Sponsored

Doors off and battery dead

johneversight

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 7, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Northern California
Vehicle(s)
Wrangler JLU 2018
First time Jeep owner / first time post.

I'm have a battery problem and looking for advice. We took the doors off our 2018 JLU a couple of times now without issue, kids love it. Two days ago we took the doors off again and after sitting for a day and a half, found we had a dead battery. So, I'm wondering if there is an obvious issue we need to look out for. I'm wondering if maybe the dome lights don't shut off automatically? Are there lighting setting we should change when we run with the doors off? Any advice would be great.

Thanks
-John
Sponsored

 

TrailScooter

Well-Known Member
First Name
Scott
Joined
Aug 26, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
614
Reaction score
1,273
Location
Texas
Vehicle(s)
'20 Jeep Jt, 91 F1504x4 and so on...
It was inevitable; when fuel prices are high people steal fuel. With the rise of electric vehicles, electricity theft is on the rise. :giggle:
 
OP
OP

johneversight

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 7, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Northern California
Vehicle(s)
Wrangler JLU 2018
OMG!

While I didn't get the advice I was hoping for I got a good laugh. :clap:
Thanks for that.
 

Rhinebeck01

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 9, 2018
Threads
155
Messages
11,869
Reaction score
17,109
Location
Multiple places..
Vehicle(s)
'18 JL Rubi, '22 Prevost M H3-45,'01 Harley FatBoy
@johneversight

IF the JL was not placed in Park and then the ignition turned off..... and the vehicle was left hours/overnight, etc. the batteries would be depleted..

By the way, your 2018 JLU has 2 batteries. A Main and an Auxiliary battery that reside under the power distribution center.

Also, your 2 batteries are near the end of their life cycle. You will very soon be replacing them.
 

NewJLU2019

Well-Known Member
First Name
Curtis
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Threads
17
Messages
2,192
Reaction score
3,419
Location
Texas
Vehicle(s)
2021 Rubicon Unlimited 2019 Sahara Unlimited
Occupation
Retired
Vehicle Showcase
1
Just to add. I had my doors off for almost 3 months. When I use the rear back door my dome lights come on but go off after like 20 seconds. Unless your dome light knob on dash has been moved your dome lights will not stay on.

@Rhinebeck01 is probably right on if you still have original batteries.
 

Sponsored

Rhinebeck01

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 9, 2018
Threads
155
Messages
11,869
Reaction score
17,109
Location
Multiple places..
Vehicle(s)
'18 JL Rubi, '22 Prevost M H3-45,'01 Harley FatBoy
Just to add. I had my doors off for almost 3 months. When I use the rear back door my dome lights come on but go off after like 20 seconds. Unless your dome light knob on dash has been moved your dome lights will not stay on.

@Rhinebeck01 is probably right on if you still have original batteries.
@NewJLU2019

Interior lights will always time out regardless..
 
OP
OP

johneversight

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 7, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Northern California
Vehicle(s)
Wrangler JLU 2018
@johneversight

IF the JL was not placed in Park and then the ignition turned off..... and the vehicle was left hours/overnight, etc. the batteries would be depleted..

By the way, your 2018 JLU has 2 batteries. A Main and an Auxiliary battery that reside under the power distribution center.

Also, your 2 batteries are near the end of their life cycle. You will very soon be replacing them.
Thanks for the input. It's possible the Jeep was turned off out of park sine we had been moving it around the driveway several times while doing a fender mod. I'll keep an eye out for that.
 
OP
OP

johneversight

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 7, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Northern California
Vehicle(s)
Wrangler JLU 2018
Just to add. I had my doors off for almost 3 months. When I use the rear back door my dome lights come on but go off after like 20 seconds. Unless your dome light knob on dash has been moved your dome lights will not stay on.

@Rhinebeck01 is probably right on if you still have original batteries.
Thanks for your input, I was really wondering how the lights behaved with the doors off so its good to know I don't need to worry about kids leaving the dome light on and killing the battery.
 
OP
OP

johneversight

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 7, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Northern California
Vehicle(s)
Wrangler JLU 2018
@johneversight

IF the JL was not placed in Park and then the ignition turned off..... and the vehicle was left hours/overnight, etc. the batteries would be depleted..

By the way, your 2018 JLU has 2 batteries. A Main and an Auxiliary battery that reside under the power distribution center.

Also, your 2 batteries are near the end of their life cycle. You will very soon be replacing them.
Yes, the batteries are at or approaching EOL. CarMax warranty is currently replacing the auxiliary battery. Just had the dealership do a 30K mile service and they made no mention of the primary battery being EOL. I'll need to check on the primary battery.
 

Rhinebeck01

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 9, 2018
Threads
155
Messages
11,869
Reaction score
17,109
Location
Multiple places..
Vehicle(s)
'18 JL Rubi, '22 Prevost M H3-45,'01 Harley FatBoy
@johneversight

Ok... but you added more pieces to the puzzle so to speak with your last post.

Just so you know.... your JLU may have an Aux. battery that is shot... ready to go belly up any minute lets say... your old Main is probably on it's last legs also. Only way to tell is to have them both load tested separately.

IF your 2018's, Aux battery gets to a certain level of depletion, your 2018, will not start.... will not start even if the Main battery is fully charged/not depleted..

Unlike the 2019-2021 JL's, your 2018 will not start on the second try if the Aux battery is depleted. So, depleted Aux and you will have a no start situation...

Again, 2019-2021's behave differently. You can have a TSB applied to your 2018 JL that will make it behave like the 2019-2021's.
Sponsored

 
 



Top