2021 Jeep Gladiator Issue

[the5hicks]

I have replaced both batteries but my jeep gladiator will sometimes die when coming to a stop. (Start Stop???). After around 5 minutes or so, something resets and it will start again. Then in a week or so it will do it again. Could it be the Power Control Relay (PCR). It is very frustrating and I need some help. It’s a 2021 with 30k miles. Thanks for any help you can provide

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[danimal2000]

I have a 2021 with about 60k miles and the original batteries
This happened to me once or twice, where there's not enough crank juice left to start after start/stop it's activated. But I was able to basically just put in park and start up the truck like normal.

I've since bought a trickle charger and plug in every night to top up the batteries, haven't seen the issue since. I've learned that even with daily driving 15 miles each way, the alternator just isn't charging the batteries fast enough. Overnight trickle charge has worked well for me so far

 

[DylanM]

Your description is too vague to get an accurate idea of the problem. Is it just the engine switching off or is everything going dark? Is the vehicle exhibiting normal conditions for an ESS shut off, ie, do your dash indications stay normal with no warning lamps, radio and HVAC continue working etc, or do you get warnings/chimes/errant behaviour? What is the vehicle doing during the five minute period before it will start again?

Does it start itself at this point or do you have to initiate the restart?

Have you tried switching ESS off to see if that stops the problem?

 

[the5hicks]

That’s why I replaced both batteries but it doesn’t seem like it’s the battery. After 5 to 10 minutes something resets and it starts like normal. Then in a week or so it will do it again

 

[the5hicks]

Everything else lights up and works. It was doing it when I came to a stop so I used my Tazer to turn off the start stop. This morning it just wouldn’t start and after a while everything was fine again

 

[DylanM]

So to be clear you are verifying that the vehicle acts like it's doing a normal ESS stop but it fails to restart normally.

Tazers can sometimes cause odd glitches. Have you tried unmarrying and removing the Tazer to see if that stops the problem?

 

[the5hicks]

It’s actually unmarried and removed when this started. I reinstalled it so the ESS would stay off. Now it will probably work correctly for a week or so. It’s a strange one for sure. I wonder if it could be the PCR power control relay. Not sure though

 

[DylanM]

A faulty PCR cannot make the vehicle not restart if you're not seeing any electrical anomalies or weird indications on the dash. All the PCR does is disconnect the positive connection between the auxiliary and main batteries. While the PCR is open, the auxiliary battery powers basically all of the vehicle's modules and leaves the main battery to rest so it can subsequently do the heavy lifting of restarting the engine.

At this point, I would be taking a look at the main battery health and its cable connections. If you drive the vehicle infrequently or primarily short distances, the earlier suggestion for putting it on a charger when not in use is spot on. These newer Jeeps have a decent power off draw and the smart charging system just doesn't seem to work well enough to get the batteries topped back up if you don't do many long duration driving.

 

[the5hicks]

I could see that but after 5 to 10 minutes it starts like normal without any external jump

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