TPMS Questions

[CactusJacked]

The signal from the wheel sensors (if yours had TPMS) gets picked up by the wireless control module (WCM). It's a black rectangular box that's mounted in the steering column near the key tumbler area. Your replacement column came from a Liberty that had TPMS, and the wireless receiver is looking for wheel signals and not getting it....hence the dash light. Most likely, the Jeeps body wiring harnesses are the same to make either steering column plug & play. The easiest fix (no joke) would be to remove the light bulb from the dash, since the only harm is the light.
As far as the fog lights not working right, mine has a pull out switch on the turn signal stalk. Did your old one have that switch and the new one doesn't? That would mean the column came from a Liberty that wasn't factory equipped with fog lights.

 

[profdlp]

The signal from the wheel sensors (if yours had TPMS) gets picked up by the wireless control module (WCM). It's a black rectangular box that's mounted in the steering column near the key tumbler area. Your replacement column came from a Liberty that had TPMS, and the wireless receiver is looking for wheel signals and not getting it....hence the dash light. Most likely, the Jeeps body wiring harnesses are the same to make either steering column plug & play. The easiest fix (no joke) would be to remove the light bulb from the dash, since the only harm is the light.

That is exactly what I was looking for. Rather than try to get at the light I may try to get at the WCM. I think you have explained the "why" of this, which puts you ahead of a whole shop full of mechanics.

A question about the WCM, since this is the first I have heard of it: What else does it do? If I can find the sucker is there a wire I could pull to just kill that? I am truly not enthusiastic about going into the dash light panel.

As far as the fog lights not working right, mine has a pull out switch on the turn signal stalk. Did your old one have that switch and the new one doesn't? That would mean the column came from a Liberty that wasn't factory equipped with fog lights.

When I installed them 18 months ago I had to replace the stalk as my stock Jeep did not have them. (The new stalk came with the OEM kit and probably accounted for at least half the price.) No one seems to be able to tell me if the stalk was replaced along with the steering column but it is identical to the one I installed in 2013, meaning it has the pull-out switch. The switch just doesn't do anything. In addition to that, the fog lights come on with the running lights, which is not right. They are supposed to only be available when the headlights are on and should cut off automatically with high beams or when the headlights are switched off. (Or switched to running lights.)

Thank You! :waytogo:

 

[CactusJacked]

A question about the WCM, since this is the first I have heard of it: What else does it do? If I can find the sucker is there a wire I could pull to just kill that?

Don't want to do that, then your transponder key won't work to start the engine.
Guess I wasn't totally clear about that part, there's a reason why that module is right near the key tumbler assembly.

 

[profdlp]

Don't want to do that, then your transponder key won't work to start the engine.
Guess I wasn't totally clear about that part, there's a reason why that module is right near the key tumbler assembly.

That occurred to me after I posted, but thanks for the comment - it's nice to be sure.

I've been going through the 6,000 page Service Manual and have already discovered enough info to assure myself that the people at the Jeep dealership know less than I do about this subject, a truly mind-boggling and scary thought... :emotions34:

I think I have enough to take with me for the next try to at least prod them in the right direction.

As for the fog lights, I re-checked and they do switch off automatically with the high beams. I still want them to work the way they are "supposed" to, though.

 

[CactusJacked]

That occurred to me after I posted, but thanks for the comment - it's nice to be sure.

I've been going through the 6,000 page Service Manual and have already discovered enough info to assure myself that the people at the Jeep dealership know less than I do about this subject, a truly mind-boggling and scary thought... :emotions34:

I think I have enough to take with me for the next try to at least prod them in the right direction.

As for the fog lights, I re-checked and they do switch off automatically with the high beams. I still want them to work the way they are "supposed" to, though.

Yeah that baffles me too, can't imagine nobody else had that part of their ignition worked on before. Maybe they'll offer you a job since you'll come off looking like a jeenyus compared to them! :gr_grin:
My factory fog lights go off with the high beams too (as designed), what are yours not doing correctly?

 

[profdlp]

...My factory fog lights go off with the high beams too (as designed), what are yours not doing correctly?

If the running lights or main headlights are on, the fogs are on, unless I hit the high beams. The switch on the stalk does absolutely nothing. I just want to be able to use the switch so they are on when I want them to be and off when I don't. (Within the limitations of high beams, headlights off, etc.)

 

[CactusJacked]

Not that the answer will nececelery help one way or another, but do the fogs go on with just the running lights too, or only with the headlights?

 

[profdlp]

Yes, they do come on with the running lights.

That initially made me wonder if it was just a wire hooked up in the wrong place, though it would not necessarily explain the fact that the switch on the stalk for the fogs now does absolutely nothing.

 

[profdlp]

Spoke with a supervisor at my insurance company and am going to have a place here in Virginia look at this. One more question I will want to know the answer to before dealing with the Jeep dealer: Can the WCM be programmed, either directly or through the onboard computer? From what you have told me and from reading the Service Manual that seems to be where the problem lies. If it could be told to give up on the idea of constantly looking for sensors which aren't there I would be home free.

 

[CactusJacked]

I don't know that it's a programmable unit like a PCM/ECM is. By the way, what became of the old steering column?

 

[profdlp]

I have no idea about the old column. (What was left of it, anyway.)

That raises a good point, though; could this all have been avoided had they reused the old WCM? That's assuming it wasn't pounded to bits like half the rest of the stuff in there...

 

[CactusJacked]

Yeah, that's why I asked. Being the "collector" I am, I would have wanted the old column as a take home prize.

 

[profdlp]

My problem was that I had just moved to a temporary apartment when the break-in occurred and have since (sort of) moved again. (Long boring story...) I have thrown away anything I could (about half my stuff) in the last couple of months or put the rest in storage. I really had nowhere to keep anything like that.

 

[Snail Farmer]

The fog lights on mine can be turned on with both the headlights and just running lights. They only turn off automatically with the high beams.

 

[profdlp]

...They only turn off automatically with the high beams.

Mine at least do that much. It's the only part of it that is working like it did before.

 

[profdlp]

MONDAY: Took to Jeep dealer. They wanted $150 just to look at it, which I eat in any case, fix or no. Insurance will pay for the repair if and only IF they determine it was something not done which should have been. If the work was done but done incorrectly then it is up to me to get the original shop (400 miles away) to re-do it. They did tell me that there are no sensors in the wheels.

MONDAY (still):Got tires balanced and rotated while in for an oil change. Asked the guy to look at it. He told me there were no sensors in the wheels. (No stinking kidding, Sherlock, I've known that since I got the build sheet in 2013.) I explained my situation to the manager at the tire place (three strikes at Jeep dealers and I'm out of there) and threw myself on his mercy. Surprisingly, he had some and told me to come back the next day to have his TPMS expert look at it.

TUESDAY: TPMS expert takes the Jeep back for two hours and looks it over. Comes out and tells me that THERE ARE NO SENSORS IN THE WHEELS.

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I'm only posting all of this in an attempt to establish a case for temporary insanity once I finally snap and do something horrible. :insane:

 

[CzarKJ]

So you really can't fix stupid huh

 

[CactusJacked]

I'm only posting all of this in an attempt to establish a case for temporary insanity once I finally snap and do something horrible. :insane:

Only temporary? I'll vouch for you. :happy175:

 

[tjkj2002]

If you have established your KJ did not come from the factory with TPMS then you have a electrical issue since you do not have any of the required modules or sensors for the system.All you have is the dash light that is present in all IC's.


There is no WCM in a '07,still has a BCM.The TPMS system in a '07 also requires a receiver above each wheel to read the sensors.

 

[profdlp]

...There is no WCM in a '07,still has a BCM.The TPMS system in a '07 also requires a receiver above each wheel to read the sensors.

Thanks! For some time now my suspicion has been that the steering column they installed in November after the break-in was from another year (no one seems to actually know just WHAT year), and is different enough to cause the problem. Your post clears up just exactly what that difference might be.

I may just have them rip the son of a gun out of there and put the right one in. This whole thing has left me royally cheesed. :icon_twisted: