New Battery, New Aux, still no ESS and RSE steps not working

[Ferd]

2020 Rubicon
Gen 2 RSE (spring upgrade).
AutoZone Duralast Platinum H6 (installed Dec 2025).
Odyssey Aux Battery (installed April 2026).

Issues:
RSE steps work intermittently and buzzing sound in the speakers (turned off for now).
ESS working from Dec 2025 till March 2026. Still not working with new aux battery.

Any ideas or had similar situation???

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[Lost1wing]

Disconnect and isolate your battery cables at the main negative. Just the top two cables, leaving the IBS on. Charge your main battery and then charge your aux battery.

Verify your aux connections are secure.

Disconnect the IBS connector and reinstall after your batteries are charged.

Hopefully you did not smoke your fuse array during the aux replacement. You may want to verify those connections too.

It may take a few drive cycles for the ess to work and for some of your icons on the display to come back. Power for your steps could be part of the loadshed due to a weak battery. If you have aux switches, they would also be loadshed.

 

[Ferd]

Disconnect and isolate your battery cables at the main negative. Just the top two cables, leaving the IBS on. Charge your main battery and then charge your aux battery.

Verify your aux connections are secure.

Disconnect the IBS connector and reinstall after your batteries are charged.

Hopefully you did not smoke your fuse array during the aux replacement. You may want to verify those connections too.

It may take a few drive cycles for the ess to work and for some of your icons on the display to come back. Power for your steps could be part of the loadshed due to a weak battery. If you have aux switches, they would also be loadshed.

Thanks for the quick reply. The ESS and steps were not working before the changed the aux. Changed the aux and still no ESS and steps still malfunctioning.
I'll try your process and see if that works.

 

[Lost1wing]

I'm not sure where you are getting power for the RSE steps, but it could be a loadshed issue.

That being said, you could have a problem with the RSE steps that is draining your battery. Once you figure out your battery issue, you can look deeper at your steps.

Any other lights on the dash?

 

[Ferd]

I'm not sure where you are getting power for the RSE steps, but it could be a loadshed issue.

That being said, you could have a problem with the RSE steps that is draining your battery. Once you figure out your battery issue, you can look deeper at your steps.

Any other lights on the dash?

No dash lights or other electronic gremlins.
She starts up nice and strong and everything (including steps and ESS) were working great after the main replacement in Dec.
When the ESS stopped and steps acted up, I figured it was aux battery time.
The steps making a buzzing sound and interment engagement was new.

I'm going to troubleshoot the IBS and steps this week.

 

[Lost1wing]

I just read the installation manual at RSE. I can say that you need to look at your sensors or the body ground location. It would not be part of the loadshed since it is connected directly to the battery.

 

[Ferd]

I just read the installation manual at RSE. I can say that you need to look at your sensors or the body ground location. It would not be part of the loadshed since it is connected directly to the battery.

Northridge has a good troubleshoot vid. I'm going to disconnect each door sensor and test each door and magnet to identify which one is causing the problem.
Family loves the steps but sometimes wish I would have just gotten some White Knuckles or ACE sliders...

 

[MaximusTX]

Northridge has a good troubleshoot vid. I'm going to disconnect each door sensor and test each door and magnet to identify which one is causing the problem.
Family loves the steps but sometimes wish I would have just gotten some White Knuckles or ACE sliders...

Sucks your having these issues. I haven't had any issues with mine. We bought used JL that already had them installed and they didn't work but the dealership fixed that. They said they had to replace the main wiring harness for it. I did contact their Support a couple times for our JL and they customer service was excellent although if I remember correctly it did take a minute for them to get back to me.

 

[Ferd]

Sucks your having these issues. I haven't had any issues with mine. We bought used JL that already had them installed and they didn't work but the dealership fixed that. They said they had to replace the main wiring harness for it. I did contact their Support a couple times for our JL and they customer service was excellent although if I remember correctly it did take a minute for them to get back to me.

Yes, I do like them a lot. If the troubleshooting doesn’t work, next stop is the main module. Luckily, I have a Gen 2 so the box is under the seat vs. individual ones at each motor that requires some step disassembly.

 

[Northridge4x4]

Northridge has a good troubleshoot vid. I'm going to disconnect each door sensor and test each door and magnet to identify which one is causing the problem.
Family loves the steps but sometimes wish I would have just gotten some White Knuckles or ACE sliders...

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