I'm still acclimating to the new 07 JKUR and loving it more as I put miles on it. In Moab last week when I would drop down something very steep it would set off the brake light and alarm, and then it would go away a bit later. The pads and rotors aren't that bad and it has fluid. Any idea? The brakes are a bit squishy.
Brake Light and Alarm 07 JKUR
- Thread starter Bart
- Start date
lhracing
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Layton, UT
Is the brake fluid high enough? The master cyl has a float in it and if the fluid is not high enough it could cause this.
- Location
- The Village of Kay
In my 2010 JKU, I had a 6" lift on it and 37's. When I would corner too fast, or when I hit a few sections of I-15 downtown SLC, it would alarm and cut power. I believe it has to do with a roll sensor somewhere in the center console (if I remember correctly). I don't recall it ever alarming when I was in 4lo or wheeling, but it was a common thing when I would roll through SLC Northbound between 600 S and 600 N on I-15, and every time I got on the freeway from Layton Parkway.
Yep, brake fluid level is good.
Hmmmmm, I'll do some more investigation here. Thanks for the input.
- Location
- West Haven, UT
I believe that would be the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) that was activating. I've seen this many times on these JK's and the first thing I check is the trac bar to drag link orientation as well as trac bar front to rear height/parallelism. If these are not in sinc it will almost surely set off the ESC which does in fact cut the throttle and starts to either apply the brakes or pulses the steering because it thinks the car is in a slide situation.
As for the brake light being on and the fluid being up to level it could be the proportioning valve has failed or is failing. The red brake light on the dash usually indicates a malfunction in the brake system itself and not with the ABS portion. I have also heard of emergency brake switches failing but have never personally seen one. One way I think to tell would be if the red brake light is flashing when you put the car in gear. If it is blinking it may think the e-brake is engaged because that is what it is supposed to do if you put it in gear with the e-brake activated. If the red brake light on the dash is staying solid I think you could rule the e-brake out and focus on the primary braking system for your diagnosis.
Mike
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
Bart, you need to wire in a "ESP Kill switch". If you search for that term it will bring up a ton of info on it. It's technically ESC, but the incorrect term brings up more information.
This won't exactly fix your root problems, but it will keep those nanny systems from pissing you off when you just need your Jeep to perform offroad.
Basically, all JK's have an accelerometer under the back of the center console. That accelerometer is tied to all of your babysitter systems. If you install an interrupt switch in line with the accelerometer, you can disable all of those nanny systems completely. They will all come back when you cycle the ignition once. Pushing the button on the dash (traction control) does not disable those nanny systems, it only reduces their effect.
If you like flipping donuts, you need this switch.
If you like snow wheeling, you need this switch.
If you want to spin tires on a rock face without the computer cutting power to the wheels... You need this switch.
I've installed it on both of the JK's I've had and it hasn't caused any unintended issues.
This won't exactly fix your root problems, but it will keep those nanny systems from pissing you off when you just need your Jeep to perform offroad.
Basically, all JK's have an accelerometer under the back of the center console. That accelerometer is tied to all of your babysitter systems. If you install an interrupt switch in line with the accelerometer, you can disable all of those nanny systems completely. They will all come back when you cycle the ignition once. Pushing the button on the dash (traction control) does not disable those nanny systems, it only reduces their effect.
If you like flipping donuts, you need this switch.
If you like snow wheeling, you need this switch.
If you want to spin tires on a rock face without the computer cutting power to the wheels... You need this switch.
I've installed it on both of the JK's I've had and it hasn't caused any unintended issues.
- Location
- West Haven, UT
I dug through my posts on another forum and found the ESC bypass posting for ya if you want to do this to your Jeep.
After performing the LOF and rotating the tires on the Jeep I decided to dig through my misc. switches and grab a section of wire and perform a ESC/BAS bypass mod.
I pulled the lower steering column panel as this is where I decided to mount my switch and fish the wires through.
You want to locate the large bundle of wires just behind the center console on the driver's side.
Once you get the outer casing and electrical tape removed, locate the PURPLE wire with the LT. BLUE straight stripe. This will be the wire that is NOT wrapped around another.
Once you cut the wire, the dash should look like this indicating you have cut the correct wire.
I have seen people simply use butt connectors for this but I am NOT a fan of butt connectors. I prefer to solder and heat shrink for a permanent and trouble free connection.
Soldered.
Heat shrunk.
I then fished the wire up to the top of the lower kick panel where I could cut the wire and insert the SPST switch.
Switch installed. Tip, prior to drilling the hole in the panel, make certain the area behind where the switch will be is clear of any obstructions. Nothing worse than drilling a hole for a switch only to discover you can't put the switch there. I chose to use a standard 15-amp SPST switch with a rubber boot because I had it already.
Switch connected and panel reinstalled.
The switch is up and out of the way enough not to get accidentally bumped yet within easy reach. I have been wanting to do this quick little mod for over a year now and never seemed to have time so I decided to make time while it was in for a service.
Mike.
After performing the LOF and rotating the tires on the Jeep I decided to dig through my misc. switches and grab a section of wire and perform a ESC/BAS bypass mod.
I pulled the lower steering column panel as this is where I decided to mount my switch and fish the wires through.
You want to locate the large bundle of wires just behind the center console on the driver's side.
Once you get the outer casing and electrical tape removed, locate the PURPLE wire with the LT. BLUE straight stripe. This will be the wire that is NOT wrapped around another.
Once you cut the wire, the dash should look like this indicating you have cut the correct wire.
I have seen people simply use butt connectors for this but I am NOT a fan of butt connectors. I prefer to solder and heat shrink for a permanent and trouble free connection.
Soldered.
Heat shrunk.
I then fished the wire up to the top of the lower kick panel where I could cut the wire and insert the SPST switch.
Switch installed. Tip, prior to drilling the hole in the panel, make certain the area behind where the switch will be is clear of any obstructions. Nothing worse than drilling a hole for a switch only to discover you can't put the switch there. I chose to use a standard 15-amp SPST switch with a rubber boot because I had it already.
Switch connected and panel reinstalled.
The switch is up and out of the way enough not to get accidentally bumped yet within easy reach. I have been wanting to do this quick little mod for over a year now and never seemed to have time so I decided to make time while it was in for a service.
Mike.
- Location
- West Haven, UT
In addition to the above post, I flip my switch to deactivate the ESC control when I am in 2HI on a fire road and want to run at speed to avoid all of the annoying aspects of ESC. Once you put the switch back to the normal position all you have to do is cycle the ignition switch and the dash lights will go out and the ESC will perform as designed.
Mike
Mike
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
Is there any way to get these pics working? This is mandatory tech info for JK owners. 😍I dug through my posts on another forum and found the ESC bypass posting for ya if you want to do this to your Jeep.
After performing the LOF and rotating the tires on the Jeep I decided to dig through my misc. switches and grab a section of wire and perform a ESC/BAS bypass mod.
I pulled the lower steering column panel as this is where I decided to mount my switch and fish the wires through.
You want to locate the large bundle of wires just behind the center console on the driver's side.
Once you get the outer casing and electrical tape removed, locate the PURPLE wire with the LT. BLUE straight stripe. This will be the wire that is NOT wrapped around another.
Once you cut the wire, the dash should look like this indicating you have cut the correct wire.
I have seen people simply use butt connectors for this but I am NOT a fan of butt connectors. I prefer to solder and heat shrink for a permanent and trouble free connection.
Soldered.
Heat shrunk.
I then fished the wire up to the top of the lower kick panel where I could cut the wire and insert the SPST switch.
Switch installed. Tip, prior to drilling the hole in the panel, make certain the area behind where the switch will be is clear of any obstructions. Nothing worse than drilling a hole for a switch only to discover you can't put the switch there. I chose to use a standard 15-amp SPST switch with a rubber boot because I had it already.
Switch connected and panel reinstalled.
The switch is up and out of the way enough not to get accidentally bumped yet within easy reach. I have been wanting to do this quick little mod for over a year now and never seemed to have time so I decided to make time while it was in for a service.
Mike.
- Location
- West Haven, UT
Sorry, I unfortunately lost a ton of photos during the tinypic debacle.