I want to know if anyone has entertained the idea to create a disconnect switch for the ESP system? Maybe the steering wheel position sensor? I want control over when It is FULLY off and on (in any gear). Would still like to have the traction control and anti-lock.:toung:

 

That's one of the problems. All the systems are named different (ESP, BAS, TC, ABS), but they are all tied in together. The ESP uses the wheel speed sensors (front primiarly) and steering position sensor. TC uses the difference in rear wheel speeds vs steering position sensors. ABS is strictly wheel speed sensors when braking.
-J

 

Yes, they are connected but Is it possible to trick the computer into thinking the steering wheel is straight? This in theory may prevent stability control from coming on? If the Jk does indeed have roll sensors then they may give conflicting info to the computer (then what?)

Does anyone else out there have a problem with the vehicle being too smart other than me?

 

Yup! Fly-by-wire SUX!! Never trusted it in airplanes and I'm pretty sure the amount of development time that went into this Jeep system doesn't even approach aircraft standards. Google "Airbus" and "Paris Air Show" for a very visual display of the problem with letting a computer do your thinking for you. BOOM!.....Large Smoking Hole in the Ground!

 

As a programmer, I'm biased, and would say that the fault lies not with the computer, but with the programming... unless, of course, the actual hardware gave out (in which case there really SHOULD be a fail-safe back-up, don't you think?).

I worked in aerospace, and seeing the "redundancy" that's engineered into some of these machines is just ridiculous... yet mistakes still do occur, because, in the end, all this technology originated from human's brains (which are flawed, just like these "computers" that we built).

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that when someone comes out with a SERIOUS handheld reprogrammer for the JK (allowing for adjustments over 32" tires, recalibrating speedo to match, etc.), they'll also have the foresight to enable some tinkering to make the ESP a little more lax in "partial off" mode... but that may be TOO wishful of a thought, because some idiot would probably wreck their JK after such a reprogramming, and then sue the product's maker... You can't win in this sue-happy society!

Oh well - I'm all over the place, so </RANT>

 

In using the word "computer", I meant "computer software". Hardware, certainly in aircraft, and probably in this Jeep seems plenty robust. The Airbus crash I refered to, was, in the end, determined to be a software problem. Garbage In......Dead People Out.

BTW, I spoke with a Hypertech rep since I'm fairly impressed with their product line, and asked when we could expect something for our JKs. Answer was not encouraging. Seems like they are more interested in the new pickups than our Jeeps.

 

In the case of that Airbus crash, if the software was to blame, I hope that there are some people having serious trouble sleeping at night... that goes not only for the programmer who F'd up, but for the QA testers and regulators that allowed it into production, too... that sucks, that people's lives were impacted (no pun intended) and ended by someone's miscalculation...

 

Plane descended, wings level, into a stand of pine trees 100 yards right of the runway, just like it was on final approach. Pilots were pulling like hell (and talking to the tower) all the way in. Killed the crew and a whole buttload of VIPs on board.....and did it in front of a capacity crowd at the Paris Airshow (several years ago).

I've also personally experienced computer software issues on military aircraft, that had they occurred at lower alltitude, might not have ended so well. A change of underwear can be recovered from.

So, I'm not very thrilled with the level of computer intervention in this (or any other) vehicle.

 

I'll agree with you, specifically related to the ESP... this past weekend, I was running through some mud, and when it came time to drop back into 2WD for the street (while my rear wheels were still in some roadside mud) I was "stuck" because the ESP cut the power to the rear axle... if I was able to just spin 'em, I would've been off and running with no problem, but I had to drop the Tcase back into 4HI just to get out of that rut... ridiculous!

I know that DCX wants its customers to be "safe" and avoid lawsuits and all that, but the Wrangler is unique in that a lot of its owners will use it in some challenging offroad situations where ESP is NOT advantageous... so, as I said before, I'm hoping that when someone comes out with a reprogrammer, they can make the ESP's intervention a bit more mild... right now, it's a PITA, although it DID save me once on-road already...

 

you can turn the ESP off ( not just partiel off ) when you are in 4wd, press and hold the ESP button for 5 seconds, it will ding. This doesn't help in 2wd but you can slide arond in the mud all day in 4wd if you want.