Jeep Start/Stop System Warning Light: Possible Reasons & Solution

If you own a jeep, you must be aware of, Jeep start/stop system warning light. This light is not only a useful one but also indicates the problem of your vehicle. It is important to have a look on your system while having the light.

So what causes the jeep start/stop system warning light?

Auxiliary battery issue, spark plug problem, fuel problem or other engine issue leads to light blinking. Jeep start/stop system warning light is an important feature where the green light is the indicator of engine shut down and restart of the internal combustion. On the other hand, amber/yellow indicates system malfunction. 

The solutions procedure is not done here. We have a detailed discussion on this in the following. 

Reasons Behind The Warning Light Malfunction & Solutions

The jeep Start/Stop light has some significance. Here the green light indicates the engine has been shut off and the yellow, amber or flashing amber light indicates a malfunction in the system. If you find the light flashing green, that indicates, the steering wheel lock is not released. 

So when you see such lights, you must inspect your jeep carefully to know the reasons behind it and solve the problem accordingly. 

You can also face a similar kind of issue with the Jeep Cherokee, which is the Interior lights won’t turn off.

Problem	Reason	Solution
Battery Issue	Auxiliary battery is lowFaulty battery.	Replace the battery
Spark plug problem	Worn or damaged spark plug	Clean or replace the spark plugs
Fuel problem	Fuel contaminated or less than required	Replace the fuel or refill if necessary.
Faulty transmission range sensor	Transmission range sensor failsTransmission range sensor wear out.Transmission range sensors suffer from malfunction.	Replace the transmission range sensor.
The vehicle is in the wrong gear	Transmission fluid low.Failed clutch master cylinder.Torn linkage wear.	Refill the transmission fluid till required amount.Repair the clutch master cylinder.Replace the damaged linkage wear.

However, If you find the system warning light color is amber/flashing amber, your vehicle needs an expert inspection to figure out the actual problem. 

Battery Issue (Amber/Flashing Amber Warning Light)

In any jeep, there are two kinds of batteries. One is the main battery and the other one is the auxiliary battery. When the auxiliary battery is down, the shart/stop system warning light indicates something is not working.

In most cases the battery is the main reason for the start/stop warning light. So it is easy to diagnose the problem and work on it. 

Reason:

Here are the reasons for auxiliary battery failure-

1. Wear and tear in the battery
2. Displacement of the battery  
3. Wrong-sized battery
4. Dirty and worn battery cable
5. Use of excessive electrical accessories  
6. Battery cables not adjusted properly 
7. Faulty battery.

In some cases, you might set an auxiliary battery on the vehicle for a particular purpose and then the battery might remain unused. The battery gets damaged for being unused. 

Solution:

The best solution to auxiliary battery failure is to replace the battery. Let us know how the battery can be replaced stepwise in the following. 

Step 1:  It is quite difficult to replace the auxiliary battery as it is located underneath the fuse box. At the very top of the battery, there are two 10mm bolts on the top. Take the bolts off with the help of a bolt extractor. In the battery, there is another 10mm bolt. You have to take the bolt off too. 

Step 2: After that, take off the cover of the fuse box. There are 4 bolts of 7mm. You have to take those off using the same extractor. Inside it, you will find a series of numbered bolts which are 10mm, on a side of it. 

Take all 6 bolts off with the help of a bolt extractor. Make sure you keep the bolts carefully according to the numbers. 

Step 3: After taking the bolts off, you will find four tabs on each of the four sides. Pull the tabs back with the help of a screwdriver, and they’re gonna come out. While pulling it off, make sure you pull off all the connections connected to the back of it carefully. 

After pulling it off, you will again find two 10mm bolts and one 7mm bolt. Finally, you will find the last 4 bolts of 10mm. The battery is located right after that. 

Step 4: Now take the battery off the place. Use the posts from the older battery if the new one doesn’t come with one. Generally, it is the E6 socket. 

So use a suitable extractor to take the posts off and install it to the new battery. 

Step 5: Finally, install the new battery in the right place. Install the battery cover, and reinstall all the bolts back. Put the battery cover and the fuse. Under the fuse, the connection order is blue, white, gray, and black. 

Now install the numbered bolts according to the numbers, where the 4th socket remains empty. And thus reinstall every bolt and battery cover back in. and your battery is replaced successfully. 

Sometimes the jeep start/stop is not ready for battery charging, you need to know in detail for handling such a situation. 

Spark Plug Issue:

If your jeep is having a spark plug issue, it will indicate the issue through the start/stop system warning through amber or flashing amber warning light. Along with that, you will also notice poor fuel mileage, poor acceleration, rough idling, and hard starting.

In those cases, it needs to be fixed as soon as possible. 

Reason:

There are a few reasons for the spark plug issue. Let us know about those.

1. Using normal wire can easily cause damage to the spark plug. 
2. Rich mixture of air and fuel. Or carbon fouling. 
3. Engine oil leak can be another reason that can cause the spark plug to go bad. Greasy and oily plugs can die faster than the regular ones..
4. Coolant leaks can be a reason for spark plugs going bad. 
5. Sometimes fuel additives like octane or fuel injector cleaner can go wrong with the spark plug. 
6. Overheating of the spark plug tips can cause damage to the spark plugs. 

Solution:

In most cases, when the spark plug goes bad, in most of the cases, you must replace it. The best thing is, you don’t have to visit a workshop every time to replace the spark plugs. Just following a few steps, you can do it all by yourself. 

Let us know the procedures for changing spark plugs in the following –

Step 1: First, you need to disconnect all the electrical connections from the ignition coil. This is a very important step while working with spark plugs. Remove the ignition coil after that. 

Step 2: Next, you have to use compressed air to get rid of any kind of dirt or dust stuck inside the spark plug tubes. 

Step 3: Now unscrew the spark plugs. For doing that you can use a ratchet equipped with a spark plug socket. 

Step 4: Use a gap plug to measure the gaps on the new spark plugs with a gap gauge. Make sure the gap is according to the owner’s manual. 

Step 5: Now install the new spark plugs by hand and tighten the plug with a torque wrench. Finally, reinstall the ignition coil and all the electrical connections, and you are set for the run. 

To avoid spark plug issues, it is important to use better-quality spark plugs. It is recommended by the experts to be either made of copper, platinum, or double platinum. 

You can also keep your eyes on the fcw sensor cleaning process. 

Fuel Problem:

Fuel problems are one of the most common problems one might face with a Jeep Wrangler and your jeep will warn you with amber or flashing amber warning light. You can figure it out with simple symptoms like fuel tank whining noise, difficulty in starting the jeep or lack of power. 

As soon as you detect such an issue, you need to fix it right away. But before that, you have to know the reasons for the fuel problem and then fix the problem. 

Reason:

Here are the reasons behind fuel problems in a jeep-

1. Clogged fuel injection.
2. Clogged or a leak in the fuel line.
3. Clogged fuel filter.
4. Problem with the fuel pump.
5. Wrong gasoline. 

Solution:

Here is the step by step solution-

Step 1: First, you need to check the fuel tank. Since fuel is used from the fuel tank, the vacuum of the fuel needs to be filled with air. And as the fuel temperature increases, the air should be released from the fuel tank. So make sure your fuel tank is functioning properly. 

Step 2: If lack of fuel is the issue with your jeep, first determine why the lack of engine is taking place or if it is due to an electrical problem, fuel pump issue, or leaking of the fuel pump. If none of these are the reason, simply refill the fuel pump with the required amount of fuel. 

Step 3: Fuel delivery testing should be done to make sure the fuel passing is proper. If the fuel is not passing properly. If not then diagnose the  pressure and volume. Measuring the amperage of the fuel pump helps to detect the issue. 

Step 4: sometimes the fuel pump can go wrong. In that case, replacing the fuel pump can only be the solution. The steps are pretty straightforward. If you follow the owner’s manual, you would be able to do it easily following all the steps. 

Step 5: Sometimes, the wrong fuel can cause problems. Make sure the fuel you are using on your vehicle is the correct one. So adjust the fuel level according to what’s required.

Other than all the mentioned reasons that cause jeep start/stop system warning lights, some other reasons can be, faulty starter motor, faulty brake pedal switch, faulty Transmission range sensor, vehicle is in the wrong gear and so on. 

Faulty Transmission Range Sensor:

Another very common reason for Jeep start/stop system warning lights can occur for faulty transmission range sensors which show amber or yellow colored light. After getting the clear indication, make sure you take immediate steps to repair it. 

Reason:

Here are the reasons of faulty transmission range sensor-

1. Due to use for longer, the transmission range sensor may fail.
2. For regular car use, transmission range sensor wear out.
3. Malfunction in transmission range sensor. 

Solution:

There are the solution to faulty transmission range sensor problem-

1. Make adjustments, with the transmission range sensor.
2. The best possible thing you can do is to replace the transmission range sensor.

The Vehicle is in the Wrong Gear:

If the vehicle is running in the wrong gear, a red warning light would indicate the problem to you. There are few reasons that can cause wrong gear in your vehicle. Those are-

Reason:

The reasons that causes wrong gear in the vehicle are-

1. Transmission fluid low.
2. Failed clutch master cylinder.
3. Torn linkage wear.

Solution:

Here are the simple solution to the wrong gear problem-

1. Refill the transmission fluid to the required level.
2. Replace or make adjustments with the failed clutch master cylinder. 
3. You can try to repair the torn linkage wear of gear but it is best to replace those. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Why is the jeep start/stop not ready?

If your jeep start/stop is not ready, that indicates, the secondary battery is getting charged. If you are moving around the neighborhood with many time stops, it can cause the issue. In those cases, you need to let the battery get charged first, and then you are good to go with your vehicle. 

Can the jeep be driven while the start/stop light is turned on?

You can drive a few miles with the start-stop light turned on. But the best solution is to stop the car as soon as possible and inspect where the problem lies.Don’t get intimidated when you see flashing lights. If the car is not making any noise, you can keep driving.

Can a battery cause the start/stop system warning light?

If you select the wrong battery, that can cause a start/stop system warning light. It also causes the start stop system failure. An incorrect battery not only causes the warning light issue, but also leads your engine to various other problems. If you find such a battery issue, it is better to replace the battery. 

Final Words

This article covers all the aspects regarding, Jeep start/stop system warning light. Not only the reasons for the problem, but also the solution to every problem. Hope it could help you through. 

That is it for now, have a safe journey!