Any Early Warning for Battery Failure?

[Jeep life]

I have a 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 2dr, 3.6 w electronic assist (ESS). I haven’t had any battery issues……yet, but hear horror stories of folks getting stuck, with either main or aux just dying. Are there any early warning signs I should be aware of to replace either of these batteries early? I religiously disengage ESS.
TIA
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[VerdeRiver]

Early warning sign I've noticed is I have the wolfbox rear view and it's started turning off due to the low battery cut off at night when it should be in sleep mode so I know I have to replace them soon.

 

[jaymz]

I had some random "service locker" lights for a while, then a few days of slower than normal cranking. Replaced the main and bypassed the aux and all of the above went away.

Some people get no warning until the jeep won't crank. It's a crapshoot really.

 

[munkeymike]

Since you already turn off ESS, save yourself the headache and do the aux bypass now. Also, carry a jumper box and you should be set.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

I have a 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 2dr, 3.6 w electronic assist (ESS). I haven’t had any battery issues……yet, but hear horror stories of folks getting stuck, with either main or aux just dying. Are there any early warning signs I should be aware of to replace either of these batteries early? I religiously disengage ESS.
TIA
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@Jeep life

Your stock 2021 JL battery(s) have pretty much aged out. ( Whether you use the ESS button or not)

You should be proactive and change out the battery(s) on it now. (IF you have a etorque, you have only one battery).

Why wait til you start having issues.... having issues is a given with battery(s) on a JL ...

Anyway, as they say at start of UFC Events... "IT'S TIME".

Main Battery info:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/main-battery-replacement-talk-jl-jt.100534/

Suggest you bypass the Aux battery if your JL has one. Search on forum in regard to Aux battery bypass which is easy easy to do in less then 5 min.. Do the bypass and you do not need to either replace or remove the Aux. battery.

 

[Terrymo]

Even after charging periodically I started to get this message consistently after initial start up. But this is only if you have the auxiliary switches. I change the batteries preemptively in our vehicles, typically every 3-4 years. The Jeep was sooner.

 

[jromanmd]

I literally was asking these same questions a few weeks ago. Search is your best friend here.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...nect-in-23-rubicon.159897/page-2#post-3293989

 

[Renostever]

@Jeep life

Your stock 2021 JL battery(s) have pretty much aged out. ( Whether you use the ESS button or not)

You should be proactive and change out the battery(s) on it now. (IF you have a etorque, you have only one battery).

Why wait til you start having issues.... having issues is a given with battery(s) on a JL ...

Anyway, as they say at start of UFC Events... "IT'S TIME".

Main Battery info:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/main-battery-replacement-talk-jl-jt.100534/

Suggest you bypass the Aux battery if your JL has one. Search on forum in regard to Aux battery bypass which is easy easy to do in less then 5 min.. Do the bypass and you do not need to either replace or remove the Aux. battery.

Absolutely! Just replaced my main battery (2019 vintage) and removed the auxiliary. The main battery was too weak to enable ESS (which I kinda liked) but still started the engine just fine. Only downside is ESS is enabled once more…but better than being stranded.

 

[AndySpill]

I have a 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 2dr, 3.6 w electronic assist (ESS). I haven’t had any battery issues……yet, but hear horror stories of folks getting stuck, with either main or aux just dying. Are there any early warning signs I should be aware of to replace either of these batteries early? I religiously disengage ESS.
TIA
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Hey Allan:

I do believe, as other posters have reflected, that time itself is an early warning sign of the need for a battery (or in a dual AGM battery JL, both batteries) to be replaced.

I replace preventatively every 3 years or so.

But that said, it seems to me that an investment in a load tester to gauge the health of your batteries might be a more direct metric of their remaining life that you seek to gauge than looking for some of the symptoms within the vehicle itself which have been reported, that may or may arise from one vehicle to the next.

Before attaching the load tester to your main battery, temporarily remove the smaller diameter factory cable on the main battery's negative post, and keep its loose end away from metal. This cable connects at its other end to the negative post of the Aux battery. (The other factory cable connects at its other end to the body ground and should remain connected at both ends.)

Doing this temporarily cable removal will insure that your load test of the main battery is not influenced by the Aux battery, which is normally connected in parallel. Put the load tester's leads on the main battery's terminals.

Next, move the load tester's negative side to the detached cable. Even as you keep the positive side of the load tester on the main battery's positive terminal, this cable swap will solely test the power of the Aux battery as it's the only battery at this point which completes a circuit with the load tester.

Reinstall that temporarily disconnected cable.

If either of your batteries is need of replacement, and you want to run ESS events, replace both (information on how to do this yourself available on request.)

If you have no desire to run ESS events and your Aux or main battery is in need or replacement I recommend that you bypass the Aux battery (information to do this available on request), pull Fuse 42, replace the main battery, and turn ESS off at the console button each time you cold crank, or purchase tech (information also available on request) to automatically do this button push for you.

An additional purchase that might be useful is a portable jump starter. But please don't use possession of this device as an excuse to only replace the batteries after they've first failed and this jump start device proves needed to get going.

 

[Aonarch]

Go ahead and delete the aux battery before it takes out your main.

 

[VKSheridan]

My failures (four prior to auxiliary battery delete) came from sitting. No warning, just Christmas tree lights when I’d go to start it. A jumpstart after a little charging got me on my way.

Even with the auxiliary battery removed, I trust the Jeep electrical system about as far as I can spit (into the wind with chapped lips and a mouthful of crackers).

 

[Mguy]

I have a 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 2dr, 3.6 w electronic assist (ESS).

Your opening suggests you have eTorque, meaning no aux battery to adversely affect performance/life of your main.

Main battery useful life varies on many factors, most are specific to particular battery, specific installation, specific use, and specific charging history. Symptoms of a dying battery will vary accordingly, and may be easy, or hard, to notice.

Allowing periodic ESS operation can help with uncovering a JL battery's condition.

 

[natzuen]

I have etorque. But I had an odd fast crank, at start up and ess disabled battery charging message for my 20 mile drive to work. Then it wouldn’t start after work.

 

[Jeep life]

@Jeep life

Your stock 2021 JL battery(s) have pretty much aged out. ( Whether you use the ESS button or not)

You should be proactive and change out the battery(s) on it now. (IF you have a etorque, you have only one battery).

Why wait til you start having issues.... having issues is a given with battery(s) on a JL ...

Anyway, as they say at start of UFC Events... "IT'S TIME".

Main Battery info:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/main-battery-replacement-talk-jl-jt.100534/

Suggest you bypass the Aux battery if your JL has one. Search on forum in regard to Aux battery bypass which is easy easy to do in less then 5 min.. Do the bypass and you do not need to either replace or remove the Aux. battery.

Thanks for the advice, ….Yes, agree, time to replace and get ahead of future dead battery. Come to find out, I do have the Etourqe with tow package, so no aux, just the large 48 volt. Stupid question coming….; is it simply a matter of going to Walmart or auto shop and buying a 48 volt battery and just easy removal and replacement?
TIA
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[Jeep life]

Your opening suggests you have eTorque, meaning no aux battery to adversely affect performance/life of your main.

Main battery useful life varies on many factors, most are specific to particular battery, specific installation, specific use, and specific charging history. Symptoms of a dying battery will vary accordingly, and may be easy, or hard, to notice.

Allowing periodic ESS operation can help with uncovering a JL battery's condition.

Great info, I do have eTorque, I believe battery warranty is 3 yr/36K miles, which I’m at 36K so it may not be a bad idea to get a new battery
Thx

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