Dealership refusing to really fix start/stop issue

[dcmdon]

ShadowPapa

If the ESS system is showing as "not ready" on the dash, is there a way with something like Alfa OBD to see WHY its not ready? Will it tell you? Battery voltage low, aux batt voltage low, coolant temp low, etc??

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[chrismeece74]

Hi- like most people, we are having the start/stop issue as well. We have a 2020 Gladiator. We brought it to our dealership in June and they replaced the aux battery. Since June it has only worked once and it was 2 weeks ago for no reason (short trip and no different driving habits during the drive). I brought it in this past Friday and they said that they charged both batteries and that fixes the issue. We don't believe it as it's a new battery so why was it needing to be charged anyway? We suspect it's the ESS system not charging and our dealership refuses to look any further. When I asked them to explain how a 3 month old battery needs charging again, they don't give me an answer. They just want to get you in and out real fast without actually figuring out what is causing the issue.

I reached to Jeep Cares and opened a case on Friday. When I called today to check on the status the representative called the dealership and spoke with the GM (who supposedly is out of the office today and the rep didn't get the name of who he spoke with). The Jeep Cares rep told me there is nothing he can do and closed my case without telling me. I found out later when I called back again asking to speak with someone else and the new rep told me the prior rep closed our case.

I can't keep bringing it back in when it doesn't work. Our dealership is scheduling 2 months out so it's hard to get in. To top it off, our radio got fried when the tech did an update on Friday and a part for another issue that was ordered the last time is the wrong part and has to be ordered all over again. I love our Jeep but I feel like it is at the dealership more than we have had it.

Anyone have any help or suggestions? I am trying to get the dealership to check out the charging system as well as replace BOTH batteries and they told me they wouldn't. The next closest dealership is 1.5 hours away which is too far for us. Any help or suggestions is welcomed. Thank you!

Find a new dealer to look at it.

 

[KAT]

Find a new dealer to look at it.

Next closest dealership is 1.5 hours away which is too far for us to keep going back and forth to.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

ShadowPapa

If the ESS system is showing as "not ready" on the dash, is there a way with something like Alfa OBD to see WHY its not ready? Will it tell you? Battery voltage low, aux batt voltage low, coolant temp low, etc??

Not directly.
If you have the chart of things the pcm uses to determine ESS ready or not you could use jscan or AlfaOBD to go in and look ay each item status. Coolant it will tell you on the cluster.
If there are certain stored DTCs they can also trigger ess to not work with no explanation. When mine had a stored misfire code it said ess ready until I used the brakes then it simply said ess not ready....until I released the brake pedal then it went back to ready.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

The big battery doesn't charge the small battery. That's not how the aux battery is charged. It is charged directly by the alternator via fuse n3.
If that fuse is blown it can't get the charge fron the alternator.

If this was mine..............I would charge each battery independently using a GOOD AGM battery charger. Take the neg cable off the main battery and then separate the two neg cables and charge the small battery then the main battery. I would while doing that have the IBS off and disconnected. This would "reset" the IBS.

Finally, when that is done, from then on, charging the batteries otherwise, ONLY charge through the IBS, never directly to the neg terminal on the main battery. Also ground any accessory only to the top of the IBS or a body ground.

Again, I would use a good agm charger, charge each battery separately, reset the IBS, and go from there. It helped my 2020.

They didn't tell me that it charges the smaller battery, I just assumed that. They did show me where it was saying the bigger battery was the issue and once they replaced it all started working again and the jeep is running better now. I'm no mechanic by any means but that's what fixed mine.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

They didn't tell me that it charges the smaller battery, I just assumed that. They did show me where it was saying the bigger battery was the issue and once they replaced it all started working again and the jeep is running better now. I'm no mechanic by any means but that's what fixed mine.

Oddly these only track the health of the main or crank battery. Your experience makes sense. The voltage of the small battery is only checked when you start the truck. Really odd, IMO.

 

[chrismeece74]

Next closest dealership is 1.5 hours away which is too far for us to keep going back and forth to.

Sounds like a dealer that doesn't understand the ESS system very well......surprisingly many of then don't. Sounds like you are getting nowhere with the dealer you have been using that's why I said find another dealer, an hour an a half trip to a dealer who may actually understand the system and how to fix it is worth it if they actually fix it.

 

[Bobchadwickga]

Might help to file a complaint. They won't like it on their licensing record.

https://www.dol.wa.gov/business/vehiclevesseldealer/dlrcomplaint.html

 

[Erievon]

ShadowPapa

If the ESS system is showing as "not ready" on the dash, is there a way with something like Alfa OBD to see WHY its not ready? Will it tell you? Battery voltage low, aux batt voltage low, coolant temp low, etc??

There appears to be a programing change between 20, and 21+. My 20 will tell me why ESS is not ready "Battery Charging" or "Cabin Heating" "Cabin Cooling" etc... My wife's 21 just says "ESS Not Ready" and never gives a reason.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

There appears to be a programing change between 20, and 21+. My 20 will tell me why ESS is not ready "Battery Charging" or "Cabin Heating" "Cabin Cooling" etc... My wife's 21 just says "ESS Not Ready" and never gives a reason.

Not sure if that's accurate because mine wasn't working at all for about 6 weeks and I never got a message or anything. It never even said there was a ESS failure or that it needed charging. It started working again after the big battery was replaced. Mines a 2020

 

[dcmdon]

My 2022 will occasionally give the reason, and sometimes it won't.

 

[Digster]

Hi- like most people, we are having the start/stop issue as well. We have a 2020 Gladiator. We brought it to our dealership in June and they replaced the aux battery. Since June it has only worked once and it was 2 weeks ago for no reason (short trip and no different driving habits during the drive). I brought it in this past Friday and they said that they charged both batteries and that fixes the issue. We don't believe it as it's a new battery so why was it needing to be charged anyway? We suspect it's the ESS system not charging and our dealership refuses to look any further. When I asked them to explain how a 3 month old battery needs charging again, they don't give me an answer. They just want to get you in and out real fast without actually figuring out what is causing the issue.

I reached to Jeep Cares and opened a case on Friday. When I called today to check on the status the representative called the dealership and spoke with the GM (who supposedly is out of the office today and the rep didn't get the name of who he spoke with). The Jeep Cares rep told me there is nothing he can do and closed my case without telling me. I found out later when I called back again asking to speak with someone else and the new rep told me the prior rep closed our case.

I can't keep bringing it back in when it doesn't work. Our dealership is scheduling 2 months out so it's hard to get in. To top it off, our radio got fried when the tech did an update on Friday and a part for another issue that was ordered the last time is the wrong part and has to be ordered all over again. I love our Jeep but I feel like it is at the dealership more than we have had it.

Anyone have any help or suggestions? I am trying to get the dealership to check out the charging system as well as replace BOTH batteries and they told me they wouldn't. The next closest dealership is 1.5 hours away which is too far for us. Any help or suggestions is welcomed. Thank you!

The start stop on my 2021 is apparently not working and I am thrilled - it’s a pain in the ass - happy - the very last thing I will complain about.

 

[RJinPV]

There appears to be a programing change between 20, and 21+. My 20 will tell me why ESS is not ready "Battery Charging" or "Cabin Heating" "Cabin Cooling" etc... My wife's 21 just says "ESS Not Ready" and never gives a reason.

That might be the case. My 2017 Grand Cherokee is having ESS issues so I tested the batteries and they are good and the display is reporting "ESS not ready, Hood is Open" The DTC codes for the hood switches are also reporting a problem. But why would Jeep make the diagnostics information less useful in later model years?

 

[Mr._Bill]

That might be the case. My 2017 Grand Cherokee is having ESS issues so I tested the batteries and they are good and the display is reporting "ESS not ready, Hood is Open" The DTC codes for the hood switches are also reporting a problem. But why would Jeep make the diagnostics information less useful in later model years?

Dealers don't like informed consumers telling them how to do their job.

 

[NachoRuby]

There appears to be a programing change between 20, and 21+. My 20 will tell me why ESS is not ready "Battery Charging" or "Cabin Heating" "Cabin Cooling" etc... My wife's 21 just says "ESS Not Ready" and never gives a reason.

My 21 gives a reason.

That might be the case. My 2017 Grand Cherokee is having ESS issues so I tested the batteries and they are good and the display is reporting "ESS not ready, Hood is Open" The DTC codes for the hood switches are also reporting a problem. But why would Jeep make the diagnostics information less useful in later model years?

My 21 still gives you all of that information. And it does the hood open thing too. And door open, if they are on. I don't think jeep took any of that out. When it just says not ready, with no reason, for me anyway, invariably, it's because it's operated too many times in a short period, due to stop and go traffic. But then a few miles down the road, it starts back again.

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