Lights flash and wont start..... what does this mean?

[Choatecav]

2021 Mojave, manual trans with only 17,500 miles.
This morning went to start it and engine would not turn over. The lights flashed in regular sequence and all of the dash lights came on. Tried this half dozen times and eventually lights would only flash once.

Any ideas as to meaning? Is it telling me battery severely low? No problems up to this point.

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[dmwphoto]

sure sounds like battery

 

[Kevin_D]

Did you try measuring the battery voltage?

Kevin

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Did you try measuring the battery voltage?

Kevin

Exactly - open the hood, take any cheap volt meter (even the $17 Walmart meters today are good enough for many things) and measure voltage at the main battery terminals.
My bet - below 12.0

Charge batteries, take to get batteries tested - but be ready - if the batteries are below 12.4 when taken to a dealer for testing, they MUST be charged before they will test them.
And if you go to a parts store - well, just don't. They'll even test batteries that aren't charged and that can't tell them @#%$.

Only dealers do in-depth good testing of batteries - because FCA insists they do and they must PROVE they have done it before warranty claims will be honored. Their test equipment is connected to FCA so they can't lie about it.

 

[Mr._Bill]

2021 Mojave, manual trans with only 17,500 miles.
This morning went to start it and engine would not turn over. The lights flashed in regular sequence and all of the dash lights came on. Tried this half dozen times and eventually lights would only flash once.

Any ideas as to meaning? Is it telling me battery severely low? No problems up to this point.

What is the Manufacture Date of the truck?
The AGM batteries in the JT have an average life span of about three years. If it is not regularly driven for at least thirty minutes per trip, the life span is reduced.

 

[Minty JL]

Time for a battery

My wifes '19 JLUR did the same thing. I grabbed the voltmeter and yup, it was toast

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Time for a battery

......... or two.........

 

[Choatecav]

Exactly - open the hood, take any cheap volt meter (even the $17 Walmart meters today are good enough for many things) and measure voltage at the main battery terminals.
My bet - below 12.0

Charge batteries, take to get batteries tested - but be ready - if the batteries are below 12.4 when taken to a dealer for testing, they MUST be charged before they will test them.
And if you go to a parts store - well, just don't. They'll even test batteries that aren't charged and that can't tell them @#%$.

Only dealers do in-depth good testing of batteries - because FCA insists they do and they must PROVE they have done it before warranty claims will be honored. Their test equipment is connected to FCA so they can't lie about it.

My thanks to all of you for your advice. I am slow to reply as I had to go with my wife to her horseshow and do all of the grunt work so she could carry off all of the ribbons...... oh well.

You are spot on accurate with your recommendations. I hooked a trickle charger to it this morning and when I got back a bit ago, it was still charging but I unhooked it and it started up fine. So, the battery(s) are toast.

What I don't fully get is what you were recommending about what level the batteries should be at before they can test or replace them. So, should I charge them and then drive out there or do I need to have it towed out there so they can prove they are toast???

Sorry for being dense.

 

[Mr._Bill]

Charge the batteries, and then take it to the dealer. It will save some time. They have to make sure the batteries are charged before they can test them. The batteries are dying, and will need replaced, but they may not yet be bad enough to fail the test. A full charge may get you a few more months out of the batteries. If the truck is not driven for multiple days at a time, leave a trickle charger attached.

 

[Choatecav]

Charge the batteries, and then take it to the dealer. It will save some time. They have to make sure the batteries are charged before they can test them. The batteries are dying, and will need replaced, but they may not yet be bad enough to fail the test. A full charge may get you a few more months out of the batteries. If the truck is not driven for multiple days at a time, leave a trickle charger attached.

Thank you.

 

[Choatecav]

Wanted to bring completion to this thread.

Your advice and recommendations were "spot on" and very helpful. It was a dying battery and I took it to the dealership and while the battery was nearing it's three years of existence, my vehicle is still under warranty. They tested the battery, agreed it was bad and replaced it for free. So, there are some happy endings.............

Thanks again for the advice and help.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

My thanks to all of you for your advice. I am slow to reply as I had to go with my wife to her horseshow and do all of the grunt work so she could carry off all of the ribbons...... oh well.

You are spot on accurate with your recommendations. I hooked a trickle charger to it this morning and when I got back a bit ago, it was still charging but I unhooked it and it started up fine. So, the battery(s) are toast.

What I don't fully get is what you were recommending about what level the batteries should be at before they can test or replace them. So, should I charge them and then drive out there or do I need to have it towed out there so they can prove they are toast???

Sorry for being dense.

I hope you get one of those ribbons for all your grunt work!

Im glad it all got worked out for you. I too had the flashing dash lights and truck not start but that was due to dealership neglect when it was on their lot for a time a couple winters ago when it was towed back to my place. Dealership told me to fix it.

My first mistake here was to hook up a regular battery charger (not knowing these batteries are AGM batteries and not lithium). But thank God nothing bad happened, surprisingly, and I then hooked up an AGM battery tender.

I’ve nursed them back to life and once a week I plug them in over night to top them off.

 

[Choatecav]

I hope you get one of those ribbons for all your grunt work!

Im glad it all got worked out for you. I too had the flashing dash lights and truck not start but that was due to dealership neglect when it was on their lot for a time a couple winters ago when it was towed back to my place. Dealership told me to fix it.

My first mistake here was to hook up a regular battery charger (not knowing these batteries are AGM batteries and not lithium). But thank God nothing bad happened, surprisingly, and I then hooked up an AGM battery tender.

I’ve nursed them back to life and once a week I plug them in over night to top them off.

Ouch....... Sorry you had to go through all of that but glad that things worked out well.

These Gladdys are not our "fathers" jeeps. They are very sophisticated machines and cost a heck of a lot of money. When we have issues with various things it's not like the '72 Ford pick up that we use on the farm to carry hay to the cattle..... it is a glitch on a sizable investment. I want to be reasonable but I also want to hold the companies feet to the fire when there is a failing that is not our fault.

Thanks for listening.

 

[JBlack23323]

I really don't like the whole two batteries thing. Why do engineers and manufacturers keep doing this. In all honesty if you ask me it does not save much if any gas. I have the JT and a subaru that has the auto stop function. In the year I have had the subaru it has only saved like 10gallons of gas. Pretty worthless in my eyes and twice the problems now with the new technology they are installing in the newer vehicles.

 

[Mr._Bill]

I really don't like the whole two batteries thing. Why do engineers and manufacturers keep doing this. In all honesty if you ask me it does not save much if any gas. I have the JT and a subaru that has the auto stop function. In the year I have had the subaru it has only saved like 10gallons of gas. Pretty worthless in my eyes and twice the problems now with the new technology they are installing in the newer vehicles.

But, it did save you gas, which reduced emissions, and that is what the EPA cares about. Jeep has to implement it with a default to on setting to get EPA credit for using it, which they need to be able to continue producing inefficient vehicles. The two battery setup has been in use for many years. It is done to keep the computers stable during ESS events. Do you really want to sit at an intersection and wait for all the computers to reboot due to low voltage when the ESS system tries to restart the engine with a marginal battery?

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