Just curious, what's the "wrong way" to jump the battery? (Other than crossing the terminals?)
Is there a specific order or something since there are 2 batteries?
I am currently researching this issue because I plan on questioning the dealership on this because I am not buying their story that a RAM 2500 over amped my vehicle. That's not how these systems or electricity for that matter works when all is functioning correctly. What's called for in a given system is what goes through it unless there is a short or bad element with-in the system. At least that's how I understand it from my electrial classes when getting my Audio Engineering Degree.
So, my time being a Paralegal for Uncle Sam's Misguided Children is proving to be valuable here because I look at things a little differently and I take my time to ensure the information I am consuming is correct before making any accusations. With that said, I am thinking that N1 150 amp on the AUX Power Distribution Center (PDC) was bad or the batteries caused it to happen since both of them were determined to be faulty.
Also, to answer your question, the secondary battery is not easily accessable since it's the AUX System Battery for start/stop functions and the other systems tied to the N1-N10 Fuses on the AUX PDC. Hence why when it blows, your dash lights up like a christmas tree. And looking through Stellantis information, it takes 300 amps to blow that fuse, so performing a jump using the battery post per the vehicle's manual shouldn't have damaged that N1 fuse. The manual does state to never use the fuse terminal near the Pre Fuse Block PDC and I made sure to avoid it.
What I am not seeing on the report given to me by the dealership is that the mechaninc followed Stellantis STAR Case S2508000031/Rev. A with-in the Cherwell system which states to evaluate the auxiliary battery, B+ connections, PDC connections, Power Control Relay and the underhood 150A fuse as a system before the batteries and instead the report states that he attempted to jump it, it failed and then replaced the batteries and subsequently found the blown fuse. So I am presuming that's the reason Stellantis doesn't want to cover the part under warranty, and why it was forced onto me to cover it, because mechanics keep blowing that fuse on accident due to them not being familiar with the system they are working on.
I'm not going to out right state that the mechanic blew it because both batteries were faulty and again, any faulty part with-in an electrical system can cause weirdness to happen to include but not limited to over amperage. So I could be barking up the wrong tree potentionally by stating the mechanic didn't follow this STAR Case proceedure and therefore blew the fuse.
Also since this is a paid repair, I asked for the part for my inspection and the initial wiTECH scan; battery-test reports for both batteries; technician notes; timestamps or sequence showing when N1 was first tested; any photos/video of the old fuse array; any STAR/TechCONNECT case consulted; and the basis used to code N1 and I was told the part was already thrown away and everything they are willing to give me is in the paperwork as they can't bother the mechanic since they are so backed up.
Hence why I wanted a detailed report on the order of steps the mechanic took because it very well could be that the fuse could have been blown before I jumped it because again both batteries tested faulty and could have caused a short hence why my trucked died on me at the light and lit up like a christmas tree when it was using the start/stop feature. Just a rational thought instead of blaming incompetence.
For me this is just sloppy work, why I want to lean into imcompetence and could potentionally be covering for the mechanic since this is the documentation that should be done as the mechanic goes along working on the vehicle and should be readily available in their system to hand over to me at my request. Especially with how high they are charing for labor rates now-a-days, that should be done at a minimum. Given all of this, I really wish I didn't have to take the truck to a dealership for warranty repairs and instead it could be done at an authorized 3rd party shop with-in their network, but we all know thats a long shot in a dream world that won't exsist anytime soon.
Hope my trials through this helps someone else out going through the same issue and if I get any more information or updates, I'll post about it!
