ESS warning light with a ! after it

[JTGuy]

Started today sounded a little odd. Looked and I have a ESS warning light with a ! after it . Both batteries are original so 3 years 4 months. Full time with the ESS off with the Tazer. So tonight I have the charger on them. The Jeep sat for 4 days before this. Are these batteries done? Should I replace both of them just to stay factory original ?? If I remove the ESS battery will it not work? I will probably go with the Odyssey battery, are they worth it? Remove the Aux battery from top or bottom?
Will replacing the batteries fix my reverse clunk in the trans??? LOL.

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[Mr._Bill]

The Red A! is telling you the Aux Battery failed the startup test. You can charge each battery and reset the IBS, and get a little more use out of them, but they are at the end of their life.

The ESS is always active, and will still function with the Aux Battery deleted. Using a Tazer, or any other method, to prevent ESS from turning off the engine has no effect on charging the batteries.

I can't justify spending the extra money for the batteries. When my last truck needed batteries, I bought ACDELCO from Amazon. The 94R AGM from Walmart is about the best price available, and has a longer warranty.

When I changed the Aux Battery, I went through the bottom. The next time I plan to go through the top.

Disconnecting the batteries will restart the head unit, and it can take up to 24 hours to fully recover.

Putting the Transmission back in Learning Mode may help a little, but the clunk is not going away.

 

[Janster]

The truck sitting for 4 days won’t have an immediate effect…..but do it regularly, I’m sure that’ll shorten battery life.

My gladdy sits for 5 days a couple times a month & I also have a Taser and disabled ESS. I can expect (to hope) to get 3 years out of mine.
Not uncommon….. with newer vehicles.

 

[Stan H]

Started today sounded a little odd. Looked and I have a ESS warning light with a ! after it . Both batteries are original so 3 years 4 months. Full time with the ESS off with the Tazer. So tonight I have the charger on them. The Jeep sat for 4 days before this. Are these batteries done? Should I replace both of them just to stay factory original ?? If I remove the ESS battery will it not work? I will probably go with the Odyssey battery, are they worth it? Remove the Aux battery from top or bottom?
Will replacing the batteries fix my reverse clunk in the trans??? LOL.

No replaced batteries won't fix the clunk. But maybe having fluid changed may. Take it to the dealer . If they won't listen take it to another one. Or there is always option 3. Go mud bogging get stuck shift from forward to reverse until the transmission falls out....lol kidding taking it to the dealer is what I would do

 

[wally1955]

Started today sounded a little odd. Looked and I have a ESS warning light with a ! after it . Both batteries are original so 3 years 4 months. Full time with the ESS off with the Tazer. So tonight I have the charger on them. The Jeep sat for 4 days before this. Are these batteries done? Should I replace both of them just to stay factory original ?? If I remove the ESS battery will it not work? I will probably go with the Odyssey battery, are they worth it? Remove the Aux battery from top or bottom?
Will replacing the batteries fix my reverse clunk in the trans??? LOL.

AGM batteries should last 6-7 years vs std cell batteries. Normally you have to register the batteries to the ECM. Or I had to on my Atlas. I’m still on my factory batteries on my Gladiator ‘22. Good luck.

 

[jebiruph]

The ESS warning light also indicates that ESS is disabled due to issues with another system.

 

[JTGuy]

Well, I am going to pull fuse #42 and disco the ground for the aux battery. Just leave the failed aux battery in place. A new group 7 will do it .
Is there any good reason to replace the aux battery?

 

[Stan H]

Well, I am going to pull fuse #42 and disco the ground for the aux battery. Just leave the failed aux battery in place. A new group 7 will do it .
Is there any good reason to replace the aux battery?

I bit the bullet and put yet another Aux in mine a month ago. I have done it 2 times now I did the whole procedure in like an hour and 15 min.

 

[JTGuy]

What have you gained by replacing it vs just pulling the fuse and disco the neg.

 

[Stan H]

What have you gained by replacing it vs just pulling the fuse and disco the neg.

Zilch, nada , nothing, zip ,zero . I just dont have time to go deleting stuff right now my schedule is insane

 

[JTGuy]

Just did the fuse and neg and all is well. The factory battery will probably go for a while longer but there will be no warning on it so I will do a new battery.
Has anyone done a liPo battery with good results? Would it be worth it to go LiOo ? I don' t live where it gets Cold. But on a hot day under the hood temps could hit 125+. Or I will just go Odyssey 7H.
I was told by a dealer service that the ESS is part of the smog system so they cant touch it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

AGM batteries should last 6-7 years vs std cell batteries. Normally you have to register the batteries to the ECM. Or I had to on my Atlas. I’m still on my factory batteries on my Gladiator ‘22. Good luck.

Nothing to register.
You'll not get that life in a modern vehicle unless it's driven a lot, or kept on a battery maintainer.

If you replace the batteries on these, you should charge them fully first, and leave the IBS fully disconnected for a bit.
It will then relearn, and learn the new battery characteristics (health, state of charge and so on)

I was told by a dealer service that the ESS is part of the smog system so they cant touch it.

LOL - no way in heck a dealer can or will do anything but put it back to how it came from the factory.

 

[Lost1wing]

The Red A! is telling you the Aux Battery failed the startup test. You can charge each battery and reset the IBS, and get a little more use out of them, but they are at the end of their life.

The ESS is always active, and will still function with the Aux Battery deleted. Using a Tazer, or any other method, to prevent ESS from turning off the engine has no effect on charging the batteries.

I can't justify spending the extra money for the batteries. When my last truck needed batteries, I bought ACDELCO from Amazon. The 94R AGM from Walmart is about the best price available, and has a longer warranty.

When I changed the Aux Battery, I went through the bottom. The next time I plan to go through the top.

Disconnecting the batteries will restart the head unit, and it can take up to 24 hours to fully recover.

Putting the Transmission back in Learning Mode may help a little, but the clunk is not going away.

My battery "end of life" was two years ago. I have never let it go until it failed a start up test though. I only started seeing " battery charging" for longer periods of time. I have been pretty good at putting a trickle charger for the last year and a half. Still riding 2020 OEM batteries.

I second, charging both batteries independently and resetting the IBS. What does he have to lose?

 

[Lost1wing]

Well, I am going to pull fuse #42 and disco the ground for the aux battery. Just leave the failed aux battery in place. A new group 7 will do it .
Is there any good reason to replace the aux battery?

If you pull f42, be sure to push the ESS switch every time you start the vehicle, or have a device installed to do it for you. Electronics don't like voltage drops during an ESS event. That is why the aux is there.

 

[Stan H]

Still riding 2020 OEM batteries.

Holy Crap Im on my second main and 3rd Aux. And anytime it isnt running its charging . You must have a whale of a charger

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