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JLUR battery flatlining when flat towing

Jgam

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Hello all, just talked with my installer. They have been in communication with Roadmaster at my request. My 2018 JLUR has the issue. Roadmaster told my installer that they now have a solution and sent new parts. However my installer doesn't have any dates to install the new product until sometime in October. We'll see...
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Dsdbkranz

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Hello new here and just read this entire post. Very informative. I towed my 2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4 door for the first time. It was a 13 hour drive and when I got to my destination the jeep was dead. I have LED lights and I installed the road master diode kit. I’m getting ready to go again and was thinking about cutting the gray wires (feedback sensors) and putting a temp toggle switch for both rear lights until I get home. Based on the conversations that’s the problem with the LED light setup. I’ll let you know how that works out.
After a 5 hour tow behind my motor home with the sensor wires disconnected the jeep started with no issue. Next tow would be 8 hours in a couple days.
 

Dsdbkranz

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I think what I’m going to do is connect a sensing relay to each light (elk912b) when I plug in my coach to the jeep it applies power to the relays which then open the sensor light circuit. Then when I remove the plug the relays de-energies and the sensors for the light are back to normal.
 

CoolTech

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We will have a kit out that solves this problem for OEM LED equipped Jeeps used in longer tows. The kit will work with ALL harnesses - as all have this same anomaly. Stay tuned.. (If anyone is in dire need, please send me a PM.)
 

dapipp

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We will have a kit out that solves this problem for OEM LED equipped Jeeps used in longer tows. The kit will work with ALL harnesses - as all have this same anomaly. Stay tuned.. (If anyone is in dire need, please send me a PM.)
How about a bit of information on where the kit installs before I close up all my trim.
 

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CoolTech

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Sure! The installation will be in the same location our tow harness wiring installs - under the front passenger side door sill. The switch will locate under the passenger facing outward - but protected by the seat. The switch will be labeled - in contrast to the pic, the down-toggle position will be normal "JEEP" mode, and the up position will be "TOW" mode.

Jeep Wrangler JL JLUR battery flatlining when flat towing IMG_5813
 

dapipp

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Sure! The installation will be in the same location our tow harness wiring installs - under the front passenger side door sill. The switch will locate under the passenger facing outward - but protected by the seat. The switch will be labeled - in contrast to the pic, the down-toggle position will be normal "JEEP" mode, and the up position will be "TOW" mode.
There is a small misunderstanding. I have a CoolTech harness installed and it works fine except for the LED battery drain. I am asking where the "magical solution" installs in relation to the existing harness.
 

CoolTech

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There is a small misunderstanding. I have a CoolTech harness installed and it works fine except for the LED battery drain. I am asking where the "magical solution" installs in relation to the existing harness.
Sorry, no misunderstanding. It installs in the same place. PM me and I can get you a kit sent out.
 

Al G

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I don't have the LED light package and so far no battery drain problem, but thanks Cootech for stepping up with a solution for those who need it.
 

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Just got done driving 980 miles over a 32 hour period and zero issues with Jeep battery.

Also, I did find that I get the light out message on the Jeep but it doesn't pop up on the display ever. I have to manually scroll through to the "messages" screen where I see a message saying I have a turn signal out. Really not an issue at all.
 

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JimN

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Still following along here. I had the Dead Jeep Issue after towing, added an RVi Toad Charger, issue solved. HOWEVER, I still get the Auo-Start-Stop and Traction Control issue lights on a random basis. Just drove 150 miles one way, no issue, return trip, 5 miles in and ding ding, Auto Start-Stop and Traction lights lit up. I know that in high temps the auto-start will shut off as the AC needs to run, but that doesn't trip the traction light. Just wondering if there is still something to do with the AF-1 brake or if this is unrelated. I didn't have any baseline on this Jeep before I had the brake installed. Thanks
 

RubiBlueJLU

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So I posted, showed 2 of the same post. Deleted 1 and both gone..
2021 JLURD, LED package, BLIS.
Curt tow harness.
Confirmed Jeep wake up from RV brakes.
After reading all posts and then cooltecs fix, can’t we just splice into the gray wire, under the door sill and install a switch? Isn’t that their solution?
Even a relay could be used, as mentioned before.

Any thoughts?
 

JimN

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So I posted, showed 2 of the same post. Deleted 1 and both gone..
2021 JLURD, LED package, BLIS.
Curt tow harness.
Confirmed Jeep wake up from RV brakes.
After reading all posts and then cooltecs fix, can’t we just splice into the gray wire, under the door sill and install a switch? Isn’t that their solution?
Even a relay could be used, as mentioned before.

Any thoughts?
A couple things I noticed. When putting the Jeep into Tow MOde, make douple or triple sure you don't inadvertently leave the ignition on. I caught myself twice on our last trip, a total of 5700 miles over 8 weeks. My solution however was to install an RVi Toad Charger. No issues and if you do leave the Jeep somehow turned on, the battery stays up.
 

JimN

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A couple things I noticed. When putting the Jeep into Tow MOde, make douple or triple sure you don't inadvertently leave the ignition on. I caught myself twice on our last trip, a total of 5700 miles over 8 weeks. My solution however was to install an RVi Toad Charger. No issues and if you do leave the Jeep somehow turned on, the battery stays up.
Adding here that while Push To Start is nice, it is easy to screw up. A Key in your pocket is OFF! OK, unless you have two and left the either in the switch, but, seriously, it is easy to bump the darn button to ACC and unless you take a good look, that can be the issue.
 

CoolTech

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After reading all posts and then cooltecs fix, can’t we just splice into the gray wire, under the door sill and install a switch? Isn’t that their solution?
Even a relay could be used, as mentioned before.

Any thoughts?
Yes, if you have the LED light option and you plan to tow at night and/or long durations with a lot of rear light activations, the constantly "awakened" JL will eventually consume the battery. Although Jeep may say, "functioning as designed", I sincerely believe that this is a design defect. Still not sure if Jeep has the ability to isolate this and resolve with a software update. It may or may not be possible.

Until then, RubiBlue, you are right. While towing, you to to "open" this circuit (for both the left and right side wires) while you are towing and then restore it again when you are disconnected. The solution we have uses a switch - and it is admittedly almost a trivial additional install effort when installing our harness since you are already in that area and accessing the wiring harness. But, our solution can also be used with any installed harness including the Mopar harness.

A relay can be used, but it is my belief that the drawbacks negate any advantages. I suppose the advantage is that you are trying to make the connect/disconnect automatic and using the (+) from the towed vehicle's 7-pin to "trigger" the relay. That will work, but the downsides are that there's more installation effort and that just by being connected (overnight, for example) the relay will remain energized and itself drawing current. Nevertheless, it may be something that people may want to do.
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