Stock Rubicon Sway-bar Actuator/No Start Condition/General Chaos
03-18-2016, 04:44 AM
#1
JK Freak
Thread Starter
Stock Rubicon Sway-bar Actuator/No Start Condition/General Chaos
I ran into this problem a few weeks ago, and decided I'd do a write up on it, as it absolutely could happen to anyone with a Rubi.
Symptoms
Gauges in the cluster would drop to zero, indicator lights sporadically flashing, misc. error messages in message center. If the vehicle is running, about a 50/50 chance it would kill the engine if running. If shut down, will not restart. This problem was sporadic over the past few years. Incredibly hard to troubleshoot because of that.
Troubleshooting
CEL was illuminated, so that was my starting point. Plugged a harbor freight scanner into it, no comms on the network. After an incredible amount of searching, I learned that grounds are a possible issue. Cleaned EVERY ground. Replaced TIPM(I have a spare on hand, long story). New battery. Problem disappeared.
About six months later, the problem re-appeared. Cleaned grounds again, problem went away. Problem re-appeared about a year later, this time on the side of I-5 just north of the Oregon border. Cleaned grounds, no start. Towed it back home (90 miles) This time, it started after we offloaded it from the wrecker. Fast forward a year, the gauges drop to zero. Restart the Jeep, and its good to go. The following morning, no start. Missed work. Spent all day on youtube, calling Chrysler dealerships, attempting to find broken CAN bus wires, cleaning grounds, etc. Found a youtube video with 10 views explaining the exact symptoms I had. In the comments section, he explained that the dealership traced the problem to water in the swaybar, and that it was shorting the CAN out. I unplugged my sway bar, the horn honked, and it fired right up. Zero problems since.
Conclusion
The sway bars leak, we all know that. However the CAN circuit they use to communicate is the same network that the three main nodes use to communicate. If you get water in the right spot, it can short the network out, and you get no communication. Its like a lobotomy to your Jeep. If you have these issues and you have a Rubicon, check the sway bar. It takes about 10 seconds to unplug, and it may save you some serious money and stress.
Symptoms
Gauges in the cluster would drop to zero, indicator lights sporadically flashing, misc. error messages in message center. If the vehicle is running, about a 50/50 chance it would kill the engine if running. If shut down, will not restart. This problem was sporadic over the past few years. Incredibly hard to troubleshoot because of that.
Troubleshooting
CEL was illuminated, so that was my starting point. Plugged a harbor freight scanner into it, no comms on the network. After an incredible amount of searching, I learned that grounds are a possible issue. Cleaned EVERY ground. Replaced TIPM(I have a spare on hand, long story). New battery. Problem disappeared.
About six months later, the problem re-appeared. Cleaned grounds again, problem went away. Problem re-appeared about a year later, this time on the side of I-5 just north of the Oregon border. Cleaned grounds, no start. Towed it back home (90 miles) This time, it started after we offloaded it from the wrecker. Fast forward a year, the gauges drop to zero. Restart the Jeep, and its good to go. The following morning, no start. Missed work. Spent all day on youtube, calling Chrysler dealerships, attempting to find broken CAN bus wires, cleaning grounds, etc. Found a youtube video with 10 views explaining the exact symptoms I had. In the comments section, he explained that the dealership traced the problem to water in the swaybar, and that it was shorting the CAN out. I unplugged my sway bar, the horn honked, and it fired right up. Zero problems since.
Conclusion
The sway bars leak, we all know that. However the CAN circuit they use to communicate is the same network that the three main nodes use to communicate. If you get water in the right spot, it can short the network out, and you get no communication. Its like a lobotomy to your Jeep. If you have these issues and you have a Rubicon, check the sway bar. It takes about 10 seconds to unplug, and it may save you some serious money and stress.
03-18-2016, 07:31 AM
#2
JK Freak
I ran into this problem a few weeks ago, and decided I'd do a write up on it, as it absolutely could happen to anyone with a Rubi. Symptoms Gauges in the cluster would drop to zero, indicator lights sporadically flashing, misc. error messages in message center. If the vehicle is running, about a 50/50 chance it would kill the engine if running. If shut down, will not restart. This problem was sporadic over the past few years. Incredibly hard to troubleshoot because of that. Troubleshooting CEL was illuminated, so that was my starting point. Plugged a harbor freight scanner into it, no comms on the network. After an incredible amount of searching, I learned that grounds are a possible issue. Cleaned EVERY ground. Replaced TIPM(I have a spare on hand, long story). New battery. Problem disappeared. About six months later, the problem re-appeared. Cleaned grounds again, problem went away. Problem re-appeared about a year later, this time on the side of I-5 just north of the Oregon border. Cleaned grounds, no start. Towed it back home (90 miles) This time, it started after we offloaded it from the wrecker. Fast forward a year, the gauges drop to zero. Restart the Jeep, and its good to go. The following morning, no start. Missed work. Spent all day on youtube, calling Chrysler dealerships, attempting to find broken CAN bus wires, cleaning grounds, etc. Found a youtube video with 10 views explaining the exact symptoms I had. In the comments section, he explained that the dealership traced the problem to water in the swaybar, and that it was shorting the CAN out. I unplugged my sway bar, the horn honked, and it fired right up. Zero problems since. Conclusion The sway bars leak, we all know that. However the CAN circuit they use to communicate is the same network that the three main nodes use to communicate. If you get water in the right spot, it can short the network out, and you get no communication. Its like a lobotomy to your Jeep. If you have these issues and you have a Rubicon, check the sway bar. It takes about 10 seconds to unplug, and it may save you some serious money and stress.
03-18-2016, 08:37 AM
#3
wow. I don't have a rubi but this is good to know. I knew the actuator housing would get all gunked up and have issues getting back into "street" mode even after depressing the console switch but shorting the CANbus......man I would be pissed after the 2nd or 3rd time. Can't put a price on piece of mind.
03-18-2016, 09:09 AM
#4
JK Freak
Ya it's a joke. If you have never seen the circuit board on one of those things, it's impressive. Why Jeep thought it was a good idea to put a piece of electronics like that in a location that gets wet is beyond me (and oh by the way, it's BELOW the level that Jeep claims is your stock water fording depth).
Mine got wet, sent my jeep into limp mode multiple times despite drying out the connector. It eventually fried the circuit board. Luckily I was under warranty so they replaced and then I removed it and sold it the next day. Lol.
I guess since they see the sway bar as an essential piece of your suspension / on road handling equipment, they think you shouldn't drive it (hence the limp mode) if there is a chance your sway bar is still disconnected. And that's what essentially happens, the canbus loses connection with the sway bar so it can't sense whether it is connected or not.
Anyhow. It's a known issue. I'm glad mine is gone.
Mine got wet, sent my jeep into limp mode multiple times despite drying out the connector. It eventually fried the circuit board. Luckily I was under warranty so they replaced and then I removed it and sold it the next day. Lol.
I guess since they see the sway bar as an essential piece of your suspension / on road handling equipment, they think you shouldn't drive it (hence the limp mode) if there is a chance your sway bar is still disconnected. And that's what essentially happens, the canbus loses connection with the sway bar so it can't sense whether it is connected or not.
Anyhow. It's a known issue. I'm glad mine is gone.