Major steering issue problem with JL Wrangler. Please watch

[HiJinx69]

Fixed! I'm happy to report that after all the pain and hassle, I no longer have issues with the steering. I put over 300 miles with the new steering box in 4 days.

To the previous poster's theory that it is a tight steering box that causes this bind, quite possibly. There is a lot more play in my steering than previously, a lot more. But, Nabors post #632, had his fixed with a software update. So, who really knows.

Only way to know for sure, in my case, is to tighten the steering to remove the slack and see what happens. I will have a new dealer adjust it, not the one that replaced it, in the near future.

For all the trouble and missteps by the installing dealer, my Executive Referral Manager gave me a 7yr./85K with $0 deductible extended warranty.

Good luck to everyone!

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[sm16]

Fixed! I'm happy to report that after all the pain and hassle, I no longer have issues with the steering. I put over 300 miles with the new steering box in 4 days.

To the previous poster's theory that it is a tight steering box that causes this bind, quite possibly. There is a lot more play in my steering than previously, a lot more. But, Nabors post #632, had his fixed with a software update. So, who really knows.

Only way to know for sure, in my case, is to tighten the steering to remove the slack and see what happens. I will have a new dealer adjust it, not the one that replaced it, in the near future.

For all the trouble and missteps by the installing dealer, my Executive Referral Manager gave me a 7yr./85K with $0 deductible extended warranty.

Good luck to everyone!

Thanks for letting us know. How quickly did the lockup issue surface with your original steering box?

 

[HiJinx69]

Thanks for letting us know. How quickly did the lockup issue surface with your original steering box?

If I remember correctly, it started in May which was three months after purchase. Coinciding with the higher daytime temps.

 

[HiJinx69]

Just wanted to see what others had to say about the steering wheel play. This is what I have after the new steering box replacement. The previous box was about half of what I'm currently experiencing. How does yours compare? Is this excessive or normal?

 

[Saejin]

Thanks for the vid. I’ll try to post up one soon. I assume at the beginning it was normal driving and then you were just moving the wheel back and forth to show the limits of play in the wheel. I hope that wasn’t you trying to keep the keep straight.

If so, I think that would be normal. When you we’re moving back and forth did the Jeep move a bit on the road in the direction you were turning the wheel.

In mine if I make slight adjustments like the Jeep will move accordingly, but it will be subtle.

 

[Saejin]

It’ll also be interesting to see if those that have actually adjusted the steering box screw start experiencing any binding in the steering which would tell me the adjusted it too much.

 

[Saejin]

Ok, here’s a vid of my son driving. He doesn’t have much time behind the wheel of any car let alone the wrangler, so take that into account. He’s been told over and over to keep the vehicle centered in the lane so that’s also on his mind. Now he’s doing about 40 on a smooth road that has some curves and straight aways. When I drive this same road I don’t move the wheel as much as he does. I’ll post another video of some time on the highway later today.

 

[Saejin]

So here’s me driving the same road as my son did earlier. I’m not moving the wheel nearly as much as he did.

 

[Saejin]

And lastly here’s another vid on more of a straight road. Towards the end I moving the wheel side to side to show how much perceived play is in the center of the wheel. Keep in mind when I did this the Jeep was also moving slightly to the left and right based on the steering input I was giving.

So to me there is no dead zone where movement of my wheel results in no movement of the vehicle. If you have that then there’s a problem.

 

[JeepCares]

A TSB was just released regarding some of the symptoms the OP was describing:

NUMBER: 0809218
GROUP: 08 Electrical
DATE: July 7, 2018

SUBJECT:
Low Steering Assist at Highway Speeds
OVERVIEW:
This bulletin involves using wiTECH 2 to perform a Restore Vehicle Configuration routine. The reconfiguration will update the ElectroHydraulic
Power Steering (EHPS) calibrations.

You can show this information to your dealer for further assistance. As always, please send us a PM if you have any additional questions.

Julie
Jeep Social Care Specialist

 

[XTrooper]

Looking to support a theory I have about the steering problems. It seems those with this binding issue during turns have tight steering and after the steering gear box is replaced the binding is resolved, but now there is more play in the steering.

Can those of you who had this fix please confirm or deny.

You see, the steering gear box has an adjustment screw which is meant to remove play in the system, but only to the extent it doesn’t cause binding. If you adjust it too much, you can eleininate all the play, but as you turn the wheel the gears in the box will bind and only excessive force from the hydraulic system will push through the binding...but in some cases it won’t.

The adjustment screw I’m assuming is set by a tech when the box is built. So it’s not a standard setting and is totally dependent on how well the tech does the adjustment.

This could very well be the reason every JL has a different feel in the steering wheel.

I haven't had my steering gearbox replaced yet (it is ordered, but they are out-of-stock), but I can tell you that my steering is fairly loose and it still locked up on me a week ago today which was particularly hot (~95F) for around here.

 

[XTrooper]

A TSB was just released regarding the symptoms the OP was describing - Steering Locking at highway speeds.

NUMBER: 0809218
GROUP: 08 Electrical
DATE: July 7, 2018

SUBJECT:
Low Steering Assist at Highway Speeds
OVERVIEW:
This bulletin involves using wiTECH 2 to perform a Restore Vehicle Configuration routine. The reconfiguration will update the ElectroHydraulic
Power Steering (EHPS) calibrations.

You can show this information to your dealer for further assistance. This TSB, as far as I know, does not address other steering symptoms customers are describing such as loose/steering has play. As always, please send us a PM if you have any additional questions.

Julie
Jeep Social Care Specialist

I read that at my dealership this morning, but, according to it, the symptoms it addressed occurred when conditions were cold and went away after things warmed up. This is the exact opposite of the conditions present when the majority of us have experienced the steering locking up, i.e., locking up when it's hot and operating relatively normal when cold or cool.

 

[XTrooper]

I went to see my dealer for the first time since my "steering lock" incident occurred a week ago today. When I explained to them what happened and related to them the information I had garnered from this forum and elsewhere, they first ran a diagnostics test on it to see if my Jeep had thrown any error codes and to see if any of its software needed updating. When both of the possibilities proved negative, they immediately ordered me a new steering gearbox. Of course, they are backordered, but as soon as it comes in, they're going to replace my existing gearbox with the new one under warranty.

 

[JeepCares]

I read that at my dealership this morning, but, according to it, the symptoms it addressed occurred when conditions were cold and went away after things warmed up. This is the exact opposite of the conditions present when the majority of us have experienced the steering locking up, i.e., locking up when it's hot and operating relatively normal when cold or cool.

I went to see my dealer for the first time since my "steering lock" incident occurred a week ago today. When I explained to them what happened and related to them the information I had garnered from this forum and elsewhere, they first ran a diagnostics test on it to see if my Jeep had thrown any error codes and to see if any of its software needed updating. When both of the possibilities proved negative, they immediately ordered me a new steering gearbox. Of course, they are backordered, but as soon as it comes in, they're going to replace my existing gearbox with the new one under warranty.

Thank you for updating me on this. Please know that we do still recommend having your dealers look into this TSB as remedy. Feel free to send a PM if you require any additional assistance.
Julie
Jeep Social Care Specialist

 

[BillyHW]

This is something, but not everything.

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