Auto start/stop stopped working and AUX error message

[Reinen]

I use it everyday that’s why I’m surprised and I have only installed 2 lights. Which I badly use unless necessary

You don't list the year of the JL you have in your profile. It is a warrantee repair if it's still under warrantee.

However you will get the same crappy batteries and they may only want to replace one of them because the other doesn't test "bad" yet (but it's well on its way there). Which means your batteries will fail again much sooner. The dealer is hoping that happens after the warrantee expires.

But it's free, so...

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[Kleiss1]

My Auxiliary was just replaced under warranty. The main still tested ok. Now I have a red lightning bolt and a battery symbol at start up. Calling them again Monday

 

[AC77]

You don't list the year of the JL you have in your profile. It is a warrantee repair if it's still under warrantee.

However you will get the same crappy batteries and they may only want to replace one of them because the other doesn't test "bad" yet (but it's well on its way there). Which means your batteries will fail again much sooner. The dealer is hoping that happens after the warrantee expires.

But it's free, so...

22 ecodiesel Sahara Altitude around 10k miles …

 

[Offroadgranny]

A year old batteries ???

You'd be amazed. We had the aux die with no warning, so you're lucky there. Jumping did not help - it would start, but die instantly when we tried to move it. Had to get it towed to the dealer for a battery. Changed both. Next time we'll get the batteries somewhere else, per the advice in this thread. You guys rock!

 

[WiseguyDS]

My OEM batteries were just under 3 years old and I was going through what the OP is going through now. First, theres no way Im going to go through replacing two batteries every 1-3 years. Second, the ESS isnt saving me any gas and its more annoying than anything. Third, punching the ESS button each and every time i start the Jeep just isn’t something I even want to do.

So, I deleted the AUX battery and bought a new AGM from O’Reilly Auto. Installed a mod to remember the last ESS button setting (which I keep off-disabled). Im better off and MUCH happier now.

 

[storyg]

My opinion on the MOPAR batteries differs from one commenter; I believe they are no worse than most other aftermarket batteries. What has changed, is that late model JEEP Wranglers and all JEEP Gladiators have converted from a single Lead Acid battery, to a pair of AGM batteries. AGM batteries are better than Lead Acid in many ways. Except when drained to zero or near zero, AGM's are terrible and may require immediate or soon-after replacement.


Ignition inadvertently left on for hours? JEEP parked for a number of days without starting up/charging taking place? And I think for some owners, GMRS or Ham Radio-mobile radios and/or refrigerators that are wired directly to their battery system where the radio and/or refer was left powered on. -

We can drain a decent Lead Acid (LA) battery to a fully depleted state (oops) and recharge it, or jumper-start it, combined with a fair drive-around to get it back to a working state without much if any detriment to the LA battery. A lot depends on the age of the battery but a still decent LA battery is far more resilient from total drain-down state than AGM's. New or old AGM's may require immediate replacement or bank on that very soon.

Weighing the pros and cons of LA batteries vs AGM for use in multi-purpose JEEP's, perhaps reverting to LA type batteries for the Main and AUX if the existing charging system can work with LA(s), would be the better solution, after warranty expires? Better than the current work-arounds people have devised?

Regarding the AUX battery, as long as it remains buried in its present location, a LA battery is a terrible idea. You cannot easily check and service the acid-water level. Perhaps an AGM must remain here and a LA used only for the Main is the overall compromise without some additional changes in location for the Aux or some other no-liquid, short term high energy capacitor used in place of the Aux that fits better in what limited space we have now. ? With or without a narrow & small solar panel mounted just in front of the windshield which at least can help, if in sun light.

Better mouse trap anyone?

Your batteries are dying and the Jeep will be unable to start very soon.
ESS is a canary in the coal mine for battery failures and it's in full battery failure warning mode right now.

Replace both Main and Aux batteries regardless if one of them hasn't crossed the threshold into "bad" yet. They should always be replaced at the same time. They are linked and work as a pair.

 

[aldo98229]

My opinion on the MOPAR batteries differs from one commenter; I believe they are no worse than most other aftermarket batteries. What has changed, is that late model JEEP Wranglers and all JEEP Gladiators have converted from a single Lead Acid battery, to a pair of AGM batteries. AGM batteries are better than Lead Acid in many ways. Except when drained to zero or near zero, AGM's are terrible and may require immediate or soon-after replacement.


Ignition inadvertently left on for hours? JEEP parked for a number of days without starting up/charging taking place? And I think for some owners, GMRS or Ham Radio-mobile radios and/or refrigerators that are wired directly to their battery system where the radio and/or refer was left powered on. -

We can drain a decent Lead Acid (LA) battery to a fully depleted state (oops) and recharge it, or jumper-start it, combined with a fair drive-around to get it back to a working state without much if any detriment to the LA battery. A lot depends on the age of the battery but a still decent LA battery is far more resilient from total drain-down state than AGM's. New or old AGM's may require immediate replacement or bank on that very soon.

Weighing the pros and cons of LA batteries vs AGM for use in multi-purpose JEEP's, perhaps reverting to LA type batteries for the Main and AUX if the existing charging system can work with LA(s), would be the better solution, after warranty expires? Better than the current work-arounds people have devised?

Regarding the AUX battery, as long as it remains buried in its present location, a LA battery is a terrible idea. You cannot easily check and service the acid-water level. Perhaps an AGM must remain here and a LA used only for the Main is the overall compromise without some additional changes in location for the Aux or some other no-liquid, short term high energy capacitor used in place of the Aux that fits better in what limited space we have now. ? With or without a narrow & small solar panel mounted just in front of the windshield which at least can help, if in sun light.

Better mouse trap anyone?

I disagree.

My OE batteries started to fail after 18 months. The direct replacement aftermarket batteries have been on the Jeep now 24 months and the Jeep is still going strong. I use ESS and everything works as it is supposed.

So yeah, the quality of the Mopar batteries is lower than that of similar batteries.

 

[Reinen]

My opinion on the MOPAR batteries differs from one commenter; I believe they are no worse than most other aftermarket batteries. What has changed, is that late model JEEP Wranglers and all JEEP Gladiators have converted from a single Lead Acid battery, to a pair of AGM batteries. AGM batteries are better than Lead Acid in many ways. Except when drained to zero or near zero, AGM's are terrible and may require immediate or soon-after replacement.


Ignition inadvertently left on for hours? JEEP parked for a number of days without starting up/charging taking place? And I think for some owners, GMRS or Ham Radio-mobile radios and/or refrigerators that are wired directly to their battery system where the radio and/or refer was left powered on. -

We can drain a decent Lead Acid (LA) battery to a fully depleted state (oops) and recharge it, or jumper-start it, combined with a fair drive-around to get it back to a working state without much if any detriment to the LA battery. A lot depends on the age of the battery but a still decent LA battery is far more resilient from total drain-down state than AGM's. New or old AGM's may require immediate replacement or bank on that very soon.

Weighing the pros and cons of LA batteries vs AGM for use in multi-purpose JEEP's, perhaps reverting to LA type batteries for the Main and AUX if the existing charging system can work with LA(s), would be the better solution, after warranty expires? Better than the current work-arounds people have devised?

Regarding the AUX battery, as long as it remains buried in its present location, a LA battery is a terrible idea. You cannot easily check and service the acid-water level. Perhaps an AGM must remain here and a LA used only for the Main is the overall compromise without some additional changes in location for the Aux or some other no-liquid, short term high energy capacitor used in place of the Aux that fits better in what limited space we have now. ? With or without a narrow & small solar panel mounted just in front of the windshield which at least can help, if in sun light.

Better mouse trap anyone?

You're missing the biggest elephant in the room, which happened to coincide with the switch to the Main/Aux config. The JL is an electronically controlled vehicle and the electrical system never turns off. Something is always drawing power, even with engine off Jeep parked. This is terrible for Lead-Acid & AGM batteries. It's not draining them to zero that's the problem. It's parasitically draining them to 98% every single day.

Reverting to Lead-Acid and reducing to a single battery will not change the very harsh conditions it operates in. The battery is under constant draw 24/7/365 except when it's being charged. It never sits idle. On older vehicles, idle was the state the battery was in most often (vehicle off and parked) so the batteries lasted much longer.

 

[speedymart]

A year old batteries ???

They're junk. Like, complete and utter junk.

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