JKU ESP/BAS?

dr_freeze

dr_freeze

Resident of Planet Earth
Joined
Apr 19, 2011
Location
Raleigh, NC
Has anyone had the ESP/BAS light on their JK come on? I was headed home after a trip to Uwharrie and the dash lit up with the anti-skid and ESP/BAS light while driving on 540. After parking at home, the light went off when I drove down to the store. It came on again two days later, again, while on the Interstate. I looked up the problem online and some have said that it could be a wheel speed sensor - which I've about ruled out, or an alignment issue. However, if it's alignment, why would the light just come on during certain trips on the interstate?

Any help/advice would be appreciated before I start spending money to determine the problem.

Thanks,
Mark.
 
it has a steering angle sensor, if it detects a few degrees of steering while traveling in a straight line it can set a code.

this isn't something you can just guess at, get the codes checked and go from there.
if you don't have a regular mechanic, you can run it by here and i will check the codes for you.
 
^^^^^^^ When I installed some adjustable upper control arms I got my steering off. There was a stretch of highway 109 on the way to URE that would set off the alarm every time. On the way home it would reset and stay off until the next time I drove that stretch. I have since re-adjusted the control arms to center the axle/steering. (per the Teraflex installation instructions I believe it said to make the right arms longer for some reason. I followed those directions and it caused the problem.)
 
Yep. Check codes to see where the issue lies. Speed sensor, SAS, off center steering wheel, among other things can cause this.

What year is the JK? Early ones where especially sensitive to ESP "false alarms".
 
I'd almost guarantee your steering wheel is off center. It happens to me pretty regularly after a good day of wheeling.
 
^^^ yea what he said. Typically your steering wheel will be a little off center and when you hit a road with a good crown in it or a turn it will kick in the ESP/BAS. Usually a 15mm wrench and a few minutes you can get the wheel recentered and the problem will go away until the next time you knock it out of alignment. This is a very typical issue.

Did I pass you on Dickey Bell On Sunday? I was in my orange JKU and had my buddy with me in his Black JKU.
 
One of the guys that work for me has a tester, and the Jeep isn't throwing any codes. I haven't been able to check it when the lights are on because its infrequent. While I was under the Jeep on Sunday, I checked each wheel speed sensor and nothing seemed weird like broken wires, connectors, etc.. So, I do believe it is like y'all have said - that it's probably the steering wheel. When the wheels are straight (-ish), the supports on the steering wheel aren't at the 9 - 3 position it's more like 10 - 4.

Is the fix just as simple as getting your wheels straight, or what you think is straight, loosening the 15mm bolts and adjusting the steering wheel position? Are there any 'gotchas' or other things to look out for?

Thanks,
Mark.
 
Borrowed from one of those JK forums....

1. To re-center your steering wheel, use a 15mm socket or wrench to loosen the 2 nuts securing the the drag link turnbuckle.
2. Once the nuts are loosened, firmly grab the turnbuckle and rotate it up or down as needed while a friend watches the steering wheel (or you periodically check on it yourself) go back to center. Rotating it up will turn the steering wheel to the left and rotating it down will turn it to the right.
3. Once your steering wheel looks centered, use a 15mm wrench to secure the turnbuckle nuts in place and take it for a drive to verify you got it on. This may take a few tries to get it on 100% on but that’s all there really is to it.
 
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