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Stop and Go --- well... Stopped working again!!!!

6.4K views 20 replies 9 participants last post by  udeemail33  
#1 · (Edited)
After 2.5 weeks of replacing all batteries Stop and Go stopped working again. I have read many people reporting that if you are driving a lot of short trips that will not get Stop and Go battery charged and that's why the feature is not working. And I think that this is what is happening in my case.

To me this is really annoying. Stop and Go should be working no matter how short is the distance that you are driving every day. This is what I call BAD DESIGN. PERIOD.

I love my van but NO WAY I would recommend it to any one. PERIOD. Everything about this van is like half cooked:
1- Stop and go does not work well
2- Automatic Cruise control fails to detect the car on front if it's stopped
3- Frontal Collision Warning system sometimes comes from factory unaligned and requires to be aligned properly by the dealer
4- PAINT ISSUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5- Sliding doors not working properly
6- So many different multimedia issues!!!!!!!!!!!!! From black screens to touch screen no responding....
7- A/C smell
8- Batteries that do not last even a year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9- Plenty of other malfunction reports in this and other places online

The most I love the car the most aggravated I get with all these imperfections. I'll never buy a Chrysler again in my life. I bought it because nobody else was offering a better deal comparing money against features. Now I comprehend that how good are those features if they are half cooked. No wonder they were offered almost at no cost compared with Honda and Toyota. I drove a Toyota Prius for more than 10 years. Every single feature in the two cars I drove JUST WORKED. None failure ever. With Chrysler you have to always think "will it work this time?"

And it's not me alone. The technician confirmed me that he is constantly replacing Stop and Go batteries up to the point that they have been few times in back order.
 
#2 ·
Ugh, frustrating. In regards to the OEM batteries, I think it's coming to a consensus that they suck, or at least the way they're being charged sucks. And who knows what batteries they replaced yours with, did they come off another van that's been sitting in their lot for 6 months? Worse yet, did they say they changed them but didn't?

Me personally I'd replace them asap with good quality aftermarket batteries. If after many weeks ESS works fine then send Chrysler the bill. If it fails, then i'd still send them the bill.
 
#4 ·
Me personally I'd replace them asap with good quality aftermarket batteries. If after many weeks ESS works fine then send Chrysler the bill. If it fails, then i'd still send them the bill.
The aftermarket stop and go batteries are not cheap.
 
#3 ·
Really sorry to hear about the troubles you are having with your van. My van doesn't have as many features as your van, but other than the hood corrosion, (which other manufacturers are having similar problems), my pre-owned '17 with ESS is working very well.
 
#5 ·
From my list of defects I have suffered two of them only. The rest are defects that are very commonly mentioned in this and other sites. Still, it's really frustrating to see such poor quality control in an car maker. :confused:
 
#9 ·
Are you also retired? You mention lots of short trips. That would point to not a lot of long distance travel in general. I think you are 100% right about whats happening- its just how it works.

I changed from freeway driving to work to working from home with lots of short trips- it never works anymore.

But if I go on a long drive, voila, works great!

Its done this since new. I thought it was an issue until I realized what was going on. Its simply not enough to charge it unless you go far enough, fast enough.

While I don't really care, I can see how its disconcerting to not know when the car will be shutting off! Especially when you learn you need to drive according to it shutting off- hitting the gas too fast after a quick stop can result is a STONG jerk forward as it kicks off and on again, but the gearing is still working...
 
#10 ·
No, I'm not retired but my job is 4 miles from my home. During the weekend I may drive maximum 20 miles to a park or something like that and I can tell you, that is not enough to recharge the battery.

But even if that's the case. The designers of the feature should have thought that no matter how short is your daily driving, stop and go is designed to be used in an urban environment and in my case, it does not work and with my driving routine I need to save gas with that feature!
 
#13 · (Edited)
my two cents

As I have noted in another thread, in the winter, even with ten mile trips, the Stop-Start seemed to always be "engine too cold" (understandable) to "not available battery charging" Now that the weather has warmed up, the Stop-Start seems to be working well. It comes on quickly and I do not spend appreciable time in the charge mode anymore.

Anyone know what temperature is measured to deem the engine warmed enough for Start-Stop to work?

So last winter I thought the batteries were dying because they couldn't be charged or had no capacity but now that it is warmer all seems to be good. I have no idea and the dealer is no help with understanding it other that saying "that is normal" which I think is dealer speak for "I have no idea". So we mush on with two years more on the warranty.

All that said, I like the van and have had no other quality issues (except the squirrel issues which the forun regulars know about). One should note the forum population probably has a high percentage of people with problems because they rightfully want to tell others and vent which is understandable. I would too. Likely there are also a huge number of happy owners who are blissfully driving driving Pacificas with no need to join a forum as they have no problems.

I was leery of getting my third Chrysler van as I had my share of troubles with the first two and I sincerely wish Chrysler would redouble to improve their reputation for quality. They have certainly made, in my mind, beautiful and functional product and we all should demand the quality should be there too.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Still wondering where the flaw is in the ESS. This is from a previously posted article:
https://batteryuniversity.com/index.php/learn/article/absorbent_glass_mat_agm
"... While regular lead acid batteries need a topping charge every six months to prevent the buildup of sulfation, AGM batteries are less prone to sulfation and can sit in storage for longer before a charge becomes necessary. The battery stands up well to low temperatures and has a low self-discharge."
 
#19 ·
I once rented a Pacifica with it, tried to like it, hated it, then it quickly became habit to hit the "A OFF" button every time.
 
#21 ·
That stop and go business freaked me out on the first day that I bought my 2018 Pacifica LX so I routinely just hit the button that turns it off right after I push the start motor button. Did not know there was a separate battery for the stop and go until recent ice storm made alert come on that battery was recharging. Got nervous that it meant main battery was failing until saw its at 14 volts. Now I know it meant the stop and go battery. Other points: Chrysler sent me a recall notice last year for dealer to do something to stop and go system. Mileage economy by stop and go is a lie; I get the same mpg long term as someone I know that uses stop and go constantly.