New type of repair ? Dead EV

[Maximus Gladius]

Ok, this is a new one that baffles, shocks and completely confuses me and everything about this repair method is just WRONG!

My next door neighbour has a 22 JL hybrid with 5000k kms (3000 miles) he only drives on very special summer weekends, calls me up a couple days ago asking if Im home and can come over to diagnose his JL. It’s DEAD, it’s so dead it won’t take a charge when plugged in.

I grabbed my multi meter and walked over. I explained to him that because he never drives it, he needed to keep the batteries topped up with an AGM tender. I’ve told him about this before and even showed him mine.

Before I put the meter on the main battery I said if we see 11v or lower, the main battery and AUX are done. I then hooked up the meter and it read 1.9v. These batteries are toast I said. Call road side and have it towed to the dealership.

Here’s what I’m all spun around about, he then called the dealership to make an appointment and to get his EV over there and they said “oh that’s not necessary, we will have a tow service come with a new battery and install it in your garage! They are 10 min away, would you like them to come now?”

He said he wasn’t available right then and made other arrangements for them to come. He said, isn’t customer service awesome?! I said NO!!! get your JL over there and put into service!

Does anyone here see anything wrong with this picture besides me?

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[legacy_etu]

Yeah, no way I’d trust the tow truck driver to be familiar with the nuances of the Jeep dual battery setup.

 

[Zachanadandy]

You say EV and Hybrid and then mention aux battery? Which model specifically are we talking about here? Non-hybrid models without etorque have the same crap dual 12v batteries we do with a 12v main battery and a small 12v aux battery underneath the fuse panel. The etorque models have a 48v main battery under the vehicle and a 12v full sized battery in the engine bay which is technically the aux battery as the charging system is built in to the etorque belt start generator. The 48v battery then charges the 12v battery via a DC to DC inverter. The 4xe models have a huge high voltage battery pack under the rear seat and again the 12v battery in the engine bay is the aux charged via this main high voltage battery. In any case what is the risk in changing the 12v battery in the garage? I'd probably still want to get it in for the service department to look at it, but that would at least allow you to drive it there and maybe it is simply a bad 12v battery.

 

[Mr._Bill]

If I remember correctly, according to other posts I've read, the JL hybrid (EV) does not have the dual battery setup like the gas and diesel models. However, they do suffer from the same parasitic draw problem.

If the dealer is willing to change the battery in the Owners Garage, that is great Customer Service.

 

[bleda2002]

If I remember correctly, according to other posts I've read, the JL hybrid (EV) does not have the dual battery setup like the gas and diesel models. However, they do suffer from the same parasitic draw problem.

If the dealer is willing to change the battery in the Owners Garage, that is great Customer Service.

This, the 4xe doesnt use the aux battery because it doesnt have standard stop start. If someone will bring him a battery and swap it in the garage, let them.

 

[redriderjf87]

Just try to CYA as much as you can, record names and phone convos as possible along with paperwork.

Hopefully your (his) dealer is ethical and doesn't try to use the at home repair to pull a fast one on you (him).

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I asked him if he’s read up on his book on what’s expected to maintain charge and storage of the vehicle. He said he’s never read his book and I can tell he still won’t. I’m concerned of any “undue care and attention” he’s done or practiced will bite him in the ass.
I don’t know what the exact spec on his EV is. All I know is that when he first gets in, the engine is running as he backs out, then goes quiet as he drives up the alley. His actual electric running abilities gives him about 25 kms. I also just assumed he had an aux battery as he has the choice of running gas or switch to electric.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I’m assuming his main and (maybe he has an aux) are both AGM and the big battery pack for the hybrid drive is lithium? My understanding is lithium can run down to 0v range and still be charged back up but AGM’s can’t do this and survive, correct?

 

[Hootbro]

I asked him if he’s read up on his book on what’s expected to maintain charge and storage of the vehicle. He said he’s never read his book and I can tell he still won’t.

Stop helping people that will not help themselves.

I had a neighbor that thought since he seen me working in my driveway and garage all the time, I was to become his personal roadside service and home mechanic or so he thought. After a couple of times of just trying to be the better guy and help him, it became evident he would not heed any advice about preventative maintenance and drive everything until critical failure and would not stop buying the cheapest Ebay or Amazon white box parts.

Let them pay the stupid tax.

 

[Zachanadandy]

I’m assuming his main and (maybe he has an aux) are both AGM and the big battery pack for the hybrid drive is lithium? My understanding is lithium can run down to 0v range and still be charged back up but AGM’s can’t do this and survive, correct?

So it is a 4xe. I'm not as familiar with that charging system but I believe there is no alternator and the 12v system is charged by the HV lithium battery. Definitely no aux battery. Best case scenario the 12v battery just went bad and swapping it out is all that's necessary.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

So it is a 4xe. I'm not as familiar with that charging system but I believe there is no alternator and the 12v system is charged by the HV lithium battery. Definitely no aux battery. Best case scenario the 12v battery just went bad and swapping it out is all that's necessary.

Why won’t the vehicle hybrid battery take a charge when he plugs that cable in? I asked him, if he’s got 25km on electric drive, why doesn’t he just hybrid himself to the dealer? He said,
It won’t take the charge.

 

[Hootbro]

Why won’t the vehicle hybrid battery take a charge when he plugs that cable in? I asked him, if he’s got 25km on electric drive, why doesn’t he just hybrid himself to the dealer? He said,
It won’t take the charge.

My understanding with most hybrids is that even if the regular 12V battery is dead, it will not allow hybrid mode because it is relying on the gas engine to charge the hybrid batteries that is relying on the 12V battery being good.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Why won’t the vehicle hybrid battery take a charge when he plugs that cable in? I asked him, if he’s got 25km on electric drive, why doesn’t he just hybrid himself to the dealer? He said,
It won’t take the charge.

The vehicle pcm etc all still run off 12v. No 12v no computer or anything else.

 

[ChrisNLA]

You're a nice fella.

If I think my neighbors are trying to talk to me I run back into the house frantically.

Well, one of them anyway. One always wants to small talk (and I don't) or wants mechanical assistance because he sees me doing all manner of craziness in my driveway.

The other neighbor only knocks on the door when he has too much food cooked or beer iced and needs help making those items disappear.

 

[sharpsicle]

You are 100% over-thinking and over-analyzing this.

If the dealership wanted to send someone out to replace the 12v battery, let them. If that doesn't work, he can get them back on the horn and take it in. There's no reason to try and reverse-engineer this to the degree you're getting into here, and no reason to tell the dealership how to do their jobs when they're actively trying to help.

I get that you're being a nice and helpful neighbor, but there's nothing wrong with stepping back and saying "there's a problem, Jeep will sort it out". Especially when it comes to PHEVs.

Not to mention, it's not your vehicle, so you're just going to stress yourself out trying to treat it as though it is. Your neighbor will do what he wants, and in the end you need to just let him.

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