Steering locked while driving

[AMack6]

I had something similar happen today. Merging onto the highway, approximately 40F outside, felt like vehicle power just cut out and the battery sign above the engine temp gauge came on, something about the traction control system and auto-start stop flashed in the middle of the dash, and the car just started coasting. Luckily the highway wasn't too busy and i Was able to get over to the side of the road and restart the vehicle. Upon restart, all systems appeared to be working but the transmission icon was on in the gauge cluster. Scary stuff and now I have no faith in taking the Gladiator anywhere... It's a 2022 with only 1500 miles so very alarming.

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[JeepCares]

I had something similar happen today. Merging onto the highway, approximately 40F outside, felt like vehicle power just cut out and the battery sign above the engine temp gauge came on, something about the traction control system and auto-start stop flashed in the middle of the dash, and the car just started coasting. Luckily the highway wasn't too busy and i Was able to get over to the side of the road and restart the vehicle. Upon restart, all systems appeared to be working but the transmission icon was on in the gauge cluster. Scary stuff and now I have no faith in taking the Gladiator anywhere... It's a 2022 with only 1500 miles so very alarming.

Hi, AMack6. If you run into any more concerns or need to visit a dealership, feel free to reach out to us.

Kate
Jeep Cares

 

[AMack6]

Hi, AMack6. If you run into any more concerns or need to visit a dealership, feel free to reach out to us.

Kate
Jeep Cares

Hi - Yes, I have an appointment to bring it into my local jeep dealer (Salt Lake Valley Jeep) on Friday morning. But this whole situation is eroding my confidence in my specific Gladiator and the Jeep brand as a whole - particularly as I am not confident to drive the Jeep anywhere until this is resolved. Please PM me to continue the dialogue-- would love to find a way for Jeep to provide a loaner car or something if this ends up at the dealership for awhile and/or a particular part needed to fix the issue will take awhile to arrive. Thanks!

 

[Williamsnuthut1]

Question - did it lock or did you lose power assist to the steering sector, then regain the power assist?
I assume the wheel wasn't centered when this happened as you describe a curve........

Yes I have a 2020 Jeep Gladiator with 23,000 miles on it happen a month ago (very scary) got over to side of highway got to dealership they replaced they steering box and a line that had a kink Got it back a week ago . Driving yesterday on a highway merge from one to another around curve in major traffic it did it again this time was forced off road into a snow bank luckly had my fisher 6 foot 8 inch snow plow on . When hit snow bank steering came back but very hard when in turn . Babied it off next exit about a mile into parking lot and waited 7 hours for tow back to dealership by 9pm last night . 2/28 . Now waiting for dealership to know what’s wrong . But very scary for sure thinking about how bad that could have been .

 

[Williamsnuthut1]

Yes I have a 2020 Jeep Gladiator with 23,000 miles on it happen a month ago (very scary) got over to side of highway got to dealership they replaced they steering box and a line that had a kink Got it back a week ago . Driving yesterday on a highway merge from one to another around curve in major traffic it did it again this time was forced off road into a snow bank luckly had my fisher 6 foot 8 inch snow plow on . When hit snow bank steering came back but very hard when in turn . Babied it off next exit about a mile into parking lot and waited 7 hours for tow back to dealership by 9pm last night . 2/28 . Now waiting for dealership to know what’s wrong . But very scary for sure thinking about how bad that could have been .

No loss of power at all !! Just locked steering wheel .

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Since there is no lock on steering wheels on Jeeps like this, in all likelihood, almost no doubt in my mind, you lost power assist and could have muscled through it.
Even in cars without EHP, those that have more standard belt-driven pumps, if the belt goes south or the pump fails, you still have steering, albeit, you'd better look like Popeye and had your spinach for breakfast.
The only way to lock these would be if there was something physical preventing movement of any of the steering parts.

Even in the driveway, engine off, you CAN turn the wheels with the steering wheel. It's hard with some tires, and depending on tire inflation, concrete surface and so on, but you can still steer them even with engine off and no electric assist.

 

[NC_Overland]

Since there is no lock on steering wheels on Jeeps like this, in all likelihood, almost no doubt in my mind, you lost power assist and could have muscled through it.
Even in cars without EHP, those that have more standard belt-driven pumps, if the belt goes south or the pump fails, you still have steering, albeit, you'd better look like Popeye and had your spinach for breakfast.
The only way to lock these would be if there was something physical preventing movement of any of the steering parts.

Even in the driveway, engine off, you CAN turn the wheels with the steering wheel. It's hard with some tires, and depending on tire inflation, concrete surface and so on, but you can still steer them even with engine off and no electric assist.

No shit. This is truly mind blowing.

My first vehicle was a 1972 Datsun truck that I paid $400 for when I was 14. It was manual steering, manual drum brakes, no a/c, etc. half of y’all would have died.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

No shit. This is truly mind blowing.

My first vehicle was a 1972 Datsun truck that I paid $400 for when I was 14. It was manual steering, manual drum brakes, no a/c, etc. half of y’all would have died.

Yup, I agree. Don’t forget the crank up windows. The tool used to hand crank the motor on was used for the windows and to activate the diff locks.

 

[NC_Overland]

Yup, I agree. Don’t forget the crank up windows. The tool used to hand crank the motor on was used for the windows and to activate the diff locks.

Crank windows, manual transmission with no overdrive. Hand brake was a handle up in the dashboard. None of that hill start assist crap. ?

you went back further than me with the hand engine crank. My dad has two model As. Those are no joke to drive with the manual spark advance, choke, mechanical brakes and non synchronized transmission.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Crank windows, manual transmission with no overdrive. Hand brake was a handle up in the dashboard. None of that hill start assist crap. ?

you went back further than me with the hand engine crank. My dad has two model As. Those are no joke to drive with the manual spark advance, choke, mechanical brakes and non synchronized transmission.

Yup, we’re all gonna die.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yup, we’re all gonna die.

Actually, you are very correct.
On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.

 

[IamPro2A]

To be fair, cars that came with manual steering had different gearing in the steering box. Easier to turn the wheel, but not as responsive.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Actually, the ratios could be the same.
My brother's 69 - we put PS on his car and the ratio is basically the same.

You could get fast ratio manual steering which was the same lock to lock as PS was.

Fast ratio manual steering is more difficult to park than PS would be.
But manual doesn't necessarily mean a different ratio.

There's also variable ratio steering gear.

 

[Noxian]

Anyone ever find a fix for this issue? my stock 2022 Rubicon auto with about 7000kms on has been doing it once and while 3 or 4 times since it got cold?

Seems to be during hard acceleration up to 100km/h then the steering gets heaving (no power steering). When I slow down it eventually comes back.

I booked a appointment for Monday at the dealership to see if they find anything.

I hope its a simple fix...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Anyone ever find a fix for this issue? my stock 2022 Rubicon auto with about 7000kms on has been doing it once and while 3 or 4 times since it got cold?

Seems to be during hard acceleration up to 100km/h then the steering gets heaving (no power steering). When I slow down it eventually comes back.

I booked a appointment for Monday at the dealership to see if they find anything.

I hope its a simple fix...

I'd suggest it's an electrical connection issue - hard acceleration makes things twist and flex, and inertia may make wires shift. You slow down or let off, things return to normal.
Give a nice bullet-point explanation of timing, conditions when it happens, etc. to the dealer.
Cold temps also impact electric connections.

If you had JSCAN, you could set it up to monitor the EHPS pump operation.

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