Electrical Issues and Engine Codes - ReBuilding Ruby

[Rubycon50]

My Rubicon JLU is a car insurance writeoff purchased in November 2019 from CoPart that is being repaired at home with my 20yo son. It was hit in the front bumper only from left to right pretty hard which required me to lift the body and replace the mildly bent frame, drivers side air bag and a few mechanical items at the front of the engine. I have a pretty decent write up under Rebuilding Ruby in the Build section of the forum if you want to go deeper. I'm at the final point where I need to address some engine codes and some persistent electrical issues that I have not been able to solve. These are the issues:

The Dash displays the following:

1. "Service Fuel Sensor" - I'm getting this message on my screen. Also, the the tank is full but the sensor says it's empty and it's flashing empty on my gauge. I drove the jeep over the curb a few times to try and jolt the sensor free thinking it might be stuck but no joy. I checked the fuses and it appears to be fine. Assuming the wiring for the sensor is part of the same bundle that connects to the fuel pump I did confirm it was connected and if it wasn't the fuel pump would not work and the engine would not run which it does.
2. "Service Air Bag" - The drivers side air bag (steering wheel) deployed during the collision. I just finished replacing it and also the steering column (with the integrated clock spring) and the seat belt tensioner. The service manual says I also need to replace the buckle and the front impact sensors which have been ordered. I purchased the Tazer JL code reader and programmer and cleared any codes I could. I don't see the the service air bag warning light anymore. I understand I can send the airbag controller module (not the correct name) off to an online third party to remove the hard coded errors from the air bag deployment but I'll wait until the buckle and the impact sensors are replaced before sending it off for fear of generating new ones.
3. "Service Axle Locker System" - I have run the jeep around the block a few times hoping this would clear but no such luck. I put it in 4H and 4L and pressed the axle locker button for the rear and also front/rear and nothing lights up on the button or the dash to indicate the lockers have engaged and I also don't hear anything or feel anything. This is my first 4wd so I;m not sure if I am supposed to hear or feel then lockers engage. I also noticed when I shift the transfer case into 4H and 4L it does not light up on the dash. Neutral and 2H do light up on the dash.
4. "Service Tire Pressure System" - The previous owner put 37 inch tires on the stock rims (milestone patagonias). I don't know if the tire pressure monitors were removed when the new larger tires were put on. I used my Tazer and found out the jeep was still programmed for the original tire size (32? from memory). I reprogramed it to 37's yesterday and changed the TPM warning to go off at 25psi (which I think is the new minimum from zautomotive with the latest software update). I have all tires inflated to 30psi but still get the warning.
5. "StopStart Unavailable - Service Stop/Start System" - I have not tried to start diagnosing this yet as it was least on my priority least but it may also be related to another code so it was worth mentioning here. Maybe the smaller battery that supplies power for the auto stop start function is bad.
6. Power Windows Not Working - When we first connected the battery (Original AGM battery that was involved in the collision) to the jeep after we completed the major mechanical repairs the windows were working...now they don't. None of them. I checked both rear and front switches including the switch lock out on the front dash. I pulled the large shiny silver 'circuit breaker' and did a continuity test with my voltmeter and it seems to be working fine. I just purchased a new circuit breaker and a new fuse array replacement just because I read another thread that suggested it so with no other good ideas I'm changing an unknown and it's coming next week. I did do a continuity check on the circuit breaker and the fuse array and both seem to be ok but I'm no electrician. Prior to reinstalling the AGM battery and also the second stop/start battery I did properly charge them using the correct charging mode (AGM and lead acid) for each and they both seem to fully charge and the jeep starts fine.
7. "Service ESS" - I was getting the Service Electronic Stability Control message but we straightened the steering wheel and left the battery disconnected overnight and I did not see it again on the test drive around the block today.

I know this is plenty to digest and my strategy with the repair has been one day at a time, one problem at a time which has been successful so far for the most part. Unfortunately I have a hunch some of these issues are related. If you have any experience, ideas or suggestions I would be very interested to hear from you.
Many thanks.
Rubycon50

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[jludave]

"Service Axle Locker System" - I have run the jeep around the block a few times hoping this would clear but no such luck. I put it in 4H and 4L and pressed the axle locker button for the rear and also front/rear and nothing lights up on the button or the dash to indicate the lockers have engaged and I also don't hear anything or feel anything. This is my first 4wd so I;m not sure if I am supposed to hear or feel then lockers engage. I also noticed when I shift the transfer case into 4H and 4L it does not light up on the dash. Neutral and 2H do light up on the dash.

These guys fixed a similar 4WD issue in a JT by disconnecting and reconnecting a plug, and swapping out a relay.

 

[Rubycon50]

Hmmm, interesting. I have been all over the fuse box with the exception of the relays. Ok, I'm on it!

These young whippersnappers are my inspiration for the whole build project we are working on. Amazing young guys for sure!

 

[Rubycon50]

Just to bring closure to this issue and to also give a heads up with anyone with a complete power window failure...I ended up breaking down and finally took the jeep to my local dealership and they found the issue:

1. The electrical harness that runs under the front passenger seat by the front left seat leg was crushed. The electrical harness run right beside the bracket that bolts the seat to the floor and somehow I had managed to bolt the bracket down not realizing the harness was underneath it and well that was the start of my problems;
2. The breaker in the fusebox was loose (and hot) and one of the metal tabs in the circuit board that hold the breaker in place was missing. Not sure how this happened but the breaker was kind of loose in it's socket in the fusebox circuit board. Everytime we wiggled it the windows would start working again. Once we replaced the circuit board the breaker was nice and firm again and no more power window problems.

Final bill, repair of crushed harness $800 in labor. Replace circuit board, $400ish for parts only, no labor charge.
Better then the other option to replace the entire body electrical harness at $2700 in labor plus $700 for the harness.

Was I happy? You bet, I've been running around LA with no way to wind down windows for months and beyond very electrical trouble shooting I am the worst electrician ever.

Just an FYI for those of you who like to work on your own jeeps (pulling your passenger seat in and out) to be very careful about pinching the harness under the front passenger seat

Bon appetite!

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