Proximity door locks retrofit install (instructions, parts, links) on JL Wrangler

[Etch]

Question:

Why in @Etch's instructions are we enabling the rear right and left doors when they lack proximity locks?

I'm fine to follow orders blindly here, and it's just a curiosity thing, but does anyone have an idea why this is the case?

Thanks.

I just posted the way I got it to work. Test other options and try it out yourself. I didn't play with it a whole lot. I made it work and called it a day

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[JeepRumbler]

Question:

Why in @Etch's instructions are we enabling the rear right and left doors when they lack proximity locks?

I'm fine to follow orders blindly here, and it's just a curiosity thing, but does anyone have an idea why this is the case?

Thanks.

There are 5 antennas, so it could be those antennas and not the doors. I had the whole interior torn out making sure I had them before attempting this.

GREAT JOB ETCH. I'm glad you were willing to get in contact with Jscan to make it work. And a huge thanks to Graceme as well. When I get back home next month, I'm looking forward to working on the Sport issue to get the Jeep without the right harness working in the front.

 

[Gee-pah]

There's a reason why we have yet to come up with a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19.....

...a Jeep owner has not yet been assigned to the task

I read a post here from a few years ago about the likelihood of getting after sale JL proximity locks to work, poo pooed by the regulars: which in fairness was an honest answer given what we knew at the time.

We are a stubborn, stick to it, hard working, collaborative bunch, especially @Etch and @Graceme123 and @DE_Jeep that specialize, as a group, in putting "round pegs in square holes" if necessary to to make things work.

Also, thanks to the forum @JAY for being the infrastructure around which we communicate.

There was no name calling, no stupid questions, and no arrogant answers on this thread. People actually acted as if they were, in person, in front of one another and respectful, not operating under the cloak of anonymity and rude. We kept focused, not running off on tangents or anger rants, and I think this was in part why we, especially @Etch, got this done and were motivated to share.

And we are fortunate to own a vehicle that not only gives us so much pleasure, but given the large number of owners, attacts the largest aftermarket, bar none, where people like Piotr Bialic of Jscan are motivated to produce products knowing their target audience won't simply be "7 people," and where they can recoup the investment of their time in product development.

I'm not putting down the soon to be released Ford Bronco. I welcome it in fact, because the competition it brings to the vehicle segment motivates manufacturers like FCA to offer proximity locks standard (or simply better product at lower prices.)

But that said, there ain't going to be an aftermarket for the Bronco on par with the Wrangler any time soon. That's for sure.

 

[jeepster345]

SUCCESS!! Installed the tailgate wiring and handle and it worked. Still waiting on the front handles, but I’m so excited.

 

[nerubi]

SUCCESS!! Installed the tailgate wiring and handle and it worked. Still waiting on the front handles, but I’m so excited.

Finally.

 

[Buzzguy]

Has anyone been successful without buying a new set of caps? I've heard speculation both ways, but nothing definitive.

 

[nerubi]

Wonder why moparonline says front door caps "no longer for sale"? Wouldn't think that would be the message if they are backordered

 

[jeepster345]

Has anyone been successful without buying a new set of caps? I've heard speculation both ways, but nothing definitive.

Wonder why moparonline says front door caps "no longer for sale"? Wouldn't think that would be the message if they are backordered

The caps for the handles are the same for both the proximity and non-proximity. I checked the part numbers and they match. You can just keep your old caps if you want.

EDIT: THEY AREN’T THE SAME. DISREGARD.

 

[Gbart]

The caps for the handles are the same for both the proximity and non-proximity. I checked the part numbers and they match. You can just keep your old caps if you want.

Has anyone actually tried using the same caps because I have different part numbers for proximity and non-proximity caps:
Proximity cap - 68307272AD
Non-proximity cap - 68307271AD

I also seem to remember someone mentioning that there is an embedded magnet or something in the proximity caps. Not sure where I saw that though.

 

[Gee-pah]

I was thinking...given we don't even need to buy replacement caps now....

I want to guess that I am not alone at feeling a little bit ripped off had I purchased proximity locks at the point of sale, now in light of the knowledge in this thread.

While not surprised, and certainly not exclusive to FCA, the $495 (albeit non-discounted) cost for this feature, at least on a Sahara involves:

• The use of two front door cables with slightly more wires and connectors, that from a cost accounting standpoint are probably under $1.00 in additional cost.
• A jumper cable for the tailgate, probably $3.00 in additional cost.
• Three handles with buttons: probably a $30 additional cost.
• The time to program the GXD sales code into the VIN's computer, which is probably automatic from dealer (or FCA stock) order to manufacture.

From a labor standpoint there's the tailgate jumper; that's about it. Handles and front door cables had to already be installed. But for argument sake lets add another $1.00 in labor costs for the extra 20 seconds for somebody on the assembly line to plug wires into the three handles that wasn't needed on a non-proximity lock Sahara.

Okay, that's about an additional $35 in parts and labor for FCA. Add a little more cost for the pins and wiring in the Sport S (which doesn't make proximity available, correct?).

Dare I say, if FCA didn't make so many Wranglers, and didn't want to make bad blood with its customers for charging what it does, bean counter $ justification might have existed for having only one SKU for the front door (or maybe 2 SKUs) door harnesses, if the cables were designed to be mirror images of each other--which probably could have been avoided at the design phase and made into 1 SKU, if even the case.

At least in movie theaters such high markups allow you to have them clean up your trash, (or not)

 

[nerubi]

I see two different cap numbers for front and two for tailgate.

 

[jeepster345]

Has anyone actually tried using the same caps because I have different part numbers for proximity and non-proximity caps:
Proximity cap - 68307272AD
Non-proximity cap - 68307271AD

I also seem to remember someone mentioning that there is an embedded magnet or something in the proximity caps. Not sure where I saw that though.

I tried both and didn’t see any difference. I don’t see how there could be any difference. It’s not like that part of the handle has any electronics. I’ll check again just to make sure.

 

[nerubi]

Just talked with my parts guy - two different, prox one has magnet in caps.

 

[nerubi]

I was thinking...given we don't even need to buy replacement caps now....

I want to guess that I am not alone at feeling a little bit ripped off had I purchased proximity locks at the point of sale, now in light of the knowledge in this thread.

While not surprised, and certainly not exclusive to FCA, the $495 (albeit non-discounted) cost for this feature, at least on a Sahara involves:

• The use of two front door cables with slightly more wires and connectors, that from a cost accounting standpoint are probably under $1.00 in additional cost.
• A jumper cable for the tailgate, probably $3.00 in additional cost.
• Three handles with buttons: probably a $30 additional cost.
• The time to program the GXD sales code into the VIN's computer, which is probably automatic from dealer (or FCA stock) order to manufacture.

From a labor standpoint there's the tailgate jumper; that's about it. Handles and front door cables had to already be installed. But for argument sake lets add another $1.00 in labor costs for the extra 20 seconds for somebody on the assembly line to plug wires into the three handles that wasn't needed on a non-proximity lock Sahara.

Okay, that's about an additional $35 in parts and labor for FCA. Add a little more cost for the pins and wiring in the Sport S (which doesn't make proximity available, correct?).

Dare I say, if FCA didn't make so many Wranglers, and didn't want to make bad blood with its customers for charging what it does, bean counter $ justification might have existed for having only one SKU for the front door (or maybe 2 SKUs) door harnesses, if the cables were designed to be mirror images of each other--which probably could have been avoided at the design phase and made into 1 SKU, if even the case.

At least in movie theaters such high markups allow you to have them clean up your trash, (or not)

It's long been known that to build the twin of a $40,000 car off the lot would cost $200,000 from parts. But no one here paid retail for them. Wh
And why not put the extra in every vehicle? Where do you stop? But in everything for every option just in case a few want to do it afterward? What company does that?

 

[Gee-pah]

It's long been known that to build the twin of a $40,000 car off the lot would cost $200,000 from parts. But no one here paid retail for them. Wh
And why not put the extra in every vehicle? Where do you stop? But in everything for every option just in case a few want to do it afterward? What company does that?

No doubt Mike. But as I see it, your point would make the explanation for why the parts to get Proximity Locks working after sale would be astronomical in cost compared to their purchase price on a new rig, when in fact the opposite is the case when compared to the $495 new purchase price--that is until/if FCA develops a kit to do it. Pricing such a kit, if done at all, has to be enough to not loose sales of the option at purchase time.

I was probably harsh to FCA. I didn't factor in the up front costs of FCA developing the proximity tech, just the marginal cost to each vehicle--both of which have to fairly be reflected in purchase price.

And I agree that manufacturers have to consider whether every capability of a vehicle should be standard or optional. Give the feature to everyone and you have to raise price such that some won't buy.

Conversely, make everything that can be optional, optional, and more people can afford, but are swayed to "competing" vehicles where the feature is standard, like rear passenger air bags. As it is, FCA gets away with making a lot of things optional that competitors can't, because relatively little competes with the Wrangler in its price range and sales volume.

I'm not blind to how FCA has to bridge the gap between loyalists with their doors off, and manual window cranks when on, who look at fobs, let alone ones that automatically unlock doors as fluff, with FCA's need to offer features to buyers whose idea of offroading is that dirt parking locking at the flea market.

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