JLUR battery flatlining when flat towing

[CoolTech]

So, I have a 2024 392 and contacted Kendall at CoolTech as I had the battery drain issues first time out. Below was his response. I believed his information and went with the switch instead of the battery charger option as I didn't want to be drawing down power from the battery.

2018-2023 Wrangler JL's (all trim levels): Activation of the rear LED lights via any tow harness or a home-brewed solution WILL send a 12v signal back to the BCM which will cause the Jeep to exit sleep-state and start consuming power which can lead to completely depleted batteries.

2024+ Wrangler JL's (all trim levels): In ADDITION to having the SAME issue as above, Jeep modified the brake circuit such that depressing the brake pedal will ALSO cause the Jeep to exit sleep mode and start consuming power.

We, along with the help of some owner/members of this forum pioneered a fix that has PROVEN to work very well to solve the battery drain issue in 2018-2023 JL's. For owners of 2024 model Wranglers, there is an ADDITIONAL fix needed - because depressing the brake pedal (by an aux braking device) will ALSO cause the Jeep to exit sleep-state. (On 2018-2023 Wranglers, depressing the brake pedal when the Jeep is asleep does not activate the lights, nor does it wake up the Jeep.)

Sorry, but each year that Jeep introduces model changes we don't have the resources to test all the different scenarios that may cause the Jeep to exit sleep mode. It is also quite surprising that Jeep engineers (inadvertently, I presume) introduced another wake-up scenario.

We were not aware of the 2024 additional scenario when Alease first inquired about our solution. When we DID learn of the problem, we instructed Alease that this was an additional "wake-up" scenario for which there was no known solution. I advised him that in the short term he could avoid this scenario by unplugging the OEM connector at the brake pedal. Alease didn't like/appreciate our answer and demanded to know what other alternatives existed. I informed him that an on-board charging system - although it doesn't solve any of the wake-up scenarios, could offset enough power such that the battery would likely not get depleted. With this information, Alease demanded that we send him an RVi Towed Charger ($165) and a coiled umbilical cord ($75) in lieu of the $45 product he purchased from us. Further, if we didn't send him these items, he would do his best to smear us on social media.

I regret that we did not know the additional scenario introduced on the 2024 models but I provided Alease with the best information we had at the time. In fact, we had customers (sans aux brake controllers) using our product very successfully on 2024 models. I was also very willing to work with Alease to rectify the situation - offering to refund his purchase and I probably would have even sent him an RVI Towed Charger but when he started with the colorful language and threats, this was no longer on the table.

Finally, making and selling a $45 product with, let's say 50% margin in very low volumes is not a get rich quick scheme. No one - not even Jeep themselves, figured out what was causing the battery drain issue until we did. And, no one has brought a solution to market - including Jeep, until we did. Finally, throughout this thread we have been open, transparent, and helpful to all owners about how to fix this themselves if they preferred that over a packaged solution.

Sponsored

 

[roaniecowpony]

Since I have a Genesis dual battery system, disconnecting them is the most surefire way to ensure I have battery power upon arrival at my destination. It just takes a couple of minutes, and doesn't affect function of the tail lights from the tow vehicle on my Mopar harness.

 

[Alease]

2018-2023 Wrangler JL's (all trim levels): Activation of the rear LED lights via any tow harness or a home-brewed solution WILL send a 12v signal back to the BCM which will cause the Jeep to exit sleep-state and start consuming power which can lead to completely depleted batteries.

2024+ Wrangler JL's (all trim levels): In ADDITION to having the SAME issue as above, Jeep modified the brake circuit such that depressing the brake pedal will ALSO cause the Jeep to exit sleep mode and start consuming power.

We, along with the help of some owner/members of this forum pioneered a fix that has PROVEN to work very well to solve the battery drain issue in 2018-2023 JL's. For owners of 2024 model Wranglers, there is an ADDITIONAL fix needed - because depressing the brake pedal (by an aux braking device) will ALSO cause the Jeep to exit sleep-state. (On 2018-2023 Wranglers, depressing the brake pedal when the Jeep is asleep does not activate the lights, nor does it wake up the Jeep.)

Sorry, but each year that Jeep introduces model changes we don't have the resources to test all the different scenarios that may cause the Jeep to exit sleep mode. It is also quite surprising that Jeep engineers (inadvertently, I presume) introduced another wake-up scenario.

We were not aware of the 2024 additional scenario when Alease first inquired about our solution. When we DID learn of the problem, we instructed Alease that this was an additional "wake-up" scenario for which there was no known solution. I advised him that in the short term he could avoid this scenario by unplugging the OEM connector at the brake pedal. Alease didn't like/appreciate our answer and demanded to know what other alternatives existed. I informed him that an on-board charging system - although it doesn't solve any of the wake-up scenarios, could offset enough power such that the battery would likely not get depleted. With this information, Alease demanded that we send him an RVi Towed Charger ($165) and a coiled umbilical cord ($75) in lieu of the $45 product he purchased from us. Further, if we didn't send him these items, he would do his best to smear us on social media.

I regret that we did not know the additional scenario introduced on the 2024 models but I provided Alease with the best information we had at the time. In fact, we had customers (sans aux brake controllers) using our product very successfully on 2024 models. I was also very willing to work with Alease to rectify the situation - offering to refund his purchase and I probably would have even sent him an RVI Towed Charger but when he started with the colorful language and threats, this was no longer on the table.

Finally, making and selling a $45 product with, let's say 50% margin in very low volumes is not a get rich quick scheme. No one - not even Jeep themselves, figured out what was causing the battery drain issue until we did. And, no one has brought a solution to market - including Jeep, until we did. Finally, throughout this thread we have been open, transparent, and helpful to all owners about how to fix this themselves if they preferred that over a packaged solution.

Again, he just wants to blame everyone else for selling me a product that doesn't work. I had the switch professionally installed. I was not going to start cutting into my wiring harness to get the piece of garbage removed and wasn't going to spend another $100 plus dollars to get back my $45.
Now all of a sudden Kendall says he would have sent me the RVI charger, but I wasn't nice to him. I didn't tell him what I thought of him until he refused to do anything. I posted his actual emails, nothing made up. A real businessman would have sent me the items required to fix the problem since he agrees that his product doesn't work on a 2024.
I again say, no one should buy anything from him since he doesn't stand behind what he sells and blames it on everyone else but himself.
I had a local mechanic install an on/off switch so I can just easily disconnect the battery when towing. Cost me another $250 which was cheap for what he did. I will post a picture when I get a chance. Should have done that day one but I listened to Kendall who claims to be an expert on this forum.

 

[swang]

2024+ Wrangler JL's (all trim levels): In ADDITION to having the SAME issue as above, Jeep modified the brake circuit such that depressing the brake pedal will ALSO cause the Jeep to exit sleep mode and start consuming power.

Is there a solution for the 2024+ issue yet, where depressing the brake pedal causes the Jeep to exit sleep mode?

 

[azjl#3]

so when the jeep exits sleep mode, it should shut itself back down after a time, right?

I'm going to probably use some form of simple DC to DC charger from RV to Jeep batteries.

 

[Whaler27]

2018-2023 Wrangler JL's (all trim levels): Activation of the rear LED lights via any tow harness or a home-brewed solution WILL send a 12v signal back to the BCM which will cause the Jeep to exit sleep-state and start consuming power which can lead to completely depleted batteries.

2024+ Wrangler JL's (all trim levels): In ADDITION to having the SAME issue as above, Jeep modified the brake circuit such that depressing the brake pedal will ALSO cause the Jeep to exit sleep mode and start consuming power.

We, along with the help of some owner/members of this forum pioneered a fix that has PROVEN to work very well to solve the battery drain issue in 2018-2023 JL's. For owners of 2024 model Wranglers, there is an ADDITIONAL fix needed - because depressing the brake pedal (by an aux braking device) will ALSO cause the Jeep to exit sleep-state. (On 2018-2023 Wranglers, depressing the brake pedal when the Jeep is asleep does not activate the lights, nor does it wake up the Jeep.)

Sorry, but each year that Jeep introduces model changes we don't have the resources to test all the different scenarios that may cause the Jeep to exit sleep mode. It is also quite surprising that Jeep engineers (inadvertently, I presume) introduced another wake-up scenario.

We were not aware of the 2024 additional scenario when Alease first inquired about our solution. When we DID learn of the problem, we instructed Alease that this was an additional "wake-up" scenario for which there was no known solution. I advised him that in the short term he could avoid this scenario by unplugging the OEM connector at the brake pedal. Alease didn't like/appreciate our answer and demanded to know what other alternatives existed. I informed him that an on-board charging system - although it doesn't solve any of the wake-up scenarios, could offset enough power such that the battery would likely not get depleted. With this information, Alease demanded that we send him an RVi Towed Charger ($165) and a coiled umbilical cord ($75) in lieu of the $45 product he purchased from us. Further, if we didn't send him these items, he would do his best to smear us on social media.

I regret that we did not know the additional scenario introduced on the 2024 models but I provided Alease with the best information we had at the time. In fact, we had customers (sans aux brake controllers) using our product very successfully on 2024 models. I was also very willing to work with Alease to rectify the situation - offering to refund his purchase and I probably would have even sent him an RVI Towed Charger but when he started with the colorful language and threats, this was no longer on the table.

Finally, making and selling a $45 product with, let's say 50% margin in very low volumes is not a get rich quick scheme. No one - not even Jeep themselves, figured out what was causing the battery drain issue until we did. And, no one has brought a solution to market - including Jeep, until we did. Finally, throughout this thread we have been open, transparent, and helpful to all owners about how to fix this themselves if they preferred that over a packaged solution.

Thanks for the explanation. Don’t sweat it. If I got this fired up about every $50 purchase that didn’t do all it promised I’d have a stroke, or be so miserable I’d never get out of bed.

 

[azjl#3]

going to try the sleep mode thing today

 

[nicizit]

@CoolTech first off, thanks for finding that much needed fix and making it available to others!

I installed it last night from scratch (I have the mopar harness) and I have the rear taillight guards on that have a border of that 3m vhb tape and they were darn near impossible to remove to install the mopar harness. Thinking I was done, I replaced all the vhb tape and made sure the taillights were extra secure.

Fast forward to the cooltech fix installation and I just took a leap. Only one other in my bundle could be the white with gray stripe, but the two I picked were close to each other. I tested the next size up and found the reverse light wire Of course respliced and all good.

So, my question is, will the bulb error be for the turn signals? That is the error I got. Then after turning them back on (switch to jeep mode), the error cleared, until I used the left turn signal, then it gave a right turn signal error (as it seemingly recognized the LED emitter) and then I ran the right signal for a bit, waited for the same change of relay sound/light pattern and the right signal error disappeared.

I feel like I got the right wires, but a confirmation would really put my mind at ease.

Thanks a ton!

 

[azjl#3]

I verified if you push brake pedal jeep asleep doors closed, it wakes up waiting to be started. Key was not inside. So every brake application will draw power


Anyone try a solar panel to charge?

 

[Jgam]

Thank you to everyone that has contributed to this, it's helped me fantastically. On a side note, I have installed the CoolTech disconnect switch as well as a charger module in my 2018 JL Unlimited Rubicon it works perfectly. I also installed a braking system that is applied by air to push the peddle in the Jeep, one side benefit is now the third brake light works.

Sponsored