Truck wouldn't start after car wash

[Mot]

Thanksgiving day i decided to wash the truck before heading to meet up with family.

The truck is 4 months old (powerboost) and so I am in touchless mode, I used a wand at one of those coin-op type places.

When i was done the truck fired up and I pulled out into a vacuum bay to dry it off.

After that the truck wouldn't start. I was in a hurry and stressed about being late so I didn't document well but basically the screen said full accessory power on, an orange engine light and a red battery light.

A quick AI search told me to flash the headlights 5 times, then hit the brake 3 times, turn off, wait a few seconds then turn on. This was to reset BDM or, I really can't remember the acronym but some power management module.

I did this twice but it didn't work.

Next the google ai recommended popping the hood and checking an orange 12V battery connection on the left side of the engine bay.

No such connection. There are orange for the hybrid but not 12V.

So I wiggled the 12V battery connections a bit (they didn't actually move thankfully), jumped back in the truck and finally it started right up with the hood up.

That was only several minutes of, "WTF this is a new truck with less than 3K miles" , type of stress but I wasn't late for Turkey.

Has anyone else had this experience? I have a charged jumper battery behind the back seat and separate cables for emergencies that I didn't need this time but dang, I really don't feel safe driving anywhere without my phone with me.

And sometimes I really just like to leave the phone at home.

I still have the original battery and I'm aware they suck but given it eventually started right up i don't think that was the issue.

Sidenote: I have a 23 year old Honda Accord that has still never once failed to start!

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[Mot]

I should probably just get new batteries anyway.

Anyone have tips on the best? That's one thing (like tires and brakee) i won't cheap out on.

I think one is under the passenger rear seat too.

 

[Old Hat]

Yikes, I hope you are able to figure out what caused this. I agree it's likely not the batteries.

 

[Mot]

No idear... probably something got wet that shouldn't have but the battery appeared dry as did the rest of the engine compartment when I popped the hood.

 

[Icecoldak]

Being a 25 you should not need a battery at all! if it started again leave it as a weird issue and see if it happens again!

 

[Mot]

Oh, they used decent batteries in the 25' vs. prior years?

I just went outside and it started up just fine.

 

[RcFlyer330]

I doubt its the 12v batteries. Seems like the 21-23 had battery issues but its still possible on 24 and up.

As for the messages you got, one said full accessory power mode did you get any other popup messages? Reason I ask is the red battery symbol and orange engine lights normally come on in full accessory mode. Did you get a press brake to start message?

A good place to start would be to get all modules scanned for codes if there was a fault there should be history codes stored.

One easy thing I can think of is maybe you weren't pressing the brake when pressing start. Or could be like my 22 where every once in a while it will just got to full accessory power mode insted of starting. It was rare though and a power cycle always fixed it.

You could do a test and go wash it again. If it happens again take it to the service department you have a factory warrenty for a reason.

 

[Bigguy214]

Just had a similar situation with my Daughters Jeep.she just started college and has to drive about 85 miles a day back and forth and her old high school car had 200k on it so I decided to get her a new car and got her a 25 Jeep Wrangler.So about a month ago she got to school and parked and went to class.Class ended and she came out and was going to drive over to her other class and the jeep wouldn’t do nothing.She calls me up and lets me know I drive 40 miles there and I get in it and nothing.Everything is working on it radio comes on and dash lights up.I tried the push button start at least 15 times and nothing.The brake pedal felt real hard pushing on it also.Anyway i don’t even know why i did it but i rolled down the drivers side window and backup and the darn thing started lol.Took it to the dealer they couldn’t find anything wrong with it.Sometimes i think the modules just get a brain fart or something I was not happy about it but nothing I can do.

 

[moritzes]

You might want to get an OBD scanner and check the main 12V battery SoC using a phone app like OBDLink. My Powerboost with 3000 miles was down to 60% or so, and yours might be even lower, which can cause problems.

 

[Mot]

I doubt its the 12v batteries. Seems like the 21-23 had battery issues but its still possible on 24 and up.

As for the messages you got, one said full accessory power mode did you get any other popup messages? Reason I ask is the red battery symbol and orange engine lights normally come on in full accessory mode. Did you get a press brake to start message?

A good place to start would be to get all modules scanned for codes if there was a fault there should be history codes stored.

One easy thing I can think of is maybe you weren't pressing the brake when pressing start. Or could be like my 22 where every once in a while it will just got to full accessory power mode insted of starting. It was rare though and a power cycle always fixed it.

You could do a test and go wash it again. If it happens again take it to the service department you have a factory warrenty for a reason.

I don't remember getting a push brake to start message no. I did of course but no dice. It did seem like full accessory mode yeah.

Warranty I do have, extended too. Time is something I don't have much of until end of January next year.

 

[Mot]

Just had a similar situation with my Daughters Jeep.she just started college and has to drive about 85 miles a day back and forth and her old high school car had 200k on it so I decided to get her a new car and got her a 25 Jeep Wrangler.So about a month ago she got to school and parked and went to class.Class ended and she came out and was going to drive over to her other class and the jeep wouldn’t do nothing.She calls me up and lets me know I drive 40 miles there and I get in it and nothing.Everything is working on it radio comes on and dash lights up.I tried the push button start at least 15 times and nothing.The brake pedal felt real hard pushing on it also.Anyway i don’t even know why i did it but i rolled down the drivers side window and backup and the darn thing started lol.Took it to the dealer they couldn’t find anything wrong with it.Sometimes i think the modules just get a brain fart or something I was not happy about it but nothing I can do.

I have an awesome set of tools from being a Jeep owner in the 90s! I just won't buy one anymore. That thing had so many problems but it did always start.

To begin with I went up a small neighborhood curb slooowly at an angle and the sport bar bolt snapped. It was a wrangler YJ.

So I went down to the dealership parts department: "We don't have that part and don't sell that part". (With disdain all over her face) -> never again Chrysler/Jeep/Eagle.

Fortunately at work we had a machine shop and a buddy made new bolts that were stronger than OEM and I never had that problem again.

But the other problems were just getting started.

If that thing still runs somewhere out there is a Jeep with the water pump permatexed onto the engine.

 

[Mot]

You might want to get an OBD scanner and check the main 12V battery SoC using a phone app like OBDLink. My Powerboost with 3000 miles was down to 60% or so, and yours might be even lower, which can cause problems.

Yep, fully intend to do this early next year. I haven't looked into it yet but also Forscan.

 

[Aonarch]

To the dealer you go.

 

[Mot]

OMG!

I just happened to get this in my feed today:



I was hitting the windshield and drain hard with the wand thinking it was a logical design and I'd blow out any leaves up there.

I bet that's what did it.

I'll probably make a silicone damn in addition to not doing that anymore.

 

[Mot]

I think the Battery Control Module (BCM) is maybe in that area, attached to the negative terminal.

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