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Be aware of these symptoms

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6.5K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  Marek K  
#1 ·
I’m sure something like this has previously been posted, but be aware:

We had a somewhat frightening event on our trip down South this weekend. We were sitting in the car listening to the radio while eating dinner in Parkersburg, WV. I went to start the Jeep and nothing happened except the dashboard began flashing all kinds of warnings including “Air Bag disabled”, “Vehicle not in Park”, ”Security”, etc.
It wouldn’t start and windows were down and wouldn’t go back up. (All of our luggage inside). No clicking like what normally happens with a dead battery.
It was 8 pm and we’re 300 miles from home on a Saturday with dealerships closed. Luckily we have AAA and the guy came right away. He tested the alternator and then jumped it. Nothing more than a dead battery. He led us to a Hampton Inn where we got the last room.
My point of warning to everyone is that these newer electronic cars are not the same as the vehicles we’ve driven in the past. I honestly thought it was a major electrical or mechanical problem. File this away in the back of your mind in case you have a similar problem.
By the way, I bought a new battery the next morning and we were on our way.
 
#4 ·
The consensus on this Forum is that it's a bad idea to jump-start a Renegade with jumper cables from another car. Despite the Owner's Manual saying it's OK. There have been too many people here that have apparently screwed up their Renegade electronics doing that.

Using the Renegade to jump-start other cars? I don't know. I imagine it would be all right, since the Renegade's engine would already be running and there wouldn't be much danger of a current surge to the Renegade.

Whether the other vehicle will like it would again depend on the electronics in the other vehicle.

Ever since getting our 2021 Renegade Tailhawk, we've carried a jump pack (happens to be like this) in all three of our vehicles:

Image


To amplify what Nev wrote, they're not that expensive; take up less room than jumper cables; can be used to jump other vehicles too; and they hold their charge a really long time.
 
#6 ·
Keep an eye on it. If it comes back in a month or so, have your ignition switch checked. They do short and cause the computer to think the car is still in even when it is off and drains the battery 🪫.
My friend is looking at this Renegade and it is showing the same symptoms. They replaced the battery twice in 4 months which seems fixed the issue. It is neat overall with new brake pads and tires from 4Wheelonline installed last month. The ignition switch will be on our list to check.
 
#8 ·
Hi guys hope all is well with you I have a Jeep Renegade 2016 petrol version I have the car for 6 years and never had a problem with the car till now I drove the car from London to Liverpool last week all good and than next morning all the lights on the dashboard :airbag steering wheel locked - heating doesn’t work engine light and so on Can someone please help me out Thank you so much
 
#11 ·
OK... The next thing to check would be the main ground (earth) from the battery, and the positive cable from the battery. Those have been known to corrode, and cause these types of symptoms.

What kind of battery did you have installed? Same specifications as the original?

And what are the various mechanics telling you? It may be time to go to a Jeep dealer (or a Fiat dealer, since the Renegade is basically a Fiat 500X under the skin). They'd have the correct diagnostic equipment to see what's wrong...
 
#12 ·
I did change for the same one at the dealership
They are telling me electrical issues when plugged in to their computers is madness everything is an issue
I’m going to try main dealership at fiat and see what they say
I recently had an operation and can’t get so much out and see what I can do
Thank you so much you been amazing really appreciate you help
 
#13 ·
I did change for the same one at the dealership
If your Renegades were equipped the same as ours here in the States, your 2016 should have been originally equipped with an Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB).

The batteries that Renegades have been equipped with since about 2022, and that our Jeep dealers are now putting in, are Advanced Glass Mat (AGM) batteries. Quite different than EFB, though all Renegades should be able to handle them if registration is done correctly (see this thread: AGM Battery Programming/Registration | Jeep Renegade Forum).

So I suspect your new battery is not the same as the original...

So the Jeep dealer just threw up their hands and gave up when they saw all the faults? :unsure: