Dealer has no clue or am I expecting too much

buddy357 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:39 pm

I took it to the independent that did the head gaskets/studs oil cooler and egr delete on my excursion.
He is a ford guy but said he got a code that indicated a sensor in the steering wheel when he hooked it up to his machine He checked the hubs and said they seem ok. He's going to change the sensor this week for me so I can head north of Raleigh this weekend.

buddy357 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:23 am

Well, the independent gave the jeep back thursday with no charge because he can't figure out the problem. He got a code at first for the steering wheel sensor. But during the test drives he saw the ESP and traction control lights with the brakes activate by the abs that set no codes he can find. I will try the sensors when I get back to the beach and recheck the wiring. If no joy the I may try new hubs. After that I will trade it and the excursion on a diesel A3 or sport swagen diesel if it's not fixed.

buddy357 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 10, 2012 6:09 am

Latest update is another dealer had the jeep for 3 days and test drove it to replicate the issue while hooked up to the computer. After that they decided it was the clockspring and that I needed a alignment. Now the Jeep doesn't track at speed and it has no return to center on the steering. Even the steering wheel feels stiff and if I turn it most of the way in either direction it stays there as if locked. The Brakes applying themselves issue is still there and slowly getting worse. Really frustrated and wishing I'd picked up a hub last week and swapped it out last weekend while I didnt have my son.

buddy357 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:35 am

I just realized today I never said what fixed it. After a new abs module, new clockspring sensor, new hubs and front sensors I found the problem last week. The dealer that did the control arm recall lowered the air pressure in my tires to 32 psi. I washed the jeep and checked tire pressure last week. Adjusted tire pressure to 38psi and the problem went away. The Jeep came with Wrangler mud tires on it. It seems that at 32 psi the tires deform enough during exit ramps and after hard bumps to activate ESP. I never knew it was that sensitive, and 2 dealers(one of whom caused it) and an independent mechanic never caught it.

user113 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:10 am

Congratulations. Glad we can add the solution to another mystery to the forum. (I am so glad I don't have traction control, all 5 of my tires had just recently dropped to 26 psi before the TPMS told me anything was amiss.)

How much did this "free air" fix cost you ultimately?

buddy357 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:33 pm

user113,

Cost was (approximate):
180+ for two hours of troubleshooting at dealer #1
600 for ABS module and install at dealer #1
0 for 4 hours of troubleshooting at the independent mechanic (did studs and HG's on my Excursion) who refused to charge me for not fixing it.
100 for an hour of trouble shooting at dealer #2
300 for clock-spring and install at dealer #2
300 for hubs w/ sensors. I put them in myself. I also did front brakes but did not include that because they weren't part of the actual problem.
0 for air at the navy exchange.
1480 total.

Dealer 1 also wanted to sell me 5 new take-off tires for 50 each and a new BCM for 1200 + labor and to continue trouble-shooting.

BTW, I really like the tires the jeep came from CARMAX with (Wrangler Authority). I had never seen them before and was surprised to find on Google they are a Walmart tire. They have done far better in the snow and mud than the Terra-Grapplers on my Excursion. They are noisy though.

Dealer has no clue or am I expecting too much

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