What happens when the axle lock sensor fails?

[DavidArmen]

I’m a little late but thank you @chevymitchell and @mgroeger for clarifying that the locker can indeed fail in the locked position!
I have edited my original post to convey this fact.

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[Maverick909]

I find this crap that the proximity sensor is that cheaply made that it leaks oil into it from the factory it should have been non conductive silicone filled to 100% seal this out. I would not be surprised if mopar doesn't put out this sensor for a ridiculous price after seeing how many fail. Just another reason why I went with a sport. now i have rubicon axles with lockers and no sensors to fail personally i rather have the aftermarket bypass for the sensor an never worry about a failure but i understand a 60K jeep shouldn't have this problem. good luck! if anyone needs a sensor i may swap you for a bad one as i don't need it.

 

[mgroeger]

I find this crap that the proximity sensor is that cheaply made that it leaks oil into it from the factory it should have been non conductive silicone filled to 100% seal this out. I would not be surprised if mopar doesn't put out this sensor for a ridiculous price after seeing how many fail. Just another reason why I went with a sport. now i have rubicon axles with lockers and no sensors to fail personally i rather have the aftermarket bypass for the sensor an never worry about a failure but i understand a 60K jeep shouldn't have this problem. good luck! if anyone needs a sensor i may swap you for a bad one as i don't need it.

You are sitting on a gold mine lol. I'm sure if you are willing to sell your sensors you will have a buyer. I haven't sold my wife's front one because it's my only other spare since I already harvested her rear one.

 

[Maverick909]

You are sitting on a gold mine lol. I'm sure if you are willing to sell your sensors you will have a buyer. I haven't sold my wife's front one because it's my only other spare since I already harvested her rear one.

what did you do with the wires? cut them at the inner pass through?

 

[mgroeger]

what did you do with the wires? cut them at the inner pass through?

Yep, snipped them and left them alone since they serve no purpose.

 

[ML7]

Just wanted to put my experience, just got a new front axle installed, my situation was 2 issues I think, at first the mechanic thought its just the sensor, but after he disconnected it in the stand the front would sometimes lock - or not unlock when the sensors and electronics showed it was and disconnected, there might have been a mechanical failure in the actual locker as well as the sensor failing. I also had a loud steel thud when everything lit up on the dash so it might not have been just the sensor - the point is the mechanic verified, after I brought it in and said the front locker was locking - in 4H without me doing anything, that the locker can lock without the electronics connected if there was a mechanical issue involved. Got a new axle and now it locks/unlocks normal - before the front always had difficulties unlocking.

 

[Maverick909]

Yep, snipped them and left them alone since they serve no purpose.

sweet. ill be removing my spare front when i do my next gear oil change and diff skid install

 

[mgroeger]

sweet. ill be removing my spare front when i do my next gear oil change and diff skid install

When I did that on the rear I didn't pot it. Nothing against potting it, at the time @chevymitchell hadn't mentioned the potting yet so I cleaned it good and sealed the outside lip of it with silicon and so far so good.

 

[sourdough]

Lucky me, I have yet to have an issue on my '19 JLR with 15K and a lot of locker in and out. I did purchase a Z wire harness and it is in the glovebox. I still don't understand why this Z product isn't the answer to a failure.

 

[chevymitchell]

Lucky me, I have yet to have an issue on my '19 JLR with 15K and a lot of locker in and out. I did purchase a Z wire harness and it is in the glovebox. I still don't understand why this Z product isn't the answer to a failure.

That Z harness bypasses the "in-transit" function and the capacitors used by the module to show correct information on the display.

Mileage has nothing to do with the failure.

Use of the lockers has nothing to do with the failure.

Your options are to pot the sensor or deal with a failed sensor accompanied by an axle assembly replacement OR use the Z harness and not have true locker position information on the display.

 

[chevymitchell]

I find this crap that the proximity sensor is that cheaply made that it leaks oil into it from the factory it should have been non conductive silicone filled to 100% seal this out. I would not be surprised if mopar doesn't put out this sensor for a ridiculous price after seeing how many fail. Just another reason why I went with a sport. now i have rubicon axles with lockers and no sensors to fail personally i rather have the aftermarket bypass for the sensor an never worry about a failure but i understand a 60K jeep shouldn't have this problem. good luck! if anyone needs a sensor i may swap you for a bad one as i don't need it.

I'll give $50 a piece for the sensors. I need them for research purposes.

 

[TJP]

I dropped a note to Omix and crown auto who also make JK locker sensors and asked if they had plans for the JL

 

[TJP]

@mgroeger thanks again for all your help.

my locker indication error shows lock on both diff. WhenI use my taser to enable only rear or none, the status corrects itself and no error.

if I choose in taser to enable both front and rear, I now get lock symbol status on dash for both front and rear, and also now the flashing locker light on the dash.

sounds like it may be the front sensor going bad doesnt it?

I have to decide to keep unplugged, rewire to aix, or get z auto harness oem

z auto also makes a locker adapter to rubicon switch that lets you connect into the rubi switch on dash for locker that may also be an option.

 

[word302]

Haha, I was thinking the same thing. But then again, the Willys has the LSD in the rear which seems to also have problems. Plus, the 4.10 gears are so much better to have over the 3.45s. I'm hoping this sensor issue is not as common as it seems on the forum. Also, Jeep sells a lot of Rubicon's. I can't imagine that they will need to replace full axle/diffs on a high percentage of them without coming up with a simpler solution.

Every single person who has pulled the sensors has reported at least some oil in the rear sensor. Several people are on their 3rd or 4th new axle. Just pot the sensors and never worry about it again. It really is a simple process. You make a lot of assumptions about what Jeep will do to fix this as they have known about the issue for well over a year.

 

[Maverick909]

I'll give $50 a piece for the sensors. I need them for research purposes.

you talking about the bad or the good ones?

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