Stupid ESS System

[Mr._Bill]

If the negative cables are separated, the positive cable can be attached to the top of the main battery, and then the battery being charged will be determined by the negative cable the charger is attached to.

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[Green_Gladiator]

I had the Auto Stop Start not available come up on the cluster after noticing it stopped working. Thought the same, the problem is the Aux battery. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the main battery over a month ago no issues till today.

 

[Gladiator Brad 704]

What are your issues?

 

[Dannymums]

That Damn ESS cost me $1500. Here’s my invoice…

 

[Gladiator Brad 704]

Like I said my Pacifica has the same system and has been problem free for almost 50K miles, still on the factory batteries. Why so many problems from Jeep?

 

[RHINO79]

The gladiator has two good depression switches , if you disconnect the one on the right I believe it disables the ESS

Absolutely the easiest way!!!

 

[Flyboy2109]

The only thing that keeps ESS off is a tazer, or you pressing the button when you start the truck.

The jumpers are nothing special, they do nothing special and don't prevent ESS from working. (people are making a buck from the unsuspecting)

Have you had your main battery fully charged and load checked? How do you know you don't have a main battery issue?

Do you drive it a lot to keep batteries up? If not - you should run a battery tender/maintainer on it. If it sits more than a couple of days at a time, and if it's driven for only short distances, then your batteries will not last and will not stay charged.

Why are you worried about the message if you don't like ESS?
It is likely trying to tell you there's another problem - but people keep jumping at the aux battery when quite often that's not the real problem, not the root cause of the messages or problems.

You said you replaced the aux battery - but not the main. You had both fully charged and checked?
Did you fully charge the new battery before installing it (if not, that's a mistake)
You have a 2020 - is it the original main battery? If so - time to get it CHECKED properly - not necessarily by a parts store, but someone who will make sure it's charged, then properly load test it.

These systems are actually quite simple in principal,, the problems come in with lack of driving, believing the bunk in too many places (especially Wrangler forums), and the fact that short battery life seems to be a part of modern cars these days. I again, refer back to a conversation with people who said they had trouble getting a car battery to last 4 years.
A 2020 may well have a 4 year old battery in it, and if not driven enough - that shortens battery life.
ESS messages can be an indicator of issues with areas NOT the aux battery. But Jeep people have been mis-trained that it's the first, and only, place to look.

There IS another way besides the Tazer option. I bought a plug in electronic but that simply plugs into the harness below the steering column. This item remembers your last ESS choice so you would not have to select ESS off every time you start. I think it was the Smartstopstart memory module. I added this bit and removed my aux batt. That was a year ago. No problems have ever occurred. My aux batt cables were just long enough to be hooked up to the main batt. I know, I really didn’t have to do the neg terminal but I did because it reached. Others have not done that. Is that where their problems arise? I didn’t pull any fuses or disconnect anything else.

 

[sharpsicle]

That Damn ESS cost me $1500. Here’s my invoice…

That's not the ESS. Clearly shows the batteries were junk.

Like I said my Pacifica has the same system and has been problem free for almost 50K miles, still on the factory batteries. Why so many problems from Jeep?

As said, it's the batteries in these that go bad. The system isn't the issue, it's the batteries.

I know it's more convenient to blame ESS, but it's not the truth.

 

[Mr._Bill]

Like I said my Pacifica has the same system and has been problem free for almost 50K miles, still on the factory batteries. Why so many problems from Jeep?

High parasitic draw combined with not driving it enough to keep the batteries charged is a common Jeep problem. The heat exposure under the hood also shortens the life expectancy of the batteries.

 

[Gladiator Brad 704]

I am blaming the under size aux battery that was placed in the system to assist the overbearing electrical system when the Jeep is off at a stoplight. Just let the vehicle run like all the past years and we wouldn't even be having this discussion.
Still no comments on why my Pacifica is problem free.

 

[KevinC]

That Damn ESS cost me $1500. Here’s my invoice…

You say ESS, but nowhere does your invoice say they did anything to the ESS. You had two bad batteries and the dealer hosed you on the cost of them. Not sure how much a fuse array costs, the batteries I would have bought elsewhere.

KevinC

 

[KevinC]

Still no comments on why my Pacifica is problem free.

You are asking a loaded question. Batteries can and will fail at the most inopportune time. We have no idea how they have been treated before we get them. I've seen brand new batteries fail within months and I've seen old batteries still holding a charge and working fine.

Your Pacifica batteries are on borrowed time, I can guarantee that.

KevinC

 

[Gladiator Brad 704]

So lots of Jeep JL and JTs get poor batteries form the beginning. I see.

 

[Terminus33]

You should trade the Gladiator in for another Pacifica it seems.

 

[sharpsicle]

So lots of Jeep JL and JTs get poor batteries form the beginning. I see.

Yes. Again, the batteries in these go bad. Usually they don't last much past 3 years. Your Pacifica probably has better batteries, who knows. Not sure why that matters so much. Blame whatever you want.

Not to be an ass, but this the third time I've told you this in the thread, and many others have said the same. Let's break the cycle and stop going in circles.

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