Electronics freakout while driving

[Jebiruph]

The alternator (non e-Torque/4xe Jeeps) or inverter only charges the main battery as needed. AGM batteries can not be charged past the fully charged state with 14V or they will overheat/expand/blow

So on both types of vehicles there is circuitry to measure the state of charge of the battery and stop charging when voltage exceeds a threshold (typically 12.7 to 13V) and resume charging when it drops again.

I think what happens is that the system notices the batter is fully charged, takes the charging off-line, and the battery quickly collapses causing a momentary voltage drop till the charging system picks it up again.

(That is just my wild ass guess - but I am an electrical engineer for what its worth )

For the alternator systems, it's the alternator that provides the power to the vehicle systems, not the battery. Alternator output is adjusted based on the load on the system, not just to charge the battery. If the battery needs additional charging, the output of the alternator is increased to provide additional power to charge the battery. When the battery is charged, the alternator output drops back down to just what is needed by the vehicle systems.

The etorque system should be operating the same way.

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[Rossp]

UPDATE 2: Everything has been fine for a few weeks since I replaced the battery. Behold, today, it happened again on my way home. First I got SERVICE SHIFTER warning pop up randomly at a light, and then as I was turning into my driveway the whole electronics freakout happened again and I lost power steering. So something more sinister than the battery is going on.

 

[ogo]

UPDATE 2: Everything has been fine for a few weeks since I replaced the battery. Behold, today, it happened again on my way home. First I got SERVICE SHIFTER warning pop up randomly at a light, and then as I was turning into my driveway the whole electronics freakout happened again and I lost power steering. So something more sinister than the battery is going on.

Fuses all checked / pushed down securely?

 

[Bob Burd]

I'm suspecting loose/shorting harness wires/connectors on CANBUS. Seems almost all the electronics are tied to it. Im getting more random temporary messaged (ESS, Shifter, etc) of late and am suspecting similar. You can find threads where decent techs have debugged these and seemed to have solved them.

 

[Rossp]

Fuses all checked / pushed down securely?

Checked all the fuses, all OK. I have been reading up about the wiring harness at the front that has been a source of similar issues. Even though I only have 30k miles, I'm out of warranty by 3 months and dreading what the dealership is going to charge to chase after this.

 

[USMCBK1]

Any word on what’s causing your issues?

 

[Rossp]

Any word on what’s causing your issues?

Nothing yet. There hasn’t been a repeat - I had the codes cleared last time so I will need it to occur again to take it in. Not that I want it to!

 

[DavidArmen]

Following this. Have a 2021 JLUR 3.6 eTorque. This is a rare thread in which an eTorque vehicle is having battery/canbus issues and so I am very curious.

 

[Rossp]

Following this. Have a 2021 JLUR 3.6 eTorque. This is a rare thread in which an eTorque vehicle is having battery/canbus issues and so I am very curious.

Nothing new to report yet. Admittedly, I have not driven it much but I did have it out a bit over the weekend and it was fine. I’m paranoid now that something will happen.

While this is likely not a cause, I am wondering if I had a bad tank of gas. A while back I filled up at a “cheap” station out of desperation and was barely getting 17.0 mpg. I just filled up at a better station and the mpg jumped up to 18.5. I was averaging 19.5 before, mostly city driving. Likely unrelated but I wonder if it threw something off.

 

[Rossp]

Well, it happened again this morning, while I was driving. Now the Jeep is totally dead. Won’t start, and I can’t shift it out of park. I’m having it towed to the dealership.

 

[Nitehawk92]

A related question. Me and electricity do not get along. Has anybody with the Trailer & Tow package had any strange electrical issues like this? It has a 240 Amp alternator, as opposed to the 220 standard alternator and a slightly high CCA on the battery.

 

[jmccorm]

Well, it happened again this morning, while I was driving. Now the Jeep is totally dead. Won’t start, and I can’t shift it out of park. I’m having it towed to the dealership.

How was the weather those last two times it had issues? Moisture or dry?

 

[Rossp]

How was the weather those last two times it had issues? Moisture or dry?

Dry both times.

 

[Rossp]

The Dealership has had my Jeep since Saturday, and has yet to look at it. I’m getting a bit frustrated. I’ve Spoken to them daily and they have told me they need to have one of their advanced techs look at the Jeep due to the nature of the issue, and they only have two on staff. I’m not sure what to do at this point since I’d have to get the Jeep towed to another dealership. Does this seem unreasonable?

I’m in north Jersey and only have two dealerships within a reasonable travel distance.

 

[Rossp]

Update from the dealer, and it is not good. They said they cannot get through the gateway module to read the computer. At this point they can’t diagnose what is wrong or read any of the codes. They left me a voicemail today, I have to get the details in the morning. I opened a case with Stellantis last week.

Not to moan but I really don’t know what to do here. I’m out of warranty and the meter is running on this thing.

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