Only three pet peeves about my Gladiator Sport

[Gvsukids]

Economic and environmental impacts aside, imagine how much more peaceful and less stinky it would be sitting at an intersection in your Jeep with the doors off if the engines of all the cars around you were shut off?

Then we'd really be able to hear the music being played in everybody else's vehicles.

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[DRT]

The three are
one: that silly 'A' auto shutoff capability to save on gas, annoying and unnecessary, I think.
two: No dead pedal or decent rest area for left foot
three: The rubber molding around windows, the joint or seam is dead center on the window causing a dirty streak when it rains
see photo

Disconnect the auto star

 

[Bonanza]

Just give it 4 months, the auxiliary battery will fail to hold a charge. My ESS system hasn't worked in over half the time I've owned my truck.

 

[Kevin_D]

Thank you Kevin, I wasn't sure if I had any place to screw in a dead pedal, I lifted up the carpet and didn't see any bolts that i can remove and replace, am i to drill into the floor?

I haven’t installed one, so I don’t know how they mount. I’m sure you can find an instruction manual and check it out.

Or the video @Gvsukids put up!

Kevin

 

[red/green hawk]

If you believe putting the wear and tear on your engine saves the environment by having it turn off at every stop light quit exhaling also at every light that way you are decreasing CO2 emmissions x2.

 

[khockey02]

The only thing that bothers me with the ESS is that the motor starts when you shift to park. So if you pull in the drive way and hit the brakes—ESS kills the motor—then you shift to park—motor comes back on—then turn off the key—motor stops again. There should be at least 5 seconds in park before it turns the motor over again. Just long enough for a driver to hit the off button if they need to.

On a different note, there are plenty of explanations and demonstration online of how ESS doesn’t increase wear. I believe the fuel savings rule of thumb is 7 seconds. So if you’re stop for less than that it makes more eco sense to leave the motor running, but anything over that is free gas. I try not to let it kick in when I’m rolling up to stop signs, but don’t mind it at lights or drive throughs, etc.

 

[Undecided]

When I first bought my 2019 Cherokee Trailhawk and discovered ESS I hated it. After owning it a bit, and now on the Gladiator I actually like it.

When using the 'Auto' feature for temp control, it will turn itself back on if it get's too hot/cold in the cabin and will not shut off if the same. I've never noticed it swap from hot to cold or cold to hot when ESS kicks in. Maybe it's more noticeable if you do not have that 'Auto' feature.

One thing I did learn with it, you have to be a "step ahead" with taking your foot off the brake. Just the tiniest bit of reduced pressure kicks it on. Do this as a few cars in front of you start to move, or if you see the light is about to change. This lets it get fully started and I have no issues with taking off. If you are lifting off the break and hitting gas very quickly it will lag a second (or has always for me.)

There is also a tiny 'safe spot' where your brake is pressed enough to not roll but also not enough to kick ESS on. I use that when I know it would stop/start pointlessly. It is very tiny and sensitive but once you find it, it works for me.

At this point it's all habit I don't even notice most the time. And at long lights I really do think it is saving some gas and emissions - and in empty parts of town, I do like the brief moment of quiet.

Edit* - Oh yes, the off as you stop, on back in Park is odd. It should have a few second delay on it maybe

 

[Sazabi19]

Lol, everyone here complaining about the auto start/stop does realize that if you exercise a modicum of control over your own foot it won't engage, right? It only kicks on when you press the brake pedal down so far, so just don't press it that far. I watch traffic lights and know when they should be changing and use it or not accordingly.

I notice a big difference between when it is active and when it isn't in my mileage. Anyone who idles should be able to see that it tanks mileage. Yes you can disable it if you want but to me for some reason it seems petulant to do so

I have to image that engineers thought about the extra wear on the starter and other related components in the system to where they're designed a bit better/beefier as to not fail 'prematurely' (or at least that's the hope). Anyone ever notice that it takes much less effort for the truck to start at a light than it does to start fully from a shut off engine?

I love the start/stop feature and use it constantly, perhaps it's 1 of the reasons why I get decent mileage compared to some other Gladiators spec'd like mine that don't. I also appreciate fuel savings so features like this to me are nice. Again, I modulate my foot properly in the given circumstances so I don't have my engine shutting off every stop even when it's only a stop sign or a changing light. I also want a 4xe too though

@khockey02 While that is somewhat annoying I have to image there's a difference between the ESS primed to start right back up engine state, and fully powered off non ESS engine state. Thus, no turning off straight from ESS. Could be wrong.

Anyone have any good info on the differences in engine states between primed start/stop and full shut off engine? I can't fathom the engine being shut off the same way both times.

 

[red/green hawk]

there are plenty of explanations and demonstration online of how ESS doesn’t increase wear.

Forgive me if I don't believe every claim on the interweb. One can logically deduce that a starter is good for an x amount of starts. Likewise your battery is good for a y amount of starts. If the number of times you use the battery and the starter increases the time it takes to reach x and y decreases hence giving you less time before you need a new starter/battery.

@Sazabi19
I have to image that engineers thought about the extra wear on the starter and other related components in the system to where they're designed a bit better/beefier as to not fail 'prematurely' (or at least that's the hope).

I imagine egineers are motivated by reasons other than common sense.

 

[Oil_Burner]

I have to agree with you, I don’t see the big deal with ESS.
It works so seamlessly it’s hardly noticeable.
Now if I had had battery problems or something, I might feel differentply.

My JTRD has recommendations on idle time after running it hard. Unfortunately the start stop system doesn't follow the Jeep recommendations on idling before shutting the engine off

 

[Higher_Ground]

I had to replace my starter in my Accord after 150k miles. Was trying to push it but didn't want to destroy the transmission in the process. Had to replace batteries roughly every 2-3 years. Had to replace fuel roughly every other week.

My problem is that it's always on by default. Let us choose whether or not we want to use the feature. Simple enough one would think.

I'm able to remember to push the button 95% of the time.

I am pro-environment, I just don't think this particular feature is all that helpful for me.

(and while I am also pro-Canada, I seem to remember there being a huge scar on the earth visible from space from the Alberta tar sands. We're all people and nobody's perfect)

 

[Sazabi19]

Forgive me if I don't believe every claim on the interweb. One can logically deduce that a starter is good for an x amount of starts. Likewise your battery is good for a y amount of starts. If the number of times you use the battery and the starter increases the time it takes to reach x and y decreases hence giving you less time before you need a new starter/battery.

@Sazabi19
I have to image that engineers thought about the extra wear on the starter and other related components in the system to where they're designed a bit better/beefier as to not fail 'prematurely' (or at least that's the hope).

I imagine egineers are motivated by reasons other than common sense.

I think you're mixing up engineers with the penny pinchers. The engineer's only job is to design something as best they can. Others come in and give them the design parameters and constraints. So I stick by my statement of the engineers doing their best lol.

@Higher_Ground I think they don't let you disable it permanently because it is part of the scheme that allows Jeep to claim higher fleet mileage overall. I'm sure there's some convoluted reason buried deep in red tape as to why it's not an option to turn off like that. Appreciate you have a button to disable it, I don't know many other vehicles that give you that.

 

[red/green hawk]

[

My JTRD has recommendations on idle time after running it hard. Unfortunately the start stop system doesn't follow the Jeep recommendations on idling before shutting the engine off

This/\/\/\I don't have a diesel but can't imagine how it is beneficial for one. But then again if it's in the name of saving the planet who cares if it's bad for your Jeep.

 

[khockey02]

Forgive me if I don't believe every claim on the interweb. One can logically deduce that a starter is good for an x amount of starts. Likewise your battery is good for a y amount of starts. If the number of times you use the battery and the starter increases the time it takes to reach x and y decreases hence giving you less time before you need a new starter/battery.

@Sazabi19
I have to image that engineers thought about the extra wear on the starter and other related components in the system to where they're designed a bit better/beefier as to not fail 'prematurely' (or at least that's the hope).

I imagine egineers are motivated by reasons other than common sense.

Haha that’s fair, I remember hearing that the penta star (or maybe just v6s in general) is particularly well suited for start stop because they can precisely stop the motor with a cylinder primed and ready to fire, reducing strain on the starter system.

@Sazabi19 brings up a good point I hadn’t considered and there probably is a difference in ESS stopped and a full shutdown.

 

[khockey02]

I think you're mixing up engineers with the penny pinchers. The engineer's only job is to design something as best they can. Others come in and give them the design parameters and constraints. So I stick by my statement of the engineers doing their best lol.

The engineers are usually just given a set of requirements to design and test towards. If the goal is to just last the warranty period, then that’s what you’re going to get. Newer Mercedes are known for systems miraculously failing shortly after the standard lease period and I’d bet money this is why. Hopefully Jeep expects better from their products.

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