Yup - been there, done that - but I want that same ability in 2WD, as do many people...

 

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one!! My family and I live pretty far in the woods (I have all of my teeth by the way!) and my wife has to drive 3+ miles of dirt road then another 6 of winding paved road. We had very specific requirements when buying a new rig- Straight axle, manual, seat at least five and be relatively tough. The JK is the ONLY rig that meets those specs and we love it except for the inability to fully disable the ESP feature at will. I may start unplugging sensors and drive it to see what happens. I've already had the cover for the steering removed but could see no sensor to unplug. If anyone has some Ideas lets hear them!!

 

If the directions to your house include the words, "turn off of the paved road.....you might be a redneck". Love Foxworthy! Of course the directions to my house include those same words.

Seriously though, if Suzy Soccer Mom wants her car to drive itself that's fine. Me, I prefer to make my own decisions. I've owned several vehicles whose handling qualities were.......unusual, yeah thats the word. 65 Ford Econoline (flat nose) van, two Volkswagon buses, an old Corvair with swingaxles, an early Porsche 911 (oversteer king of the world), Ford Exploder, etc., and I'm still here and those vehicles left my employ intact.

 

try looking at the fuses..im sure the ESP has one. I remember when my cousin had a olds bravada with smart trac = full time 4x4 but with no lo range. Anyway, he hated haveing full time 4x4 bc he couldnt do donuts etc...so he found out that the 4wheel drive system is electrical of course, then found the fuse for it and took it out. Bingo 2wheel drive. Maybe the jeeps ESP will work the same way

 

Just be glad there is no "brake by wire"!

 

I remember reading somewhere that you could request to have the dealership turn off ESP, same as having them install real on/off switches for the pass. airbag.

and as for the software/hardware issues, I'm a programmer too, and well, lets face it folks, most programmers are lazy(I may be the worst) and most testing does not get done the way it should, but even then I would say any vehicle with code and sensors will have the most problems with the sensors and connections, just my 2cents... code is code it doesn't change, but what data gets sent to the code and what the hardware does with the data is out of the hands of developers. the developers can't foresee every single possible combination of data that it could recieve so somethings may have weird effects.... how many TSB's to update the chips already?

 

Read your manual. There is "brake -by-wire". If the Jeep "thinks" you are in panic stop mode, it will take over and brake for you......no s@#t!

 

I keep thinking I could install a switch in the cab with and in line fuse the same size as the ESP fuse and run both ends of the ESP fuse taps to the switch. This would allow shut-off of the ESP and still allow it to operate with a proper fuse when needed. I believe this would disable all of the traction/safety items though. I'm just to chicken to tackle that project on my new JEEP. If anyone can see a problem with it let me know in case I get up the nerve someday. LOL

 

With all of the ESP issues with lift kits, you can bet someone will develop a fix.

JK

 

I am onboard with a kill switch or some way to disable ESP. The things that really worry me would be factory warranty if you did a hack without dealer assistance, and auto insurance. If for some reason you had a crash and killed someone by "accident", and it could be linked back to you tampering with factory installed safety features which might have assisted in avoiding the accident, you could be held liable.