Battery Keeps Dying | Ignition Issue

[jmgrant41]

Here's a weird one; I've got an issue in my 2018 JLU Sahara where my battery gets completely drained about every 3 days and has to be jumped. This has been ongoing for 2 weeks now. I thought it had something to do with taking off all of the doors for the first time but the issue has continued with all of the doors back on.

I went out to the garage the other night and noticed that the screen in the display cluster was lit up with the "Push Clutch and Push Start Button to Start" message that I normally see when I first get in the Jeep (see attached pictures). I did not have my Key fob on me. I stood and watched the Jeep cycle the start screen on and off for 30 minutes. I went into the house and moved the key to about 150 feet away and still, the power continued to cycle with the start screen coming on and off. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing the Ignition Start screen to cycle power until it kills the battery? I have disconnected the negative terminal from the main and second battery for 4 hours and the issue remains. I'm at a loss as to what to do next. The Dealer can't see me for another week. Any thoughts on solutions would be incredibly appreciated.

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[jmgrant41]

1 fob on me. The other is 400 miles away from me in a safe in Northern VA.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

@jmgrant41

You say you jump started it, multiple times...

Have you ever bothered to place your JL on a Battery Tender, so your batteries (JL has 2) get fully charged... OR, are you just jumping it, driving it and then seeing the JL won't start after a few days.

 

[jmgrant41]

@jmgrant41

You say you jump started it, multiple times...

Have you ever bothered to place your JL on a Battery Tender, so your batteries (JL has 2) get fully charged... OR, are you just jumping it, driving it and then seeing the JL won't start after a few days.

I haven't placed the battery on a Tender but, I let the Jeep run for 6 hours straight when this happened 3 days ago to let the alternator get it charged up. After I turned it off, it lasted 3 days and now dead again. I confirmed the issue with the Start screen was still happening after I let it run for the 6 hours.

 

[jmgrant41]

There is no issue with the UConnect at all. The issue is the Ignition Start screen in the gauge cluster that comes on without me being in the Jeep or near the Jeep with the fob on me (see attached pictures). No issues at all with the UConnect.

I have no problem trying a battery tender but I think it would be highly coincidental that the issue with the Ignition Start screen coming on randomly and the battery dying just happened to occur at the same time.

 

[jmgrant41]

Update: I bought a Battery Charger/Maintainer this morning after jump starting my Jeep. It's been connected for 4 hours and says the battery is already fully charged.

I also took a video of the "Start Screen" in the gauge cluster coming on for about 30 seconds, then turning off for about the same amount of time before coming back on again with no Key Fob near. I'm going to disconnect the Battery Tender now it's that already charged but I'm assuming I will have a dead Jeep again within 36 hours due to the "Start Screen" cycling on/of.

 

[jmgrant41]

Update: Jeep has been at the dealer for 10 days. Service initially thought it was 2 dead batteries. I went to pick the Jeep up from the dealer last night and the same issue remained with the screen coming on in the Instrument Cluster. Left the Jeep at the dealer so they could continue investigating. Dealer just called to inform me that they finally ran a diagnostics and got a code back showing a "defective cluster." No root cause was given other than it's a random defect. Dealer says it may be up to 1 month before I get my Jeep back.

 

[CMBotter]

Any updates on your issue, as I am dealing with this exact issue now...rig is at the dealer for the third time...second time at this dealer. Going on nearly two weeks total with no answers as to why my '21 Willys keeps dying. I have the same issue, my cluster screen "greets" all the time, even when someone simply walks by it. Curious if the new cluster solved your issue. Thanks in advance!

 

[Tdkrum5]

Do you have a Tazer married to your Jeep? I had to replaced both batteries and started having this problem. Once I noticed the screens on, i unmarried the Tazer and ran without it for about three weeks and the problem went away. I downloaded the latest tazer software re married the Tazer and have not had any problems YET!

 

[BogieJeep]

I think I have the same issue as this, does anyone know what causes it?

 

[PA JLUR]

I think I have the same issue as this, does anyone know what causes it?

Do you have a Tazer installed? If so, make sure you have the latest version software downloaded onto it. Older version had an issue that caused batteries to drain.

 

[BogieJeep]

Do you have a Tazer installed? If so, make sure you have the latest version software downloaded onto it. Older version had an issue that caused batteries to drain.

I do not, thanks for chiming in though, here's some more info.

So I reversed up my drive and left the Jeep in reverse gear by accident, then I went away for 5 nights and then came back to a flat battery.

The battery was reading 3 volts so I connected a zero volt trickle charger to the battery and I could see that it couldn't charge because something was draining it every time it hit about 5 volts.

When I looked into the vehicle I could see that the transmission letters were lit up (D,N,R etc) and that the screen was on with "Press brake + run" or what not and this was all flashing on and off. This was still happening when I moved the fob really far away.

So I connected charger leads from our other car while it was running which gave me enough power and time to shut the car off properly and now it appears to be charging and I will see if it kicks over in the morning.

One question I have, is it safe to disconnect the car battery terminals on the Jeep? I know it's rare to completely disconnect the battery these days so I didn't want to risk it. This would help me trickle charge it without having to fight the computer in the car.

Also a bit of a rant but I'm surprised that in 2023 this would even happen and that the accessory mode wouldn't shut itself off when left in gear or if lower voltage was detected.

And lastly is it even possible to jump start this car with the FOB? I was hitting the button while it was on the jumperleads and it didn't want to kick over.

 

[garykk]

Why don’t you just buy a real charger ? They’re not that expensive.
at this point the batteries might be toast.

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