What's the meaning of this?

[wv_gladiator]

I've been getting this message since the temperature dropped. Gladiator still s

tarts fine. I get the message every time I start the vehicle now.

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[Lunentucker]

 

[Gruffid]

It means your starter battery is drained. Probably because your aux battery is killing your starter battery. Good luck

 

[Mr._Bill]

How old are your batteries? One or both of them likely needs replaced. Disconnect the battery cables and charge each one separately. My charger will show a fail message if the battery is in poor condition.

 

[Rusty PW]

Mine did this a couple of times. And the ESS didn't work either. Then all of the sudden. It quit showing the message and my ESS started working again. My voltage has always been between 13.7 and 14 volts.

 

[Lunentucker]

 

[BeepBeep]

I think the better question is… How are you averaging 20.8 mpg? ? ?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sorry, but the dude could be right, here.

The truck can start on pretty low batteries, however, the aux switches have a minimum voltage cut-off below which they won't operate.

I've been getting this message since the temperature dropped. Gladiator still starts fine. I get the message every time I start the vehicle now.

Do this - next time you start your truck, keep your foot OFF the brake pedal, press the start button two times. Now scroll the cluster up or down to get to the display that shows oil temp, engine temp and so on and scroll left or right to see the voltage.
Read it while the truck is NOT running.
Now start the truck normally and check the voltage as it's running.

Batteries are harder than heck to charge when it's cold outside. And if your truck sits a lot - it may be your batteries are ok, but you don't drive it OFTEN enough or FAR enough.

The issue could actually be the main battery OR the aux battery. That's why it's best to check voltage with it not running, at rest, and see where the voltage is with it running.
The diesel likely, though, is a bigger load on the starter so a battery at 11.8 isn't going to crank it well in cold weather - making the aux more likely.

Bottom line - time to charge the batteries fully with a good charger and have them load tested.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I think the better question is… How are you averaging 20.8 mpg? ? ?

Yeah, that's pretty bad for a diesel.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It means your starter battery is drained. Probably because your aux battery is killing your starter battery. Good luck

Nope - bad info. It's not always how it works. In fact, the aux battery can be fine and the main battery go bad.
The aux switches kick out at about 11.8 volts. Below that they shut down.
That bit about "the aux battery always goes taking out the main battery" just isn't the case in every case. Happens sometimes, but for sure not always.
It could be that because it's COLD out, he's not driving it OFTEN enough or FAR enough to keep COLD batteries up.

But throwing mud at the wall to see what sticks won't help with a true solution.
Best to charge them properly, correctly, and have them tested, or measure the voltage of each, etc.

 

[Lunentucker]

Sorry, but the dude could be right, here.

I see your judgemental comma! ?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I see your judgemental comma! ?

Rats! I had a different sentence, decided to change it and left that there.

 

[Lunentucker]

At 34k miles it should be still under warranty. I'm guessing it's at least two years old.
My money, if I had any, would be on that lawn mower battery hidden in the cold behind the fender liner.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

At 34k miles it should be still under warranty. I'm guessing it's at least two years old.
My money, if I had any, would be on that lawn mower battery hidden in the cold behind the fender liner.

Please stop insulting lawn mower batteries that way. The one in my JD X739 is about 7 years old.

 

[Lunentucker]

Please stop insulting lawn mower batteries that way. The one in my JD X739 is about 7 years old.

5 years on my Ferris, but I probably run more hours than you do.
I do get off-lawn too.

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