4WD after Tazer install on 2 Jeeps - front axle won't engage... thoughts?

[Rundeep_32]

I have a 2021 gladiator Sport (manual/roll-up windows) and a 2020 Wrangler sport (auto trans, my Son's)

I installed a (new) tazer in each of them that works great with LED lights, etc.

Here in the Boston area, we got a couple of inches of snow and I went to put the Gladiator (after the tazer was installed) into four-wheel-drive and all that happened were the back tires spinning... actually only the right rear a.k.a. one wheel peel lol.

All other features of the tazer appear to be functional on both of the Jeeps… I don't know of anything else that's not working other than the lack of front wheel engagement.

Then I tried my son's (Tazer installed) and had the exact same results - rear-wheel drive only. No any DTC's just the one wheel peel. I know his four-wheel-drive has worked perfectly (before we put the tazer in) because he very recently drove his Wrangler in deep sand at the beach in 4WD

Is there a setting on the tazer that I need to change in order to shift into 4WD? I even tried four wheel low and still it didn't go into 4WD, though oddly, the gearing went into 4WL.

No dash lights or DTCs but the 4WD icon on the dash does illuminate when shifted into 4WD as normal. No blown fuses under the hood.

I find it very odd that both Jeeps lost their front 4WD engagement after installing the tazers… So on both vehicles, we unmarried the tazer then reinstalled the latest firmware and put them back in the Jeeps and nothing changed we then unmarried both again so the computer was down to stock programming and I put my sons Wrangler on jack stands and sure enough, only the rear wheels would spin whether it was in four-wheel-drive or not. So I know something is not working.

Also, we did try four-wheel-drive after the tazer was removed after unmarrying it and plugged into the SWG (both Jeeps)... So as stock as possible.. and the front wheels again did not engage on either vehicle. That's why in my super long text above, I mentioned, perhaps that there was a slight change to the original software, even though it was unmarried, it may have changed some of the programming of the stock software that could not revert back to stock after unmarrying. I not an programmer at all, but it just seems logical.

At this point I can only think that there may have been some leftover tazer programming left in the original software after unmarrying. So even though I think I'm bringing it all the way back to stock software and SGW, something has changed with the stock software that won't allow me to get the front tires engaged.

If you've read this long question I appreciate it and if you have any ideas of what I should do next, that would be great. I suspect that the original Jeep software is probably corrupt and I have to bring it to a Jeep dealer and have them reflash it... The folks over at Z automotive are looking into it… They have great customer service but I'll also take any crowds source at this point... Any ideas? Thank you, Ed

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[jludave]

The Tazer should have nothing to do with your ability to engage 4WD on either Jeep. Are you saying that neither vehicle will engage 4 high or 4 low? Are you unable to physically shift either vehicle into 4 high or 4 low?

When you say you installed a Tazer in each vehicle, do you mean 1 new Tazer per vehicle? Were you moving the Tazer from one vehicle to the other without unmarrying it from each? The Tazer can only be married to one vehicle at a time.

Did you make any changes to either vehicle using the Tazer? If so, did you follow the process of performing 2 full sleep cycles?

After unmarrying the Tazer, did you follow the same process of performing 2 full sleep cycles?

When you marry the Tazer to the vehicle, it makes a copy of and stores the OEM vehicle configuration. Unmarrying the Tazer restores that configuration, reverting back to stock/OEM and removing any changes made.

My only advise, at this time, it for you to continue to work with Z-Automotive and see what they have to say. I find it highly coincidental that both vehicles experience the same 4WD issue after a Tazer install.

 

[Rundeep_32]

Hi, thank you for your advice. I will answer your questions below

The Tazer should have nothing to do with your ability to engage 4WD on either Jeep. Are you saying that neither vehicle will engage 4 high or 4 low? Are you unable to physically shift either vehicle into 4 high or 4 low?


--------neither of the two Jeeps will engage four high or four low. I have no problem physically shifting either into four high or four low.


When you say you installed a Tazer in each vehicle, do you mean 1 new Tazer per vehicle? Were you moving the Tazer from one vehicle to the other without unmarrying it from each? The Tazer can only be married to one vehicle at a time.


--------yes I mean I bought one new tazer per vehicle, total of two new tazers. I wasn't moving a tazer from one vehicle to another. I understand unmarrying process and the limitations of the taser to be used on one vehicle at a time... that's why got 2


Did you make any changes to either vehicle using the Tazer? If so, did you follow the process of performing 2 full sleep cycles?


-------yes both vehicles were customized using tazer features such as TPMS off, LED lighting options etc. After each modification no matter if it was just one thing, I would perform one reboot and 2 full sleep cycles


After unmarrying the Tazer, did you follow the same process of performing 2 full sleep cycles?


-------Yes, I did


When you marry the Tazer to the vehicle, it makes a copy of and stores the OEM vehicle configuration. Unmarrying the Tazer restores that configuration, reverting back to stock/OEM and removing any changes made.


-------about the only thing I can think of what the tazer could effect a four-wheel-drive system or any system for that matter is that when it was copying the Jeep's original software configuration, there may have been a hiccup or whatever a programmer would call it. Also of note, these were not purchased at the same time. I bought each one about two months apart from each other. The first for my gladiator. I didn't notice any issues until it snowed out and I put it in four-wheel-drive and it didn't engage. Then my son took his Wrangler out in the snow and came back and told me his also wasn't going into four-wheel-drive. Both vehicles exhibit the exact same symptoms.


My only advise, at this time, it for you to continue to work with Z-Automotive and see what they have to say. I find it highly coincidental that both vehicles experience the same 4WD issue after a Tazer install.

-------I also find it highly coincidental that both vehicles are experiencing the same four-wheel-drive issues after a tazer install. It's just too weird, but it's the only variable. I've been driving jeeps for 30 years and 100's of thousands of miles. I'm very familiar with their operation. Whenever I think about this, I feel like I'm in the twilight zone because it just seems impossible!

Thanks again for your comments, I appreciate it very much, Ed

 

[Rundeep_32]

My reply to you with formatted in a manner unintended. It looks like you have to open up the gray box in order to see the smaller font with most of my replies… Still learning!

 

[Obi Wan]

@Rundeep_32

Are you running the Selec-Trac® Full-Time 4WD transfer case or a traditional case?

Traditional:

Selec-Trac:

 

[Rundeep_32]

Thank you for your question. They are both part-time a.k.a. traditional. If it matters my gladiator has the 3.6 motor and my son's JL has the turbo. So I guess it's not a motor thing….

 

[Rundeep_32]

OK so update - I put it back on the jack stands and put it in 4WH/4WL. Just as the first time I did this, the front wheels remain still. I looked underneath and noticed the front driveshaft WAS spinning so it's something of a (probably electrical/BCM related) connection at the front differential I guess… Did anyone experience this before? As always thank you very much!

 

[Rundeep_32]

One other thing that I really don't think has anything to do with it but we both installed cold air intakes at the same time. I've checked all hoses they are tight including vacuum hose. I don't believe either one of us has used 4 Wheel Dr. after the cold air intake install because it was like two weeks ago... Just wanted to throw that out there!

 

[Whaler27]

Any updates?

This weekend my JL wouldn‘t go into 4 HI, but 4 LO worked fine.

Oddly, several times the display indicated neutral when the jeep was in gear. Just another nifty JL feature?

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