Jeep wrangler steering angle sensor reset

Background to those who may read but don't know about this. Your clock spring is just a flat ribbon wiring harness that is wound like a spring in your steering wheel, it has slack in it and allows the wheel to turn while your steering controls, air bag, etc... are all still connected. So it's just a ribbon wiring harness inside really. It also has a steering angle sensor integrated that tells the Jeep how much you're turning and how quickly (for ESP), these need to be properly centered or you'll pull the wire and break connections and / or have a jeep that doesn't know when the wheel is really straight.

Back to my problem : Short Story, took out my Steering Gear Box (Going Hydro Assist, yeah!) and although I had a bungee on my steering wheel to keep the wheel centered, it came off while I was fighting with the drag / link and pitman arm removal so, I have now lost it's relation to the clock spring and potentially the Steering Angle Sensor...

Yes, I understand that when I reconnect to the steering box that I can center the wheels then... but I think I'll still get errors if the steering wheel and clock spring / SAS are out of sync and... I could or maybe already have damaged the wiring in the clock spring by over extending it while attempting to find center. However, I tried to be gentle knowing that this could happen.

So, I have a few questions :

#1 : Anyone know how to properly check continuity of the clock spring wires? In theory, if I didn't beat it up too badly testing it, they will still be good. But if there is a reasonable way to test, it would be better to do it now so I can replace it if it's damaged before putting everything back together.

#2 : Anybody know the correct procedure to recenter the clock spring? I've heard on the XJ that it's simply that you rotate it clockwise gently until tight, then back off 2.5 turns and then center it straight. Sounds like this should work on the JK as well, think we have 3.5 turns lock to lock so this would give it one more turn before it hits the point where the wires are being stretched, sounds reasonable to me.

#3 : Last of all, any simple way to test the steering angle sensor, maybe read voltages or resistance? I've heard the procal can do this by beeping when centered but I don't have one. A buddy does, can I use this on my JK or is it VIN coded to his Jeep like the Programmers?

Anybody with experience out there? I'd love to hear about it, thx.

All a Procal or other tuner does is read the centering signal's distance from center. Procal tells when you have the clock spring centered by illuminating both front directional lights. Unfortunately you can't use someone else's Procal unless they return their JK to stock. They can't use it again until you return yours to stock. If you only reset the clock spring to center that might not matter at all. Another way is to get hold of an Aeroforce gauge, which has a setting for "steering angle" that is really only clock spring distance from center.

The intermediate shaft and steering box are indexed as I remember from when I did some work on my '09. If you didn't move it very far it may align just fine when you install the box.

Hey BadBoy (I am in LV also) hope this thread isn't dead.

I have same problem. Had 4 wheel Parts install my new PSC HD Big Bore Steering Box and ended up with ESC + no cruise. 4 Wheel says too bad. FlashCal reads 3 steering angle codes. I centered wheel, cleared codes and they right back. Disconnected battery. same. I am thinking clockspring .... There must be a valid way to test before starting the replacement.

I know the sector shaft/pitman are keyed so slight misalignment not likely - but I agree with your assessment that it seems something is not synched.

Did you ever get resolution? Hope you are still out there

Hey BadBoy (I am in LV also) hope this thread isn't dead.

I have same problem. Had 4 wheel Parts install my new PSC HD Big Bore Steering Box and ended up with ESC + no cruise. 4 Wheel says too bad. FlashCal reads 3 steering angle codes. I centered wheel, cleared codes and they right back. Disconnected battery. same. I am thinking clockspring .... There must be a valid way to test before starting the replacement.

I know the sector shaft/pitman are keyed so slight misalignment not likely - but I agree with your assessment that it seems something is not synched.

Did you ever get resolution? Hope you are still out there

Did you get you situation resolved. Same thing happened to me on Friday. A local shop installed a PSC Big Bore and ESC light on, haven't checked cruise, guess I should. Checked it out with Pro Cal and the steering wheel is off by exactly one full revolution. Thinking I would try to re-center the clockspring, but don't even know if that is feasible.

The shop most likely did not keep the steering wheel restrained in the center position and now has the clock spring out of sync. You could try using your Procal, an Aeroforce gauge, etc. to center the wheel. You'd have to disconnect the intermediate shaft at the steering box. Really dumb on the part of the shop. All you have to do is restrain the wheel in the center position with bungee cords.

Still not resolved. Just got back from Moab (Greenday at BFE - fun!) and didn't have any issues - just the damn ESC light. So, when I have time I will pull the steering wheel and attempt the recentering procedure.

I still am surprised that there isn't an easy way to test the clockspring. Oh well - time to get this fixed.

Still not resolved. Just got back from Moab (Greenday at BFE - fun!) and didn't have any issues - just the damn ESC light. So, when I have time I will pull the steering wheel and attempt the recentering procedure.

I still am surprised that there isn't an easy way to test the clockspring. Oh well - time to get this fixed.

I used the ProCal which shows how far off the steering wheel is from clock spring center. Yours must not be off by much or you would have busted your clock spring at Moab. Mine is off by one full revolution which is enough I think to trash the spring at full turn. I will receive a BlueDriver OBDII tool today and will be checking for error codes. If my clock spring is not busted I am going to go back to the shop and ask them to remove the gearbox and rotate the intermediate steering shaft one rev back to center.

You'd have to disconnect the intermediate shaft at the steering box. Really dumb on the part of the shop. All you have to do is restrain the wheel in the center position with bungee cords.

I was working on it yesterday and I best I can tell, one needs to remove the gear box in order to disconnect the intermediate shaft. Not sure if this is possible without disconnecting the fluid lines, which means another system bleed.

The part that is most annoying is that I actually mentioned to them to make sure to tie the steering wheel with a bungee cord. Reason I knew this was because I was thinking of doing it myself and had read up on it.

UPDATE: Had the shop that did the XDR install work on my Jeep again. The mechanic disconnected the intermediate shaft and rotated my steering wheel one revolution and that fixed the problem. I would think between the intermediate shaft and drag link adjustment one could get centered without taking apart the steering wheel and messing with the clockspring.

Not sure if this thread is still active... first time poster with similar problem.

I made the same mistake after rebuilding an 08 Rubicon (front end accident)...

Long story short... I over rotated the clockspring and a wire pulled out of assembly. I pulled steering wheel, removed clockspring, and resoldered wires to board. Rewound wires. Reassembled.

Sooooo... I'm positive all wires work/etc as I pinned it out and tested horn/etc. Problem is... the geared wheel (steering sensor plastic cogwheel inside the clockwheel assembly) was presumably not at the centre location when I reconnected it up and is now probably reading an angle that is causing the ECU to trip lights. I would open it up again and realign except there is now way to do that once out that I know of).

So... Trying to get a safety done this week on it and don't have time to order a new clock spring assembly. Is it possible to reset the computer to use the new sensor angle as zero? I have a basic scanner that doesn't read these codes (or have Chrysler specific diagnostic)... So I've disconnected battery and will try to see if the ECU will relearn after trying a lock to lock a few times...

Any suggestions are welcome. Will chime in if it works. I figure it's like a 5% chance . Lol.

Some pics of my not so awesome (but working) solder and reassembly job...

Some pics of my not so awesome (but working) solder and reassembly job...

Welcome to the Forum.

Some pics of my not so awesome (but working) solder and reassembly job...

Did you figure it out?

Did ANYBODY in here figure anything out?

Pretty sure the little SAS wheel is off by a tooth or two, but I really don't want to sit outside in the hundred degree heat assembling and disassembling the steering column to sort it by trial and error. Assuming that's even the problem.

I'm also annoyed that the clockspring I ordered didn't come with the SAS...had to pop the gear off (and almost lost control of the rotating assembly) because I couldn't see a way to remove the ring from the sensor without desoldering 6 pins. :atomic:

Fortunately, there's no airbag light. Unfortunately, there's a traction control light.

I know I'm responding to an old thread, but I know cars have a steering angle sensor calibration that could be done. Has anyone done it on the JKs? I think the procedure calls for turning the wheel left, right, left, then drive 3-15mph and take a 90° turn..wondering if anybody went through and had success