Battery dead - 21 JLU

[dmen]

You will find as I mentioned that talking to the Service Manager is best.. Ask to speak to him/her..

Right off compliment his/her Service Dept. .... and tell him the locals you know speak highly of him or her and their Sservice Dept...

Yup, you "swooze' him. NOW, tell him you are concerned and please do provide you with copies of the load tests... 2 load tests as the Tech will get results for each.

Often/ usually, I ask to speak to the Tech that is going to touch my vehicle. I either tip him right then or mention I will be tipping him. I mention politely my wants and concerns.. Communication communication and setting expectations is best...

Nice. Thanks for the tips. Hey, I have one more question re the battery. My charger has two settings - Conventional/Low Maintenance and Deep Cycle/No Maintenance. I assume I use the no maintenance setting right?

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[Rhinebeck01]

Nice. Thanks for the tips. Hey, I have one more question re the battery. My charger has two settings - Conventional/Low Maintenance and Deep Cycle/No Maintenance. I assume I use the no maintenance setting right?

Would like info on what battery maintainer/tender you are using before I comment.

Avoid using a full blown battery charger, unless you know how to separate out the 2 batteries and deal with each battery separately.

DO, do be sure that battery tender /maintainer ) is able to be used with AGM batteries and that you have it set to the AGM setting.

You can hook the battery tender /maintainer to the pos and neg terminals on the Main and that will have the battery tender/maintainer doing it's deed on both batteries.

 

[dmen]

Would like info on what battery maintainer/tender you are using before I comment.

Avoid using a full blown battery charger, unless you know how to separate out the 2 batteries and deal with each battery separately.

DO, do be sure that battery tender /maintainer ) is able to be used with AGM batteries and that you have it set to the AGM setting. You can hook the battery tender /maintainer to the terminals on the Main and that will have the battery tender/maintainer doing it's deed on both batteries.

SO my bad I think... It's a full blown charger. I only used it this am for ~20 min to get it started. I mean it worked LOL. I found a link to the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-Electric-Automatic-Starter-charger/product-reviews/B01EWU576A
Someone mentions in the first comment that it charges AGM batteries, but there's no specific AGM setting. I had it set on maintenance free/deep cycle.

 

[beachbumm78]

Dang! Had no idea the OEM batteries are garbage. We're right at 32K miles, so I think they would be covered but I guess will have to call the dealer.

Currently at the dealership having both batteries replaced under warranty. Usually if one goes the other will go as it drains the other one. I’d call your dealership, let them know what’s going on, and they usually can get you in fairly quickly for a battery change. (Make sure they know that’s what it’s for as mine squeezed me in within a few days instead of the two weeks they initially said)
Don’t go over your warranty miles before you have them changed out. It should be covered under warranty. The new ones they put in have a two year warranty. But I’d confirm (that’s what it is here at my dealership). Make sure to keep the receipts for it.

 

[dmen]

Currently at the dealership having both batteries replaced under warranty. Usually if one goes the other will go as it drains the other one. I’d call your dealership, let them know what’s going on, and they usually can get you in fairly quickly for a battery change. (Make sure they know that’s what it’s for as mine squeezed me in within a few days instead of the two weeks they initially said)
Don’t go over your warranty miles before you have them changed out. It should be covered under warranty. The new ones they put in have a two year warranty. But I’d confirm (that’s what it is here at my dealership). Make sure to keep the receipts for it.

Nope, at 32K, and have an appointment for tomorrow morning to have them load tested. What happens if one tests good and one tests bad? Will they not want to just replace the one bad one? I want them to replace both but not sure how to have them do it if one is good.

 

[beachbumm78]

Nope, at 32K, and have an appointment for tomorrow morning to have them load tested. What happens if one tests good and one tests bad? Will they not want to just replace the one bad one? I want them to replace both but not sure how to have them do it if one is good.

Good. Usually they’ll test both. I brought mine in just for the aux replaced. They tested both and found the main was also going so they did both. Usually once one goes bad it pulls from the other. You can just ask them once they’ve looked at it. See the load testing results if they did want to do only one.

 

[Reinen]

Nope, at 32K, and have an appointment for tomorrow morning to have them load tested. What happens if one tests good and one tests bad? Will they not want to just replace the one bad one? I want them to replace both but not sure how to have them do it if one is good.

Take what you can get while it's free. If they only replace one it's lifespan will be significantly reduced by the battery that was not replaced. Its just kicking the can down the road but it's free so... ?‍

When you're buying the batteries always replace both at the same time so you get your money's worth.

 

[dmen]

Just got back from the dealer. They told me the load testing would be $169 if the issue was not under warranty. Sure hope it is!

 

[dmen]

Heard from the dealer. They tested both. Only the main is bad so they will only replace the main. Kind of figured they wouldn't replace both like they should. I'll probably just replace the aux on my own.

 

[dmen]

Good. Usually they’ll test both. I brought mine in just for the aux replaced. They tested both and found the main was also going so they did both. Usually once one goes bad it pulls from the other. You can just ask them once they’ve looked at it. See the load testing results if they did want to do only one.

My dealer tested both, found the main was bad, and will only replace the main. I'm just going to have to do the aux myself eventually.

 

[dmen]

Guys! Didn't know if I should start a new thread or just piggyback this one... Anyway, One month later and the A! hole light came on last night. I do believe this means the small battery should have been replaced with the main (like y'all pretty much said). We're still a bit under 36K so should still be warrantied but what a pain.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

Guys! Didn't know if I should start a new thread or just piggyback this one... Anyway, One month later and the A! hole light came on last night. I do believe this means the small battery should have been replaced with the main (like y'all pretty much said). We're still a bit under 36K so should still be warrantied but what a pain.

There is also a chance that when the Main battery was changed a month ago, the Tech, inadvertently blew fuse N3 in the high amp fuse array. With N3 blown the JL's alternator cannot charge the Aux battery.. Thus, now a short time later Aux is depleted...

Anyway...

Since your JL is still barely under warranty, do have the dealer eval.... and you need to be sure they do a load test and not just say throw a charge on an iffy Aux battery and then send you on your way..

At a dealership for a battery thing, it is wise to ask to talk to the Service Manager... again talk to the Service Manager and not the Service Writer.

Politely ask that he/she have the Tech, load test your Aux battery and to provide you with a printout of load test in regard to your Aux battery.

IF the battery fails the load test, then indeed you have an iffy battery and you can get the dealer to replace it under warranty.

The load testing takes a couple of hrs. of shop time, so very often they will not do proper load testing, but say they did or not even mention load testing to you.

IF you do not see the load test printout you cannot be sure they actually did do load testing..

As mentioned earlier ...... No load test done... showing bad battery ...... then they will just send you away and you will deal with the iffy Aux til your warranty is no more ....then you will be stuck with paying for the battery.

 

[Ang1Sgt]

Batteries are a crap shoot to be sure. I used to sell batteries at a big box store and I had some fail right off the rack. That is when both sides, the seller and the buyer need to dig deeper into the issue.

Sometimes it’s a faulty alternator that keeps on charging the battery when it doesn’t need too. Sometimes its a parasitic draw someplace in the vehicle itself, and for those you need a good trained technician to find the cause.

I think in your case, it’s probably just that AUX battery now. Get that replaced and you should be okay. You live in Wisconsin and it has wide extremes in tempuratures. That can really cause issues with batteries over their life.

I’m knocking on wood right now cause my 2020 has the originals, but they did fine sitting in the garage most of this past winter. I run my Subi hard in the winter so I can keep the Jeep for open air summertime usage.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

The best thing to do, even if you're under warranty, is to replace both with high quality after market batteries. Always use an H7 94R for the main, even if you have the smaller main. The small battery is an Aux 14.

The cost is about $350 and an hour or two of your time when you want to do it.

A better option is to delete the aux battery and use the H7 94R main. Most people will have no issues, even if you use ESS.

Dealers work harder at not working, than just doing what they know needs to be done in the first place. And, when they do replace one or both batteries, it will be with the same Mopar low bid units that were in it to begin with. It will also likely cost you several hours of your time at best, or several days sitting at the dealer waiting for them to get around to it.

A weak/dying aux battery wont give a @! warning light. That will be caused by a blown H1-H7 fuse array, which is easily caused and is a bad design.

 

[dmen]

A weak/dying aux battery wont give a @! warning light. That will be caused by a blown H1-H7 fuse array, which is easily caused and is a bad design.

So change both batteries regardless.

Could that be the same fuse as what @Rhinebeck01 mentioned? The N3 fuse? But if the light was caused by a tech doing it, wouldn't the light have come on a month ago? I will check those fuses mentioned, including N3.

Thanks

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