We've towed this Jeep for a few years now without any problems until this trip. We run the Falcon 2 tow bar and the braek buddy system. I followed the Jeep's owners manual, put the transfer case in Neutral, auto trans in park and switched the ignition key to the "ACC" position. We pulled into the campground yesterday after 570 miles and about 11 hours of driving to find the Jeep completely dead. I had a neighbor ask if I wanted a jump and accepted. Got it started after awhile and let it run about 30 minutes. Shut her down and checked a few times before I hit the rack and when I got up this morning. Started no problem. Figured it was operator error or just one of those things that happen on trips. I double checked everything before I left this morning, stopped after a few hours for a snack and it started right up again. Ok, fixed. Drove for another 400 miles or so, stopped for the night and it's dead. What gives? What do I check and how do I check it? I have a battery charger on her now provided by a nice fella in the campground, and I'm gonna charge it all night but need this fixed for my return trip to NJ next month.Never had this type of problem before. Thanks for any suggestions.Bob

I don’t believe you need the key on. I don’t think the column lock the wheel with the key off. Also do you have a batt. Charge wire running from the MH to the Jeep to keep the batt charged? Most vehicle need to have one to avoid this issue!

dodge guy wrote:I don’t believe you need the key on. I don’t think the column lock the wheel with the key off. Also do you have a batt. Charge wire running from the MH to the Jeep to keep the batt charged? Most vehicle need to have one to avoid this issue!Yes, we have the charge wire. I should have been more specific.

First thing I would check is the charge wire.

You say you towed this jeep for a few years with no problem, maybe your battery is failing. If a cell is shorted, it will run a your battery down. Most auto parts stores will load test it for no charge.I once had a battery that that would start my coach and I could drive all day until I turned the coach off. After a while the battery would cool down and start the coach again. The charge circuit was heating the plates and causing one to seperate but only while driving.

ScottG wrote:First thing I would check is the charge wire.It looks fine. Fairly new. Maybe 2 seasons now. No damage. How would I test if it's operating properly?

Jeep towed discharged when towing. This is new.

RJL
Explorer
Oct 14, 2019
ScottG wrote:
RJL wrote:
ScottG wrote:
First thing I would check is the charge wire.

It looks fine. Fairly new. Maybe 2 seasons now. No damage. How would I test if it's operating properly?

Looks dont mean anything. You need to check it while the coach is running and make sure it's delivering power to the towed.

How? Please explain
ScottG
Nomad
Oct 14, 2019
RJL wrote:
ScottG wrote:
RJL wrote:
ScottG wrote:
First thing I would check is the charge wire.

It looks fine. Fairly new. Maybe 2 seasons now. No damage. How would I test if it's operating properly?

Looks dont mean anything. You need to check it while the coach is running and make sure it's delivering power to the towed.

How? Please explain

I would hook everything up and use a volt meter to watch the voltage at the Jeeps battery.
When the Jeep is fully charged but not running, the voltage should be around 12.6VDC.
Now start the motorhome and look at the Jeeps battery voltage again.
It will be higher, in the range of high 13V to 14.X volts.

If you start the MH and the jeeps voltage doesn't change at all, there's something open in the charge circuit. Maybe a fuse has popped.

Good luck!

Scott
w4phj
Explorer
Oct 14, 2019
Voltage check mentioned above is a good procedure. I would use a clamp on DC amp meter on the charge line to easily observe the charging amperage.
wildtoad
Explorer II
Oct 14, 2019
Jeep manuals are way out of date on some topics. My 2015 manual says to leave the key in ACC but there is no need to do that since about 2008. UNLESS you need power such as the Brake Buddy. However, not sure it would drain you battery unless you were doing lot of hard stopping or the sensitivity is set to high. I do think you should pull the battery and have it checked and check the charge line.
Horsedoc
Explorer II
Oct 14, 2019
We have had two 4-door Wranglers and batteries failed on both pretty much like you described. The shop foreman for the local Jeep dealer told me something about X amount of power is needed in the system to make it work when starting. Both Jeeps started hesitating a couple of seconds before the started turning the engine. New batteries both times were simple fixes. Hope yours is that easy also
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Oct 14, 2019
How old is the battery in the jeep?

As batteries age they loose capacity and the Brake Buddy eats battery power. so if you don't have the capacity after a long tow. you dead.

One of the reasons (not the most important) why I do not care for the BB system or other systems like it that you install every time you tow.. that's the real reason (you have to install them EVERY time you tow)
Jack_Spratt
Explorer
Oct 14, 2019
Towing a 04 Jeep Liberty with Blue Ox Patriot brake system, no charge line.
With engine running back one click to turn engine off per manual.
After two days of towing starts right up.
ScottG
Nomad
Oct 14, 2019
It could be the puter needs to be powered up while the wheels are turning but I also suspect they just want the mileage to add up so the warranty runs out quicker in the beginning.
allbrandauto
Explorer
Oct 14, 2019
a volt meter on the jeeps battery will tell you every thing when hooked up to your motorhome should read 13.5 and above. if not the problem is in the charge wire circuit
allbrandauto
Explorer
Oct 14, 2019
note the motorhome has to be running

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Jeep towed discharged when towing. This is new.

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