Start stop battery charging message

[Rsw912]

Just got a new to me 2019 rubicon. Message on dash says stop start not working due to battery charging. No warning lights on the dash. Is there any test I can run before starting to throw batteries in this thing. Don't care about the ess but don't want to end up stranded either. Voltage on dash is at 14.1 while driving. 3.6 engine. Thanks in advance.

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[Reinen]

That actually is a battery test, and it failed so ESS refuses to work. When you start seeing that message without an obvious reason you have somewhere around 2-3 months before you have weird electrical issues that will leave you stranded.

If they are the original batteries, give them a big thank you because they've lasted longer than average. At this point you should replace both Main & Aux regardless of whether one of them still tests "good". These batteries are linked 99% of the time so you want them both at equal levels of wear to maximize their lifespans (i.e. both new). If you only replace one, the older battery will reduce the lifespan of the new battery and you'll go through more batteries than you should.

 

[Fudster]

Just got a new to me 2019 rubicon. Message on dash says stop start not working due to battery charging. No warning lights on the dash. Is there any test I can run before starting to throw batteries in this thing. Don't care about the ess but don't want to end up stranded either. Voltage on dash is at 14.1 while driving. 3.6 engine. Thanks in advance.

Ryan there are many options available to us to address your issues, each with their explanations.

That said, maybe others know what you are talking about but am respectfully confused regarding what you mean when you say throw batteries in this thing.

As a 2019 it may be time to replace the batteries, but it's best to know your priorities before recommendations are made. For example, it seems that you don't care for the ESS system and we can advise you on taking the second ESS battery out of the vehicle's circuitry and/or its physical removal while your also replacing its main battery, assuming it hasn't been already.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

I would start with just replacing the aux battery

 

[Rsw912]

Update... replaced both batteries this morning. Main battery tested bad at auto parts store and aux tested good but needed recharge. Replaced both because I had already pulled both and they were both original from 2019. Message is still on dash after 30 min drive that battery is charging. I should be in the clear that one battery is gonna kill the other correct?

 

[Fudster]

Update... replaced both batteries this morning. Main battery tested bad at auto parts store and aux tested good but needed recharge. Replaced both because I had already pulled both and they were both original from 2019. Message is still on dash after 30 min drive that battery is charging. I should be in the clear that one battery is gonna kill the other correct?

Provided the new batteries you acquired aren't themselves defective (rare, but it happens) it's unlikely I think that one of the new batteries will cannibalize the other.

I'd be inclined, if you have one/access to shore power, to put a trickle charge on the terminals of the main battery--which will charge both batteries to see if, at the next crank, this message is goes away.

Good luck--keep us posted.

 

[Jeepiner]

Update... replaced both batteries this morning. Main battery tested bad at auto parts store and aux tested good but needed recharge. Replaced both because I had already pulled both and they were both original from 2019. Message is still on dash after 30 min drive that battery is charging. I should be in the clear that one battery is gonna kill the other correct?

Literally was in the same boat as you 2 days ago. I replaced both my main & aux batteries in JLURD.

Before installing my new batteries, the main tested "low" and the aux was "good" ... only drove for 10min after installing. I then let the vehicle sit overnight, noticed the next day that my (combined) resting battery voltage was low at only ~12.3V.

Hooked it up to 10amp battery charger for a couple hours until fully charged. (Battery then reads 14.0V pretty much at all times from then on, while driving/coasting/etc.)

That is when I noticed the message "ESS not available, battery charging" ... I hit the highway for about 40-60min and the message cleared. I'll update if I find out any more relevant information.

 

[Rsw912]

Literally was in the same boat as you 2 days ago. I replaced both my main & aux batteries in JLURD.

Before installing my new batteries, the main tested "low" and the aux was "good" ... only drove for 10min after installing. I then let the vehicle sit overnight, noticed the next day that my (combined) resting battery voltage was low at only ~12.3V.

Hooked it up to 10amp battery charger for a couple hours until fully charged. (Battery then reads 14.0V pretty much at all times from then on, while driving/coasting/etc.)

That is when I noticed the message "ESS not available, battery charging" ... I hit the highway for about 40-60min and the message cleared. I'll update if I find out any more relevant information.

Yea was reading 14.6 volts on dash while driving. It's hooked up to a battery charger right now. I'll try that. If that don't work I'll just wing it till next oil change then ask shop. Some people swear they have been riding around for a year with there's saying the same thing and not working.

 

[Reinen]

Yea was reading 14.6 volts on dash while driving. It's hooked up to a battery charger right now. I'll try that. If that don't work I'll just wing it till next oil change then ask shop. Some people swear they have been riding around for a year with there's saying the same thing and not working.

I question if they've really been driving around for a year like that but it ultimately depends on your driving patterns (how long & how often) and how the batteries are failing. I say 2-3 months because most people will be OK for that long. After that things might go haywire at any moment.

The 14.6v is good. The .5v difference reflects power lost trying to charge up the failing batteries. Just give them a good trickle charge, let the batteries settle into your charge/discharge cycle for a little bit and you should be golden.

 

[zouch]

did you do the IBS reset?

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/ibs-clear-reset.67955/

Yea was reading 14.6 volts on dash while driving. It's hooked up to a battery charger right now. I'll try that. If that don't work I'll just wing it till next oil change then ask shop. Some people swear they have been riding around for a year with there's saying the same thing and not working.

 

[Rsw912]

did you do the IBS reset?

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/ibs-clear-reset.67955/

So it looks like that says just to drive it each day after I swapped the batteries and it will relearn. Correct?

 

[zouch]

not correct.

gotta' play the game with disconnecting things first; that's the point.

So it looks like that says just to drive it each day after I swapped the batteries and it will relearn. Correct?

 

[Rsw912]

UPDATE... Put on battery charger for half a day and unplugged ibs sensor for 10 min. Everything is working great now. Thanks for yalls help.

 

[Angry Steve]

Just got a new to me 2019 rubicon. Message on dash says stop start not working due to battery charging. No warning lights on the dash. Is there any test I can run before starting to throw batteries in this thing. Don't care about the ess but don't want to end up stranded either. Voltage on dash is at 14.1 while driving. 3.6 engine. Thanks in advance.

 

[Angry Steve]

2021 Diesel JLU Sport S
I’ve had the same message, went to two different dealers they said everything was fine. Well if it’s not working I don’t know how they can say it’s fine. I replaced both batteries went through the IBS reset. Still nothing. Replaced the IBS and went through reset again. Nothing. Checked every fuse in the box, swapped around some relays. Still nothing. I read somewhere that the high amp fuse bar could be the problem. I have that ordered and should be here in a few days. After that I’ll do another IBS reset and post results. I kind of like the ESS. I have a diesel and it’s quite loud in drive throughs.

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