Chassis Batteries Quandary
The chassis batteries do not hold a charge on my 2004 Winnebago Vectra. The engine alternator charges them when the engine is running, but the batteries do not charge when connected to shore power. I replaced both batteries. There is no charge now from the inverter. A repair shop checked the electrical system and reported that the inverter is working properly. Do you have any suggestion before I bring my rig to another shop?
Darryl Wiede, F446716
Richboro, Pennsylvania
Call the customer service center for your inverter; the service department can walk you through a troubleshooting session. It sounds to me like either a breaker is open or the charging circuit on the inverter is malfunctioning. If customer service can’t help, write me again.
Storage Question
Editor’s note: This is the English translation of a question that arrived in French.
I lock my Type B motorhome in a warehouse. It’s a diesel engine. Do I need to put “cleen floo” in the gas tank before putting it away? Thanks for your help.
Johanne
Via Email
I hope you can understand English, Johanne, as I don’t speak or write French.
I’m not sure what you mean by “cleen floo,” but depending on where you are storing your motorhome, you should top off the fuel tank before storage and add a product called Sta-Bil diesel fuel additive to the fuel tank before leaving the filling station. Also, add to the fuel a biocide, such as Biobor JF, to keep it clean. Make sure you can drive a minimum of 25 highway miles — enough to get the oil, not just the coolant, up to operating temperature. The drive home will mix the additives well with the fuel and will protect the fuel system and injectors while the motorhome is stored.
If the winter is quite cold where you live, you also should add one of the following to keep the fuel from thickening: FPPF Polar Power Diesel Treatment; Power Service Diesel 911; Heet Diesel Winter Treatment; or Lucas Oil Anti-Gel Cold Weather Diesel Treatment.
Jeep Towing
I have a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee with Quadra-Drive II that I flat tow behind my motorhome. In an early version of my owners manual (second edition) it says in the preparing-to-tow procedure to turn the engine off and leave the ignition in the unlocked “off” position. It also states to disconnect the negative battery cable. In a newer version of the 2011 owner’s manual (sixth edition), it states to turn off the engine and remove the key. This manual says nothing about disconnecting the negative battery cable. Will damage be caused to the locked steering column or the front tires using this latest procedure?
Jim Zaleski, F249438
Riverview, Florida
The most up-to-date owners manual for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the seventh edition. To find it online, visit www.jeep.com/en/owners/manuals/. It includes detailed instructions for flat towing. Unlike earlier manuals, the current instructions say nothing about disconnecting the negative battery cable when flat towing. We asked a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) public relations manager who deals with Jeep products to check with FCA’s engineering team, and he relayed the response: For 2011 Grand Cherokees produced in North America, there is no reason to disconnect the negative battery terminal.