Wrangler 392 reliability

Is the Gladiator plagued by the same electrical gremlins found on some of the newer JLs? Im assuming it has the same ESS Pentastar found on the JL.

Side note: Went to the dealer to look at a 392, decided id take a look at a couple of the other engine options. 4 of the Jeeps wouldn't start because of dead batteries. 🫣.
 
bobfriesenhahn said:
This 2007 Subaru Outback has only left my wife stranded due to a dead battery and a flat tire. Otherwise has been utterly reliable.

This year has an ordinary automatic transmission rather than the CVT which causes issues for many.

The car is not exciting to drive, but it easily keeps up with traffic on the highway and the actual fuel economy is over 2X better than a Wrangler JL.
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Maybe trade in the Jeep for another Subaru?
 
JKrob15 said:
Is the Gladiator plagued by the same electrical gremlins found on some of the newer JLs? Im assuming it has the same ESS Pentastar found on the JL.

Side note: Went to the dealer to look at a 392, decided id take a look at a couple of the other engine options. 4 of the Jeeps wouldn't start because of dead batteries. 🫣.
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That’s just poor maint by the sales team. When I worked at the gm dealer we had dead batteries on the lot all the time cause they were to lazy to get off their ass and run them for a bit
 
benatc1 said:
Did I miss something Bob, or did you just question the reliability of a JL because the battery died, then said how reliable the Subaru has been, to then tell us the only time it left you stranded was because of a dead battery?
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My main complaint is that there should be fail-safe logic/hardware to notify the driver that the main battery is low rather than having every indicator on the dash flipping out. If the dash can still display brightly, then there is enough to power a desd-man indicator.
 
HighwayTrout said:
Oh. So it’s needs more technology and another warning warning light??
😵‍💫
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I don’t often agree with Bob, but when I do, it’s about this. 😂

Since we have two batteries, and when the aux battery goes bad it could be in a remote location, the status gauge should show both separately rather than just the start battery. Now that I know my 48v battery can strand me up in the snow where I spend a fair amount of time I would like to monitor it- I’d rather get fucked at the dealership than up in the mountains and then at the dealership later on.
 
Mike Pierson said:
I don’t often agree with Bob, but when I do, it’s about this. 😂

Since we have two batteries, and when the aux battery goes bad it could be in a remote location, the status gauge should show both separately rather than just the start battery. Now that I know my 48v battery can strand me up in the snow where I spend a fair amount of time I would like to monitor it- I’d rather get fucked at the dealership than up in the mountains and then at the dealership later on.
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Most every truck that I've had driven had either 3 or 4 batteries. They use to have just a voltage gage. Some of the newer ones have a voltage gage and a little for the batteries. Some just have the light. When the battery light comes on it's to late and your stuck. 99% of the time it not only do you have to replace all of them, you have to have to pay someone to bring them to you. Plus most of the time it's not just the batteries that you have to replace, you have to replace the alternator also
 
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HighwayTrout said:
Oh. So it’s needs more technology and another warning warning light??
😵‍💫
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My CJ-5 came with a voltage gauge (low technology) on the dash. If the stable battery voltage, or the cranking voltage/current, is too low then a reliable indication should appear on the dash to indicate that there is a problem.
 
Mike Pierson said:
I don’t often agree with Bob, but when I do, it’s about this. 😂

Since we have two batteries, and when the aux battery goes bad it could be in a remote location, the status gauge should show both separately rather than just the start battery. Now that I know my 48v battery can strand me up in the snow where I spend a fair amount of time I would like to monitor it- I’d rather get fucked at the dealership than up in the mountains and then at the dealership later on.
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I used my OBD jscan to live monitor my battery voltage… just to make sure it looked ok prior to going on a recent trip. But I’m with you on that. All the tech these things have.. how about a voltage, oil pressure, and trans temp gauge.. is that asking too much.. Do the JL’s have any of that on their fancy dash cluster?
 
TrailHunter said:
I used my OBD jscan to live monitor my battery voltage… just to make sure it looked ok prior to going on a recent trip. But I’m with you on that. All the tech these things have.. how about a voltage, oil pressure, and trans temp gauge.. is that asking too much.. Do the JL’s have any of that on their fancy dash cluster?
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They have a battery gauge, but it’s presumably only the starter battery. They also have gauges for temps and such that you can scroll through or on the head unit in the off-road pages. However, it once told me my engine temp was 490 degrees. Don’t totally trust them.
 
cozdude said:
That’s just poor maint by the sales team. When I worked at the gm dealer we had dead batteries on the lot all the time cause they were to lazy to get off their ass and run them for a bit
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Ya it’s unfortunate, especially when they are not selling so great. They were also filthy, baked in tree droppings (or whatever settles on vehicles when parked under them). Side note: How can you work at a Jeep dealer for more than five years and have no clue about any basic details on the Jeep? SMH.
 
bobfriesenhahn said:
My CJ-5 came with a voltage gauge (low technology) on the dash. If the stable battery voltage, or the cranking voltage/current, is too low then a reliable indication should appear on the dash to indicate that there is a problem.
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Again. I get that. Your JL has the same gauge. Albeit digital now. And just like your old cj. It will basically just tell you if your alternator is working properly. It will not nor have they ever been able to predict when your battery will up and shit the bed.
 
HighwayTrout said:
Again. I get that. Your JL has the same gauge. Albeit digital now. And just like your old cj. It will basically just tell you if your alternator is working properly. It will not nor have they ever been able to predict when your battery will up and shit the bed.
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This sounds like an opportunity for AI in the Jeep. AI can predict when batteries may fail based on telemetry sent to the mother ship (MOPAR). If a cheap tester at Discount Tire can report if the battery is failing, then data collected from each Jeep start should support an accurate estimate. Then the driver can know that the battery should be replaced.
 
bobfriesenhahn said:
My main complaint is that there should be fail-safe logic/hardware to notify the driver that the main battery is low rather than having every indicator on the dash flipping out. If the dash can still display brightly, then there is enough to power a desd-man indicator.
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bobfriesenhahn said:
This sounds like an opportunity for AI in the Jeep. AI can predict when batteries may fail based on telemetry sent to the mother ship (MOPAR). If a cheap tester at Discount Tire can report if the battery is failing, then data collected from each Jeep start should support an accurate estimate. Then the driver can know that the battery should be replaced.
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