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Steering wheel wont turn / sway bar light

SoftPigeon

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Hi, all. Im posting this in hopes of opinions of what could be causing my issue. I picked up my gladiator on tuesday the 19th. I had it for 3 days, drove it for 150 miles and only complaint was the auto stop start message was on my dash. Scheduled an appoinyment for monday the 25th for ppssible battery replacement.

However, 3 days after taking delovery on friday the 22nd i had an issue driving to work. In the 15 or less miles i have to drive i had 4 or 5 instances where mybsteering wheel COMPLETELY locked up. Wouldnt turn at all, and the sway bar light on the dash would light up. I would turn the truck off and on and then it would donit again. Off and on and again. Luckily i was able to do this to where i could get it in a parking lot where i had it towed to the dealership. I have never had the truck out of 2H. I searched the forums but couldn't find a similar thread. Anyone heard of this or have possible causes?

On q side note does qnyone else have their doors auto lock on them after 30 seconds of closing the doors? Not the quto lock feature when youbare driving but sitting parked qnd justbget out qnd close the doors. The dealer installed a gps to try and get me to sign up for i beleive it is called KARR subscription. I declined but they didnt take the gps out (that is on the list of things for them to do).

Justbwondered of anyone might have suggestions to what could causlse the steering wheel to lock up like that. Thanks
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I would start by checking to make sure all the fuses were installed completely. Especially on the JL, there were reports of problems with that. Beyond that, maybe check the connections for the electric power steering pump. Hopefully the dealer gets it squared away.
 
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SoftPigeon

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I agree and will double check when im back at the dealer. Ive just read so many forum threads about batterys being the issue for start stop as well as fuses being an issue.

My question is if it is a fuse for the power steering then wouldnt the whell still turn, albeit a bit harder? This issue would not allow the steering wheel to turn at all. As if something was blocking it. I knkw this is all speculation until physical data or q problem is found. I just want as mich ideas and info as possiboe tondiscuss with the techs working on.

Another thing is could a fuse (or bad wiring on the sway bar motor) cause it to engage outside of 4H? When i was in the parking lot and it said sway bar i did try qnd press the sway bar button. I was in 2H and the dash said mist be out of 2H or in 4H or whatever it says when you try it. Is there any form or qn interlock which prevents the motor on the sway bar from moving when it is in 2 wheel drive?

Thanks for any and all suggestions. They will be followed up on.
 

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You can take that GPS device out yourself - in most cases, it simply plugs in to the OBD diagnostic connector area. Mine was a simple piggyback connection.

The automatically locking is weird - the only thing that I can think of that may cause the truck to lock by itself is if it received a remote start signal from your FOB. Any vehicle with remote start locks itself when it starts but yours isn't starting. And you are sure you don't have fob in pocket perhaps hitting the lock button?
Do you have it set to flash lights and/or honk horn when it locks? If not, DO set it so it flashes the lights and honks the horn on a lock signal from the FOB - might help troubleshoot where the signal to lock is coming from.
 
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SoftPigeon

SoftPigeon

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You can take that GPS device out yourself - in most cases, it simply plugs in to the OBD diagnostic connector area. Mine was a simple piggyback connection.

The automatically locking is weird - the only thing that I can think of that may cause the truck to lock by itself is if it received a remote start signal from your FOB. Any vehicle with remote start locks itself when it starts but yours isn't starting. And you are sure you don't have fob in pocket perhaps hitting the lock button?
Do you have it set to flash lights and/or honk horn when it locks? If not, DO set it so it flashes the lights and honks the horn on a lock signal from the FOB - might help troubleshoot where the signal to lock is coming from.
The truck is set to honk and light. I have the autolock while driving turned off. I first noticed this when indrove it home from the dealer and was waxing it. I unlocked the truck, put the microfiher towels in it and closed the door without locking it (since i would be in an out of it). While waxing it the truck honked and locked. I had the key in my pocket.

Over the next couple of days when i got to work i noticed it would honk lock even after i locked it with the fob and walked away. I believe that the reason for this has to do with the KARR system. I think it is more than just a simple gps becauss when i was leaving the dealer they flagged me down and said they had to deactivate or else the truck would not start again. The tech was messing with an app on his phone and said that everything was deactived. The truck did start the next day and have not had an issue with it starting but it still does the locking thing. Was wondering if anyone else heard of this or had it if they had the app where you can lock thendoors with your phone. I dont have the app so it would be a problem for me if it locked and the key was inside.
 

ShadowsPapa

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The truck is set to honk and light. I have the autolock while driving turned off. I first noticed this when indrove it home from the dealer and was waxing it. I unlocked the truck, put the microfiher towels in it and closed the door without locking it (since i would be in an out of it). While waxing it the truck honked and locked. I had the key in my pocket.

Over the next couple of days when i got to work i noticed it would honk lock even after i locked it with the fob and walked away. I believe that the reason for this has to do with the KARR system. I think it is more than just a simple gps becauss when i was leaving the dealer they flagged me down and said they had to deactivate or else the truck would not start again. The tech was messing with an app on his phone and said that everything was deactived. The truck did start the next day and have not had an issue with it starting but it still does the locking thing. Was wondering if anyone else heard of this or had it if they had the app where you can lock thendoors with your phone. I dont have the app so it would be a problem for me if it locked and the key was inside.
My understanding is that they can't lock if the fob is inside...... (someone correct me if wrong please)

This is what I took out of mine. Likely GPS only but it may have other functionality as well since it connected to the OBD diagnostic connection.

Jeep Gladiator Steering wheel wont turn / sway bar light mystery-device
 

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Are you saying the truck itself turned off? Or the sway bar light turned on and off?

If the truck did, then you have a short somewhere on the battery that is causing the truck to loose power completely. This happened to me, although it was my fault in the first place.
 

Aonarch

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Either way, brand new vehicle. Off to the dealer it goes.

If they can't help you, or if it is taking repeated visits, first talk to the GM/ General Sales Manager about swapping out the vehicle.

If that fails, lemon law.

Hopefully it is just something simple. These new JLs and JTs are very reliable and well built.
 

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SoftPigeon

SoftPigeon

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Absolutely correct. I got to try the FCA roadside assistance. I'm shocked actually. 13 minutes on the ohone getting infomration and 15 minutes later tow truck on site.

Anyways, got it back on tuesday. Dealer didn't say much other than GPS removed. The guy i got the paper from seemed like he only knew how to work the system and when i asked technical questions, he looked like a deer in the headlights. Im not the most vehicle savvy person either thoigh, but i do know a some. After proding ingot some codes which were pulled. These might be wrong because his hand writing is atrocious, but here they are...

P26E4
U0N0-00 (Could be letters (o) not zeros)
P1276-14 or PD76-14
U1464-00

I did find out that the GPS is not just a simple GPS. It also has functions which can lock / unlock the doors and this was most likely the culprit of the doors and steering wheel issue. Auto start is working now and qfter 2 days of brief testing im happy to report she is back on the road. A lottle skeptical too, but hopeful and keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks to all who replied and offered up suggestions. I really appreciate it.

P.s. as for clarification about what the steering wheel was doing....the steering wheel would lock up while i was driving. No turn what-so-ever and truck was on. The only way i could "reset" the steering wheel to where i could be able to turn it was by turning the truck off and back on. Im assuming this interrupted the GPS karr (security device) signal long enough for me to get out of traffic. The GPS / Karr device was not like the photo you shared papa, buta circle with a green light. Other people have posted pictures of it but I cant find them through search.

Thanks, again!
 

ShadowsPapa

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Absolutely correct. I got to try the FCA roadside assistance. I'm shocked actually. 13 minutes on the ohone getting infomration and 15 minutes later tow truck on site.

Anyways, got it back on tuesday. Dealer didn't say much other than GPS removed. The guy i got the paper from seemed like he only knew how to work the system and when i asked technical questions, he looked like a deer in the headlights. Im not the most vehicle savvy person either thoigh, but i do know a some. After proding ingot some codes which were pulled. These might be wrong because his hand writing is atrocious, but here they are...

P26E4
U0N0-00 (Could be letters (o) not zeros)
P1276-14 or PD76-14
U1464-00

I did find out that the GPS is not just a simple GPS. It also has functions which can lock / unlock the doors and this was most likely the culprit of the doors and steering wheel issue. Auto start is working now and qfter 2 days of brief testing im happy to report she is back on the road. A lottle skeptical too, but hopeful and keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks to all who replied and offered up suggestions. I really appreciate it.

P.s. as for clarification about what the steering wheel was doing....the steering wheel would lock up while i was driving. No turn what-so-ever and truck was on. The only way i could "reset" the steering wheel to where i could be able to turn it was by turning the truck off and back on. Im assuming this interrupted the GPS karr (security device) signal long enough for me to get out of traffic. The GPS / Karr device was not like the photo you shared papa, buta circle with a green light. Other people have posted pictures of it but I cant find them through search.

Thanks, again!
Yeah, there are at least 3 I recall being mentioned in these forums over the past year or two. Some more basic than others.
No way I'd want such a thing in my vehicle unless I had asked for it and subscribed and I knew every detail of what it did and how it worked. To find them on a vehicle where I didn't know it was there or its functionality - not so happy. I understand basic GPS and/or tracking, etc. - but still - not if I'm not subscribed.


The codes are usually a letter and the rest numbers.......
U is often communication issues, U and 4 numbers maybe a dash and 2 more
P is typically engine issues - P and 4 numbers maybe a dash and 2 more (misfire codes, that sort of thing will be P)
C is wheel related
B is usually body control module related - seat belt, air bag and other issues related to body control

That's just general rule as I understand it...........
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