My auto stop start saga

[jespey]

In late 2020, we noticed that the auto start stop function stopped working in my wife’s 2020 JLUR. Her Jeep was just one year old. No warning notifications, we just noticed it never worked. Scrolling down the EVIC, it just said battery charging. Took it to the dealer, and they said the driver seat sensor was bad and they ordered a replacemen. That took about a month total. It worked fine for few days, then the same thing again. Back to the dealer, this time it’s the Intelligent Battery sensor. Ordered it, installed it, worked fine for a few days, then same thing. Took it to a larger dealer a little further away. They diagnosed it as a bad power control relay. Ordered it, installed it, worked a few days, then same thing. Another trip (always two trips, one for diagnosis and second for installation), this time the Z fuse. Guess what—-same result.

Each trip, I told the service adviser the info I found in this forums, namely it’s almost always the batteries and probably the aux battery. They told me that their hands were tied—- Jeep required them to follow a certain process, step by step. But, they too said it’s almost always the batteries.

Finally, on the next trip we went back to our local dealer. Took it in around 11:00 am, they called at 1:00 pm to say the batteries were bad and they replaced them. The auto start stop is back to working again. Now my wife just has to remember to turn it off each time because she hates it. We went to all the trouble because we were nervous that something was wrong and didn’t want her to be stranded somewhere with a dead Jeep.

Everything was fixed under warranty. But it sure cost Jeep lot of money and time to follow their corporate process, and it was incredibly inconvenient for my wife and I.

Update: It’s a couple weeks since the new batteries , and absolutely no problems with the auto start stop. Hopefully anyone else with this issue can convince their dealer to fix it the first time.

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[cobra]

I had my 2018 JL in several times for recalls. First thing they did was hook a battery charger to it before working on it. Probley why yours was good for a few days after the repairs.

 

[Wanted33]

I had the same deal with my '19. I told the service advisor the same as you did. He said the same about Jeep. He said I've got to charge the battery first which he did. He called the next day, and said that didn't work. But, he also said give me another day and I'll have the battery replaced. When I picked it up he said he did an end run around the rules (he wouldn't give me anymore on that), so it's good to go. That was two days in the shop for a dead battery. I don't know who at Jeep came up with that pocedure, but they are certainly wasting money replacing good parts when the battery is the culprit. SMH

Like you I had the same concern. I very seldom use the thing, but I didn't know if it would cause more problems down the road if I didn't get it fixed.

 

[aldo98229]

In late 2020, we noticed that the auto start stop function stopped working in my wife’s 2020 JLUR. Her Jeep was just one year old. No warning notifications, we just noticed it never worked. Scrolling down the EVIC, it just said battery charging. Took it to the dealer, and they said the driver seat sensor was bad and they ordered a replacemen. That took about a month total. It worked fine for few days, then the same thing again. Back to the dealer, this time it’s the Intelligent Battery sensor. Ordered it, installed it, worked fine for a few days, then same thing. Took it to a larger dealer a little further away. They diagnosed it as a bad power control relay. Ordered it, installed it, worked a few days, then same thing. Another trip (always two trips, one for diagnosis and second for installation), this time the Z fuse. Guess what—-same result.

Each trip, I told the service adviser the info I found in this forums, namely it’s almost always the batteries and probably the aux battery. They told me that their hands were tied—- Jeep required them to follow a certain process, step by step. But, they too said it’s almost always the batteries.

Finally, on the next trip we went back to our local dealer. Took it in around 11:00 am, they called at 1:00 pm to say the batteries were bad and they replaced them. The auto start stop is back to working again. Now my wife just has to remember to turn it off each time because she hates it. We went to all the trouble because we were nervous that something was wrong and didn’t want her to be stranded somewhere with a dead Jeep.

Everything was fixed under warranty. But it sure cost Jeep lot of money and time to follow their corporate process, and it was incredibly inconvenient for my wife and I.

Glad to hear you got things resolved!

I’ve been buying Chryslers and Jeeps for 30+ years: never seen dealer service be as bad as it is these days.

Customer service started declining around 2014-15, right around the time FCA was formally incorporated into an automaker under complete Fiat control.

I found your comment above in bold particularly revealing. My recent experience with Jeep dealers has been similar.

Unfortunately, it appears FCA has completely eliminated individual initiative from the equation, and the freedom to think independently out of its dealers’ service departments, turning them into mindless drones.

No wonder CDJR dealers are having a hell of a time finding and retaining qualified techs.

 

[Chupacabra]

Everything was fixed under warranty. But it sure cost Jeep lot of money and time to follow their corporate process, and it was incredibly inconvenient for my wife and I.

Mine's doing the same thing and if I charge the batteries with a battery tender it'll work again for a few weeks.

I will probably just replace the small battery myself. I know it's a PITA but probably less so than dealing with the dealer, leaving my Jeep, etc. I don't have any warnings about charging, so I know they won't do anything about it anyway until it shows *something* on the display.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

In late 2020, we noticed that the auto start stop function stopped working in my wife’s 2020 JLUR. Her Jeep was just one year old. No warning notifications, we just noticed it never worked. Scrolling down the EVIC, it just said battery charging. Took it to the dealer, and they said the driver seat sensor was bad and they ordered a replacemen. That took about a month total. It worked fine for few days, then the same thing again. Back to the dealer, this time it’s the Intelligent Battery sensor. Ordered it, installed it, worked fine for a few days, then same thing. Took it to a larger dealer a little further away. They diagnosed it as a bad power control relay. Ordered it, installed it, worked a few days, then same thing. Another trip (always two trips, one for diagnosis and second for installation), this time the Z fuse. Guess what—-same result.

Each trip, I told the service adviser the info I found in this forums, namely it’s almost always the batteries and probably the aux battery. They told me that their hands were tied—- Jeep required them to follow a certain process, step by step. But, they too said it’s almost always the batteries.

Finally, on the next trip we went back to our local dealer. Took it in around 11:00 am, they called at 1:00 pm to say the batteries were bad and they replaced them. The auto start stop is back to working again. Now my wife just has to remember to turn it off each time because she hates it. We went to all the trouble because we were nervous that something was wrong and didn’t want her to be stranded somewhere with a dead Jeep.

Everything was fixed under warranty. But it sure cost Jeep lot of money and time to follow their corporate process, and it was incredibly inconvenient for my wife and I.

@jespey

Suggest you buy your Wife a @SmartStopStart.com (Forum Sponsor) unit for an early Xmas present... Install is easy easy... https://www.smartstopstart.com/

Do not buy the slightly less expensive knock off of the SmartStopStart as it is known to be problematic, cause hiccups periodically and more.... like no start because of dead battery(s).

.

 

[JL MADDOG]

@jespey

Suggest you buy your Wife a @SmartStopStart.com (Forum Sponsor) unit for an early Xmas present... Install is easy easy... https://www.smartstopstart.com/

Do not buy the slightly less expensive knock off of the SmartStopStart as it is known to be problematic, cause hiccups periodically and more.... like no start because of dead battery(s).

I agree wholeheartedly. This is good advice. I didn't like how the ESS system worked, the lag I experienced is start up in traffic and the entire issue of a significant increase in the number of engine starts wearing on the assembly.

I installed the SmartStopStart module in April of this year and I am much happier knowing I won't have to worry about that battery, starter life or the lag. And, I don't have to remember to turn off ESS each time I start the vehicle.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

I agree wholeheartedly. This is good advice. I didn't like how the ESS system worked, the lag I experienced is start up in traffic and the entire issue of a significant increase in the number of engine starts wearing on the assembly.

I installed the SmartStopStart module in April of this year and I am much happier knowing I won't have to worry about that battery, starter life or the lag. And, I don't have to remember to turn off ESS each time I start the vehicle.

@JL MADDOG

Another plus is you can resell that SmartStopUnit that did all your button pushes for you when you eventually sell your JL. Sell the SSS and you will recoop much of the $ you initially spent on it..

Just don't... as many other's here do .... get the idea in your head, that if you do routinely do the ESS button push, use a SmartStopStart unit or Tazer JL to do the button push for you, that you have no or will not have any Auxiliary battery issues/failures, worries, etc...

Regardless of whether you use the ESS, the Aux battery is a battery and will die, can become depleted, can cause JL / JT issues across the board so to speak.

A prudent JL / JT owner will replace the battery(2) every say 3 yrs., regardless of whether they use ESS or not.... regardless of any other factors....

Reality is batteries need to be maintained /replaced as part of the maintenance procedure of the vehicle.

.

 

[JL MADDOG]

@JL MADDOG

Another plus is you can resell that SmartStopUnit that did all your button pushes for you when you eventually sell your JL. Sell the SSS and you will recoop much of the $ you initially spent on it..

Just don't... as many other's here do .... get the idea in your head, that if you do routinely do the ESS button push, use a SmartStopStart unit or Tazer JL to do the button push for you, that you have no or will not have any Auxiliary battery issues/failures, worries, etc...

Regardless of whether you use the ESS, the Aux battery is a battery and will die, can become depleted, can cause JL / JT issues across the board so to speak.

A prudent JL / JT owner will replace the battery(2) every say 3 yrs., regardless of whether they use ESS or not.... regardless of any other factors....

Reality is batteries need to be maintained /replaced as part of the maintenance procedure of the vehicle.

I have no intention of ignoring that battery or the main unit for that matter. I'd sure like a way to do without it though.

 

[Centurion07]

I have no intention of ignoring that battery or the main unit for that matter. I'd sure like a way to do without it though.

There is a lot of info on aux battery bypass/delete procedures. I just removed my aux battery entirely, pulled the cables back up in the engine compartment, taped off the negative cable, and attached the positive cable to the main battery. Works like a charm.

 

[JL MADDOG]

There is a lot of info on aux battery bypass/delete procedures. I just removed my aux battery entirely, pulled the cables back up in the engine compartment, taped off the negative cable, and attached the positive cable to the main battery. Works like a charm.

Thanks for that.

I thought the aux battery had more than one use. If not, and there's no downside to removal, then that's what I'd do.

I'll do some searching here and read up on the subject.

 

[Iowa_Wrangler]

Only one feature that is a deal breaker and that's the ASS feature.

 

[Chupacabra]

Just got replacement battery at O'Reillys and have fender clips ordered so I will change mine out next weekend. There's a $25 rebate on the battery now at O'Reillys (for use in store at a later date) so that makes it not quite so painful.

I am just going to change it myself since I don't have any errors showing yet but since ESS quit working I'm 99% sure that little battery is on its way out. And I'd rather do this myself than waste a day and a couple trips back and forth to the dealer.

 

[Bilymac]

I'm going through this same issue with my dealer right now. They have had the jeep for over a week. Ive asked more than once if they've load tested both batteries, and have been told not yet. Supposed to be done tomorrow. We'll see.

 

[AVGeek99]

There is a lot of info on aux battery bypass/delete procedures. I just removed my aux battery entirely, pulled the cables back up in the engine compartment, taped off the negative cable, and attached the positive cable to the main battery. Works like a charm.

Does doing what you did disable the ESS feature, or just use the main battery to power it?

I have a Tazer JL Mini that I will be using to disable the ESS. If I do this is it still necessary to remove the Aux battery?

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