Service Electronic Stability Control

[Sarge50]

After researching my ESC warning light I came across this video. Not sure if it has already been discussed but the symptom is exactly what I have Steering wheel not centered driving straight and ESC light illuminated. I will adjust the track bar and see if this fixes my problem. This started yesterday after the wife hit a curb left front tire.

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[mwilk012]

It's not the track bar, it's the drag link. Center your steering wheel and it will go away.

Now the real question is, why is your steering wheel off center? Did you smack something or did someone install a lift and not finish the job?

 

[Sarge50]

It's not the track bar, it's the drag link. Center your steering wheel and it will go away.

Now the real question is, why is your steering wheel off center? Did you smack something or did someone install a lift and not finish the job?

The wife hit a curb left front tire in a sharp left turn (Traffic Island). Made the adjustment as explained in the video and ESC is off, Steering wheel is straight. .

 

[Sarge50]

It's not the track bar, it's the drag link. Center your steering wheel and it will go away.

Now the real question is, why is your steering wheel off center? Did you smack something or did someone install a lift and not finish the job?

Just sharing what worked for me. No big deal. Next time read the post before responding.

 

[J0E]

Just sharing what worked for me. No big deal. Next time read the post before responding.

How about being civil when a group expert like @mwilk012 nicely corrects your assertion. Plenty of us have overlooked part of a post..

 

[mwilk012]

Hitting a curb doesn’t make the steering wheel magically come off center. Something was damaged.

 

[Sarge50]

Hitting a curb doesn’t make the steering wheel magically come off center. Something was damaged.

Whatever, I adjusted and the light went off. Cause of the light was steering wheel off set. You figure it out!!!

 

[jeepoch]

@Sarge50

Joe, yes sir this also happened to me. It wasn't a curb but rather coming down Engineer Pass at night. What a fantastic experience, a night run from Lake City to Ouray doing pre-runs for the MHJC All-4-Fun event last year. I had volunteered to help lead trail runs and needed to gain experience on the entire trail system within the Uncompahgre Mountains in South Central Colorado. Did 18 trails in three days, what an amazing experience.

Sorry, I digressed. When getting on Million Dollar Highway at the end of Engineer Pass, I noticed my Check Engine Light came on with the Service Electronic Stability Control fault once I got out of 4Lo. I also noticed that my steering wheel was off by about 15 to 20 degrees from center. I must of bumped or navigated an obstacle(s) that knocked my front end out of alignment.

In the morning, with help of some friends from my Jeep Club, we readjusted my drag link arm, at least close enough to have the steering wheel again drive straight. Within about 10 to fifteen miles of on-road driving, the fault code self cleared.

The ESC system of course works its magic to help keep you driving straight in slippery conditions. It can't do this while it believes you're cornering. So it makes certain that for the majority of the time (or at least some calibrated time threshold) that the vehicle is indeed driving straight. The steering wheel position sensor is used for this sanity check.

So for me everything worked out well. That day I did Corkscrew, Black Bear and a bunch of other trails with absolutely no other issues. After that long weekend, and the drive back home to the greater Denver area, I had my front end professionally realigned.

No damage, I just tweaked my suspension coming down the mountain that night. So your wife hitting a curb could certainly have done the same or similar outcome as I must have hard bumped a boulder or rut.

No big deal. Realign everything and drive on.

Sorry that I had a little better backstory.

Regards,
Jay

 

[Parker]

Here's my experience with the ESC in my 2021 JLURD. I was driving on a 2-lane highway with a rumble strip on the right hand side of the road. So, I'm going about 70-75 mph and taking a long, gradual curve to the left. I drift a little too far to the right and the right side tires ride on the rumble strip for maybe 2-3 seconds before I gently steer back to the left a bit. The "Service Electronic Stability Control" light and chime instantly comes on.

So, I continue driving about 90 miles and get home. No noticeable problems with anything else. I shut her down, restart, ESC light still there. I'm tired, so shut her down and go inside.

The next day I get out there to investigate. I had installed the Mopar 2" lift some time ago. It made the steering wheel a tiny bit off-center to the left. It wasn't enough to bother me, so I figured I'd fix it when I had my tools out and was doing other stuff. Must have driven 2,500 miles that way. I figured maybe the ESC finally noticed the steering wheel being off-center so I went ahead and adjusted the drag link and centered the steering wheel.

Started her up, still have ESC light. Drove around town for about 10 miles, still have ESC light. Check fuses, pull and tug and bang on things, still have ESC light. Give up, go inside.

Next day, I go out and start her up. Still have ESC light. Sitting there in the dirt, in Park, engine idling, I turn wheel all the way to the left, then all the way to the right, then left and right again, and back to center. I take off and get about 1/2 mile down the road and ESC clears.

So, did the drag link adjustment fix it? Did turning the steering left and right do it? Was it just gonna clear on its own? I don't know nuthin.

 

[SadRobot]

So I just got the Service ESC light after doing some light wheeling. The light didn't turn on until I had been on the pavement for about 30 minutes. Light turned on and steering wheel wasn't straight.

I found this thread and when I got home I adjusted the drag link to get the wheel back to center and still the light stays on. Drove it about 25 miles after adjustment hoping the light would turn off.

Anyone have any other suggestions on what to do?

 

[58Willys]

So I just got the Service ESC light after doing some light wheeling. The light didn't turn on until I had been on the pavement for about 30 minutes. Light turned on and steering wheel wasn't straight.

I found this thread and when I got home I adjusted the drag link to get the wheel back to center and still the light stays on. Drove it about 25 miles after adjustment hoping the light would turn off.

Anyone have any other suggestions on what to do?

Try resetting steering angle sensor calibration as Parker described in thread above. Turn full left/right twice, shut engine off close door, let sit for 10 minutes.

 

[SadRobot]

Try resetting steering angle sensor calibration as Parker described in thread above. Turn full left/right twice, shut engine off close door, let sit for 10 minutes.

Hmm interesting I tried turning the wheel both directions twice but then drove for a bit having not turned the engine off. I'll try that next and post again with the results.
?

edit: that did the trick! I let it sit with the engine off for a while and when I turned it back on the light went off after about a mile.

 

[58Willys]

?

edit: that did the trick! I let it sit with the engine off for a while and when I turned it back on the light went off after about a mile.

Awesome!

 

[NyRey87]

Just hopped in the jeep to get coffee, and out of nowhere this light came on. Haven’t done anything other than daily commute, no wheeling or anything. Drove perfect yesterday. The transmission wouldn’t go above 3rd gear and it was almost in like a limp mode. Had to get off the road because the speed limit is 50mph. Any idea why the F it came on? I’ll try the above fixes hopefully it works for me

 

[mwilk012]

Just hopped in the jeep to get coffee, and out of nowhere this light came on. Haven’t done anything other than daily commute, no wheeling or anything. Drove perfect yesterday. The transmission wouldn’t go above 3rd gear and it was almost in like a limp mode. Had to get off the road because the speed limit is 50mph. Any idea why the F it came on? I’ll try the above fixes hopefully it works for me

This is not the same problem.

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