JLUR Dead Battery (Update-Im told bad alternator)

[Jebiruph]

I mean I can ask them again and to see the notes...but the service advisor reported that after a 90min test both batteries came back normal. I want to trust everyone knows what they're doing but yeah...


The other issue being a "service ESS" warning on the dash.

There have been a few posts of batteries draining over night for no apparent reason. Probably due to a glitch leading to not all systems properly shutting down. I suspect this is what happened to you and is why batteries test OK. It seems like your alternator is working, but shouldn't hurt to let the dealer replace it. I would press them to know what the specific problem is with it.

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[RubiRob]

Scott,

Call (CALL) @JeepCares and give them information on your problem. When I had my warranty issue, they expedited the part I needed from the assembly line to the dealership. They will be much more helpful than St Charles Jeep.

Did you drive the Jeep at all since it started again? Did you have any warnings or issues? Is it possible at all something was left on while you were gone for 2 weeks that drained the battery on its own? One of my co-workers went through a 6 month warranty hell only to find out his glove box was cracked open and the light was on the whole time because of it. I've caught myself accidently leaving it on aux once or twice before, those push button starts can mess with you if your mind is elsewhere.

Reading your post it says that the alternator was bad, but the service advisor said it isn't? Did they clarify that?

 

[subiescott77]

There have been a few posts of batteries draining over night for no apparent reason. Probably due to a glitch leading to not all systems properly shutting down. I suspect this is what happened to you and is why batteries test OK. It seems like your alternator is working, but shouldn't hurt to let the dealer replace it. I would press them to know what the specific problem is with it.

The dealer told me otherwise, though. They said the alternator was not maintaining where it should be. Here are the known facts...

-There was no power what so ever when I got back
-Jumping from a Ford Explorer gave normal signs of power but unable to start the vehicle none the less. No starter noise.
-Battery charger placed on the master battery with numerous and constant clicking noises from the fuse box. Voltage read 2-2.5 amps and on occasion dropped to 0, then returned to 2-2.5 and never exceeded.
-Turning on ACC power inside the car made the entire vehicle electrical system go haywire and flash sporadically.
-Took battery charger off for a while.
-Placed battery charger on over night. No more fuse box clicking...
-In the AM attempted to start the vehicle. It seemed the push to start button had lag. x2 presses and finally the vehicle started.
-I never checked my initial electrical reading but two hours later and prior to leaving for the dealer, I thought I saw 14.9. I did turn the vehicle off and waited a few minutes, with success turning back on.
-Drove to dealer where they performed battery test on both batteries. I was told they cannot do any maintenance/replacement until the batteries are tested.
-90min or so later I was told the alternator was not performing properly. Both batteries checked out normally.
-Update from yesterday, told the part was not in stock and needed to be ordered. Now it won't possibly arrive until Thursday.

This is becoming a joke because I'm skeptical as to what caused the batteries to drain in the first place. Possibly my ESS not working on occasion in the past month or two is the cause? That is the only warning I saw on my display driving to the dealer....was "ESS Not Available" and to "Have ESS Serviced."

Is the alternator possibly a bad link in that whole chain of a system?

 

[RubiRob]

"ESS Not Available"

I don't know the exact message it says on the dash when it does it, but ESS won't enable if its too cold. In Illinois, its been that cold many times this season.

 

[subiescott77]

ESS won't display anything if it is too cold or doesn't meet any of the other 10+ parameters it requires. But I've noted it should have engaged at numerous times and did not....yet none of those parameters were even present.

 

[RubiRob]

ESS won't display anything if it is too cold or doesn't meet any of the other 10+ parameters it requires. But I've noted it should have engaged at numerous times and did not....yet none of those parameters were even present.

It does .

If you cycle through the steering display you will see an ESS page and what's it's doing. (Charging / ready etc)

 

[subiescott77]

Never cycled to that screen then or skipped right over it. I keep it on fuel economy.

 

[RubiRob]

Never cycled to that screen then or skipped right over it. I keep it on fuel economy.

Next time it doesn't activate at a stop, check that screen. Most likely it's charging. At least from my experience, that's what it's said.

 

[Jeepsterfreak]

Next time it doesn't activate at a stop, check that screen. Most likely it's charging. At least from my experience, that's what it's said.

In addition to the ESS specific menus in the cluster, there is also a general battery charge warning light. If your alternator was bad you would think you would see the battery warning light. Any way, let your dealer do their thing under warranty and hopefully everything works out.

 

[Jebiruph]

The dealer told me otherwise, though. They said the alternator was not maintaining where it should be. Here are the known facts...

-There was no power what so ever when I got back
-Jumping from a Ford Explorer gave normal signs of power but unable to start the vehicle none the less. No starter noise.
-Battery charger placed on the master battery with numerous and constant clicking noises from the fuse box. Voltage read 2-2.5 amps and on occasion dropped to 0, then returned to 2-2.5 and never exceeded.
-Turning on ACC power inside the car made the entire vehicle electrical system go haywire and flash sporadically.
-Took battery charger off for a while.
-Placed battery charger on over night. No more fuse box clicking...
-In the AM attempted to start the vehicle. It seemed the push to start button had lag. x2 presses and finally the vehicle started.
-I never checked my initial electrical reading but two hours later and prior to leaving for the dealer, I thought I saw 14.9. I did turn the vehicle off and waited a few minutes, with success turning back on.
-Drove to dealer where they performed battery test on both batteries. I was told they cannot do any maintenance/replacement until the batteries are tested.
-90min or so later I was told the alternator was not performing properly. Both batteries checked out normally.
-Update from yesterday, told the part was not in stock and needed to be ordered. Now it won't possibly arrive until Thursday.

This is becoming a joke because I'm skeptical as to what caused the batteries to drain in the first place. Possibly my ESS not working on occasion in the past month or two is the cause? That is the only warning I saw on my display driving to the dealer....was "ESS Not Available" and to "Have ESS Serviced."

Is the alternator possibly a bad link in that whole chain of a system?

If you haven't seen it yet, one of the things I touch on in this thread is the affect two dead batteries have on jump starting.
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/3-6l-ess-battery-basics.20794/

Haywire electronics, sporadic flashing and clicking fuse box relays are all symptoms of very weak batteries. As your dead batteries are charged, they get to a state were they have enough power to impact the electronics, but not enough power for proper electronic operation. As the charge increases, the electronics start working correctly and finally there's enough charge to crank the starter.

If you're getting 14.9 volts out of the alternator, it seems to be working and I've never heard of an alternator draining a battery. ESS not working won't drain the batteries, it's a sympton, not a cause. I hope they knew enough to isolate the batteries before testing, from your description it sounds like a bad aux battery (or bad PCR/fuse preventing the aux battery from charging).

Good thing is the dealer is working on it, hopefully they will get it figured out.

 

[RubiRob]

Haywire electronics, sporadic flashing and clicking fuse box relays are all symptoms of very weak batteries. As your dead batteries are charged, they get to a state were they have enough power to impact the electronics, but not enough power for proper electronic operation. As the charge increases, the electronics start working correctly and finally there's enough charge to crank the starter.

If you're getting 14.9 volts out of the alternator, it seems to be working and I've never heard of an alternator draining a battery..

That was my impression as well as far as the flashing and clicking. Just trickle charged a pickup last week and noticed the same thing. Could it just be that something ended up draining the battery (whether it's anything from the OP leaving something on to an electrical problem) and that was it? Could Jeep have misdiagnosed the alternator issue? I just looked at my Jeep and it was 14.7 volts.

 

[subiescott77]

That was my impression as well as far as the flashing and clicking. Just trickle charged a pickup last week and noticed the same thing. Could it just be that something ended up draining the battery (whether it's anything from the OP leaving something on to an electrical problem) and that was it? Could Jeep have misdiagnosed the alternator issue? I just looked at my Jeep and it was 14.7 volts.

I also expect my alternator voltage readings to be high when a steering wheel heater, seat heater, and cabin heater are all on. So that's why I'm confused with the dealer stating it is a bad alternator. I'm gonna have to call them on Monday to ask if they isolated both batteries let alone if they're looking into fuses and etc. Like I said I want to let the dealer do their thing, they work in that field and I don't....but I've heard and read horror stories about throwing part after part at a problem with no luck. This is utterly unexpected for a rig under 9k miles....

 

[RubiRob]

I also expect my alternator voltage readings to be high when a steering wheel heater, seat heater, and cabin heater are all on. So that's why I'm confused with the dealer stating it is a bad alternator. I'm gonna have to call them on Monday to ask if they isolated both batteries let alone if they're looking into fuses and etc. Like I said I want to let the dealer do their thing, they work in that field and I don't....but I've heard and read horror stories about throwing part after part at a problem with no luck. This is utterly unexpected for a rig under 9k miles....

If I were you I would stop there tomorrow and ask them if you can start your Jeep to see what the voltage is at. Wouldn't hurt anything and would give you some info if there's a problem or not. I don't trust dealers as much as most.

 

[Jebiruph]

That was my impression as well as far as the flashing and clicking. Just trickle charged a pickup last week and noticed the same thing. Could it just be that something ended up draining the battery (whether it's anything from the OP leaving something on to an electrical problem) and that was it? Could Jeep have misdiagnosed the alternator issue? I just looked at my Jeep and it was 14.7 volts.

This is what I suspect is happening.

 

[CharlieS3]

Actually, I have reported that. My 2019 JLUR 2.0 had the 12V battery fail in its second week. Not only were we unable to start it with a battery jump box, combined with a starter charger, but I also could not get the transmission (auto) to shift out of park, even using the override. We ended up having to put sliders under the wheels and winch it onto the tiltbed for towing.

The battery, however, had a bad cell and I'm not sure that it wouldn't work with a dead, but otherwise good battery that just needed a charge.

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