ESS battery dead

[huberro2]

I have a 2019 JL. Rubicon.. I owned it for about a year. Ever since the interior lights did not automatically turn off and drained the battery, I have had problems starting. With a weaken battery (though fully recharged), I believe the Security Alarm System and EVTS are a constant drain. I now have to keep a 5 amp trickle charge to keep it charged up. Like many I'm a weekender, so it sits for 5 days at a time. I plan on changing out the ESS battery for a full size, switchable for camping, Genesis Dual Battery Kit $529, plus two new deep cycle batteries. and be mindful of the interior lights (a switch on the dash). As far as the ESS, I turn it off, as soon as I get going anyway. Just another stupid California regulation to improve MPG as far as I'm concerned. Sunshine tax. Would like to program it permanently off. Any ideas, other than faking out the computer? Plus, I wanted to use the port for a Superchips TrailDash 2 instead of Tazer. Thanks

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[WranglerMan]

I have a 2019 JL. Rubicon.. I owned it for about a year. Ever since the interior lights did not automatically turn off and drained the battery, I have had problems starting. With a weaken battery (though fully recharged), I believe the Security Alarm System and EVTS are a constant drain. I now have to keep a 5 amp trickle charge to keep it charged up. Like many I'm a weekender, so it sits for 5 days at a time. I plan on changing out the ESS battery for a full size, switchable for camping, Genesis Dual Battery Kit $529, plus two new deep cycle batteries. and be mindful of the interior lights (a switch on the dash). As far as the ESS, I turn it off, as soon as I get going anyway. Just another stupid California regulation to improve MPG as far as I'm concerned. Sunshine tax. Would like to program it permanently off. Any ideas, other than faking out the computer? Plus, I wanted to use the port for a Superchips TrailDash 2 instead of Tazer. Thanks

As far as ESS goes there are some options like hood switch ( gives a error message) Tazer but it has to be left plugged in but I believe if you get the mini the port is still open and lastly you can get a Smart Stop/ Start module and all it does is ESS ( it’s what I use and it’s perfect for just ESS )

I keep my JL on a trickle charger a lot and so far have had no issues but I’m sure the ESS battery will crap out soon and I will have to decide what I will do then like either bypass it with a jumper and let it sit without removing or go to a genesis system ( pretty pricy ) as I have said many times, I don’t honestly care that it’s a two battery system but the location of the ESS battery is poorly located

 

[HardSell]

Lucky I was parked in my driveway at home and not somewhere remote.

Indeed! I've experienced about a dozen remote trail failures over the past 30 years of wheeling. Packed enough tools and manuals to get me out. Three failures required overnight stays where NO ONE passed by. Despite my abilities, the inevitable failure of the electronic Rube Goldberg sequences (without a Start Regardless fail-safe bypass) now required to get ignition in the new JLs discouraged me from purchasing one. The FCA products are completely safe within 15 miles of traffic and room temperature weather.

 

[MLS_AZ]

As far as the ESS, I turn it off, as soon as I get going anyway. Just another stupid California regulation to improve MPG as far as I'm concerned. Sunshine tax. Would like to program it permanently off. Any ideas, other than faking out the computer? Plus, I wanted to use the port for a Superchips TrailDash 2 instead of Tazer. Thanks

I read this post online that said if you put a 6 or 7-round trailer light tester in your hitch, the vehicle computer thinks you're towing a trailer and will not activate the ESS. I tried it and it works. The ESS stays off and I do not have to mess with it. And, no error message/light on the dash. I have not seen any issues with it.

I do not like the ESS system since it uses the battery and starter motor more than you need to. I can forgo the MPG gain for less use of the electrical components.

Just my 2 cents.......

 

[huberro2]

I agree with your extension of Starter/Solenoid and Ignition Electronic Components lifespan. You only get so many starts before a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF). Thanks for the suggestion. Going to try the tester. I need one anyway for my other vehicle (4X4, lifted Yukon XL). Have toys (boats, trailers), will play. The Jeep has a tow package/air bags for short hauls. I'm going to chat with Superchips on maybe adding a feature to de-program ESS too, in their next model. I bet that alone will improve sales, due to every Jeep owner's annoyance with ESS !!!

 

[MLS_AZ]

I ended up with a 7-pin round plug with a 4-pin adapter for my ATV trailer. Works the same way and no problem with ESS.

Amazing what people discover and come up with. This was an easy solution for the ESS disable.

 

[MLS_AZ]

Yeah.....just bypassing a designed, legal option to get away from that which we do not want/need. Proles we are!

 

[CRZYCDN]

By chance will the ESS battery cause the Electronic Stability Control to disable as well?

Jeep is at the dealer to get figured out but this had happened twice over a couple days ....after the check engine light and electronic sway bar disconnect ...and auto start...and ESC waring all came on...

Thoughts?

 

[dalema]

By chance will the ESS battery cause the Electronic Stability Control to disable as well?

Jeep is at the dealer to get figured out but this had happened twice over a couple days ....after the check engine light and electronic sway bar disconnect ...and auto start...and ESC waring all came on...

Thoughts?

it could - once you get into a low battery situation all those things start playing up

 

[Leisure Freak]

I bought my 2019 JL Sport with a build 4/19 in Jan/20. So it had been sitting around a bit before I bought it. I haven't had any issues with ESS or drainage but it has only sat for at most a week between driving it and that only happened a couple of times. I've been taking short 10 min mental health cruises every 3 days during the pandemic. Maybe I'm lucky or it being a stripped down Sport has less parasitic draw. After reading all the horror stories, the ESS and maintaining a fully charged battery is something I always keep an eye on. I have my trusty N1-N2 fused ESS bypass jumper, battery clamp wrench, and jump box handy for the inevitable future failure.

 

[Minty JL]

It took them all day and overnight to replace a battery?

I’m not sure that I consider that good service.

Not trying to be a troll........BUT you sound like one of "those" customers, nothing can make you happy. You have unrealistic expectations; sorry calling it as I see it. NOW..............

JL owner arrives w/o an appointment and gets it back in less than 24hours, sounds good to me as a part time tech. Lucky they even had a Tech available.

Dealers do not stock every single of the 10,000s of parts ........there is that thing called overhead. Scheduling an appointment allows the shop to allocate a tech to the job and get the supplies and parts for the service. A dead Jeep just sitting on the lift isn't making the Tech or the dealer money.....it cost them money.

 

[Dkretden]

Not trying to be a troll........BUT you sound like one of "those" customers, nothing can make you happy. You have unrealistic expectations; sorry calling it as I see it. NOW..............

JL owner arrives w/o an appointment and gets it back in less than 24hours, sounds good to me as a part time tech. Lucky they even had a Tech available.

Dealers do not stock every single of the 10,000s of parts ........there is that thing called overhead. Scheduling an appointment allows the shop to allocate a tech to the job and get the supplies and parts for the service. A dead Jeep just sitting on the lift isn't making the Tech or the dealer money.....it cost them money.

You are certainly welcome to your opinion as am I.

in 40-years of driving I have needed to leave my non-fca vehicle over night less than a handful of times And virtually always for a significant item — like a valve job on a high-mileage camry.

My FIRST appointment with a well regarded Jeep dealer in houston took 4 days to schedule and then they needed to keep it overnight to check the battery in the ess system. Frankly, that is crappy service given my personal experience of 40-years of owning Fords, Toyotas, Audi’s, and Acura’s. Period.

The last time I brought my acura in for a “check this and check that“ appointment, it took one day to schedule, they checked everything, and had it back same day............ but not FCA.

had an issue with and Audi once. Towed it to the dealer. Checked and fixed that day. Easy.

the OP in this post needed a freaking battery checked.... a battery...... checked.... simple... check the battery...... and they had to keep his car overnight. Do I believe that the dealership that sells you a $50k luxury vehicle should be able to check the battery system in your vehicle the same day as the vehicle gets towed? YES.

you Can choose to be happy with service that is BELOW AVERAGE. I’m not.

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