corrected it.

My suggestion was not direct. Only suggested to check what if any .message was displaying on stop start. The later post gave the pdf confirming ESS or load shedding.

For my own amusement, I did pull the fuse on the Cherokee for the steering wheel heat. No one here will be shocked that nothing happens when you press the switch. I'm sure the JT is the same.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I've never had that situation either. I was reading about ESS when that topic came up. They didn't mention whether the switch momentarily illuminated or not. Just the heat steering wheel and seats stopped working and a new aux battery corrected it.

My suggestion was not direct. Only suggested to check what if any .message was displaying on stop start. The later post gave the pdf confirming ESS or load shedding.

When "the system" detects a low voltage condition for whatever reason, it will start to shut down certain things in order to allow moving the vehicle off the traveled portion of the road to do a clean stop and shutdown.

Like Hootbro said as well - simple to do some basic digging with a volt meter - use what the truck's own meter says, even place a Walmart or Menards volt meter across ground and N1 to see what the voltage is.
May not need to go any farther than that, or it may show it's not the problem at all, further troubleshooting is required.
With electrical issues - easiest to start at the source - do you even have the necessary power to operate things?

 

[Badunit]

Have you scanned for trouble codes? I don't know what code(s) there might be but it seems like everything that has anything to do with the electrical system has a few (open circuit, short circuit, excessive current, insufficient current, low voltage, high voltage, etc.)

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Thanks for all the replies guys. A lot of good advice here.

ESS works and battery seems fine. I should probably check voltage when cranking just to make sure.

I’m not seeing any codes displayed anywhere. But it hasn’t been scanned.

Heated seats both work. But there is a heated mirror that doesn’t work and I can’t remember which one.

I’ll give an update when I know more.

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