Stupid ESS System

[Gladiator Brad 704]

2020 JTR Auto. Start stop not ready battery charging. Last time about 6 months ago I replaced the aux battery. I also have a 2019 Pacifica with the same motor and ESS system. Never had any problems or warning messages. Why so many problems with the Jeep system?

Going to pull the F42 fuse and disconnect the negative battery cable from the aux battery. Do I also need one of those jumper plugs that keeps the ESS off?

Not doing more than that because I have the extended warranty and need the option to return to factory if I have any other problems pop up.

What are the flaws in this plan? All input will be welcome. Thanks for reading.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Going to pull the F42 fuse and disconnect the negative battery cable from the aux battery. Do I also need one of those jumper plugs that keeps the ESS off?

The only thing that keeps ESS off is a tazer, or you pressing the button when you start the truck.

The jumpers are nothing special, they do nothing special and don't prevent ESS from working. (people are making a buck from the unsuspecting)

Have you had your main battery fully charged and load checked? How do you know you don't have a main battery issue?

Do you drive it a lot to keep batteries up? If not - you should run a battery tender/maintainer on it. If it sits more than a couple of days at a time, and if it's driven for only short distances, then your batteries will not last and will not stay charged.

Why are you worried about the message if you don't like ESS?
It is likely trying to tell you there's another problem - but people keep jumping at the aux battery when quite often that's not the real problem, not the root cause of the messages or problems.

You said you replaced the aux battery - but not the main. You had both fully charged and checked?
Did you fully charge the new battery before installing it (if not, that's a mistake)
You have a 2020 - is it the original main battery? If so - time to get it CHECKED properly - not necessarily by a parts store, but someone who will make sure it's charged, then properly load test it.

These systems are actually quite simple in principal,, the problems come in with lack of driving, believing the bunk in too many places (especially Wrangler forums), and the fact that short battery life seems to be a part of modern cars these days. I again, refer back to a conversation with people who said they had trouble getting a car battery to last 4 years.
A 2020 may well have a 4 year old battery in it, and if not driven enough - that shortens battery life.
ESS messages can be an indicator of issues with areas NOT the aux battery. But Jeep people have been mis-trained that it's the first, and only, place to look.

 

[Gladiator Brad 704]

Removed both batteries from the Jeep. Left them overnight at a battery only dealer in town. They charged both batteries and then tested. They said the aux was "week and needed replaced". Bough a new one and a new charger. Went home and charged the new battery overnight before installing it. That was about 5.5 months ago.
Now the exact same thing. Drive the Jeep nearly every day. More than the problem free Pacifica.

 

[MrClortho]

Remove the aux battery all together...fairly simple to do and no more troubles other than the little warning indicator in the dash...haven't figured out how to get rid of that yet.

 

[Gladiator Brad 704]

Ok so let's say I remove the aux battery completely. 2 months later the Guage cluster quits working. ( This has happened twice and both times was replaced under warranty.) What do you think the service wrighter will say when the tech comes to him and tells him the aux battery is missing and some of the battery lead locations have been changed?

 

[TestMule]

I used the Easy Stop / Start module on my JL and have it on the JT as well. It works fine and I've set it so that the ESS is off as if I have pushed the button each time I start the JT.

I was a bit worried about the aux battery causing some problems regardless of having the ESS module installed so I pulled F42 and disconnected the aux battery negative cable on both vehicles. No problems were encountered with the JL and so far, so good, on the JT.

I suspect as the aux battery gets older I might be in for some errors or a failure but at least, with the ESS system disabled and the battery disconnected I won't experience a full drawdown of the main battery.

 

[Tphin]

The gladiator has two good depression switches , if you disconnect the one on the right I believe it disables the ESS

 

[mike921921]

I've been using Autostopeliminator for 3 years now, no issues.

 

[sharpsicle]

Sounds like you have a battery issue. Focusing too much on eliminating ESS (which is actually informing you of an issue) is taking your focus off the potential issue. The ESS system really isn't bad, people just use it as a scapegoat for other issues. The horror stories you read about are actually the crap batteries that don't last much past 3 years. Based on you owning a 2020, it's probably time to replace the main and the aux. You should do both.

"Battery charging" means the battery is low on voltage. Usually that's a main battery thing. That should be your focus, not "disabling" ESS. That won't fix your battery.

 

[Mr._Bill]

Removed both batteries from the Jeep. Left them overnight at a battery only dealer in town. They charged both batteries and then tested. They said the aux was "week and needed replaced". Bough a new one and a new charger. Went home and charged the new battery overnight before installing it. That was about 5.5 months ago.
Now the exact same thing. Drive the Jeep nearly every day. More than the problem free Pacifica.

That was six months ago. Batteries are affected by cold weather. You have two batteries the same age, in the same environment, and one fails. How long do you expect the other one to keep working?

Replace the main battery with a good quality 94R AGM battery.

 

[Rocksalt]

remove F42 fuse and disconnect the aux battery neg cable. simple bypass. then test your main battery with a multimeter. replace if necessary

 

[Lunentucker]

Going to pull the F42 fuse and disconnect the negative battery cable from the aux battery. Do I also need one of those jumper plugs that keeps the ESS off?

No. Develop the habit of pressing the button on the dash after startup. It soon becomes second nature / muscle memory.

 

[Lunentucker]

Ok so let's say I remove the aux battery completely. 2 months later the Guage cluster quits working. ( This has happened twice and both times was replaced under warranty.) What do you think the service wrighter will say when the tech comes to him and tells him the aux battery is missing and some of the battery lead locations have been changed?

That's why I left mine in place until warranty is up. If I need to go in for anything electrical I'll reconnect it after charging it. They can replace it or whatever they want. As soon as it's back home I'll disconnect it again.

 

[Lunentucker]

I used the Easy Stop / Start module on my JL and have it on the JT as well. It works fine and I've set it so that the ESS is off as if I have pushed the button each time I start the JT.

I was a bit worried about the aux battery causing some problems regardless of having the ESS module installed so I pulled F42 and disconnected the aux battery negative cable on both vehicles. No problems were encountered with the JL and so far, so good, on the JT.

I suspect as the aux battery gets older I might be in for some errors or a failure but at least, with the ESS system disabled and the battery disconnected I won't experience a full drawdown of the main battery.

Perfectly done!
Too many think that disabling ESS one way or the other will stop the parasitic drawdown when the lawn mower battery starts failing and constantly seeks to recharge. Physical disconnection is the way.

 

[Gladiator Brad 704]

Lunentucker, I will do that tomorrow morning. When you recharge the aux battery do you reconnect it first, or put the charge + lead on the big battery red and the - charge lead on the disconnected black? Then reconnect the black lead after charging?

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