New Toad

[TEO]

I just got a 2014 wrangler sport and next weekend im installing a Demco stay in play and a vehicle specific plug and play wiring harness for the taillights, along with a charge line. My owners manual says to disconnect the negative battery cable when towing. I believe that is to eliminate the possibility of a dead battery but with the charge line it shouldn't be an issue.
Online it also says I need a brake light relay to keep the brake light switch on the jeep from interfering with the function coming from the motorhome.
From the research I did it looks like I could just add a toggle switch to the cold side of the brake switch and accomplish the same thing, without adding a relay. Does this sound reasonable? I have to switch the braking system on to tow and off again so another switch would be easy to place next to the other one.
Sorry for the long post, any comments welcome.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

I just got a 2014 wrangler sport and next weekend im installing a Demco stay in play and a vehicle specific plug and play wiring harness for the taillights, along with a charge line. My owners manual says to disconnect the negative battery cable when towing. I believe that is to eliminate the possibility of a dead battery but with the charge line it shouldn't be an issue.
Online it also says I need a brake light relay to keep the brake light switch on the jeep from interfering with the function coming from the motorhome.
From the research I did it looks like I could just add a toggle switch to the cold side of the brake switch and accomplish the same thing, without adding a relay. Does this sound reasonable? I have to switch the braking system on to tow and off again so another switch would be easy to place next to the other one.
Sorry for the long post, any comments welcome.

I tow a 2018 Wrangler Sport with a 2019 Jayco Precept. I have a charge line to the Jeep and have never disconnected the battery nor have I ever had a battery go dead. I do not have a relay for the towed brake lights. They work just fine without. I also have a bicycle carrier on the Jeep that has park and brake lights. No problem with them either when being towed.

 

[TEO]

I tow a 2018 Wrangler Sport with a 2019 Jayco Precept. I have a charge line to the Jeep and have never disconnected the battery nor have I ever had a battery go dead. I do not have a relay for the towed brake lights. They work just fine without. I also have a bicycle carrier on the Jeep that has park and brake lights. No problem with them either when being towed.

I haven't verified yet because the jeep isn't at my home but I think it's only a problem if the brake lights illuminate even when the key is off, and the braking system is actually pushing the brake pedal.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

I haven't verified yet because the jeep isn't at my home but I think it's only a problem if the brake lights illuminate even when the key is off, and the braking system is actually pushing the brake pedal.

I am not sure that Wrangler "Sports" have a "keyless" ignition system (push button style). I have the standard "Key in the slot" style and I never have my key on when it is being towed. The steering wheel does not have a lock. Even with no key it will fully turn. My brake lights work with out the ignition being on. If you have the push button ignition system, it may work different than mine.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

@TEO , if you don't have the manual for your Jeep, find one online. Don't go by some random information, but refer to the manual for your year and model. I have had 5 different year model Jeeps and each one has been different in setup for towing. My current 2025 Gladiator with LED taillights is really unique.

 

[TEO]

I am not sure that Wrangler "Sports" have a "keyless" ignition system (push button style). I have the standard "Key in the slot" style and I never have my key on when it is being towed. The steering wheel does not have a lock. Even with no key it will fully turn. My brake lights work with out the ignition being on. If you have the push button ignition system, it may work different than mine.

I have a standard key also.

 

[TEO]

@TEO , if you don't have the manual for your Jeep, find one online. Don't go by some random information, but refer to the manual for your year and model. I have had 5 different year model Jeeps and each one has been different in setup for towing. My current 2025 Gladiator with LED taillights is really unique.

I do have the owners manual and the last thing it says to do after getting everything into neutral is remove the negative battery cable. Just doesn't seem necessary with a charge line. I know jeep isn't going to try and cover all different scenarios in their manual.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

I do have the owners manual and the last thing it says to do after getting everything into neutral is remove the negative battery cable. Just doesn't seem necessary with a charge line. I know jeep isn't going to try and cover all different scenarios in their manual.

Hmmmm I'm surprised they don't give you a reason for the battery disconnect. And I apologize. I should have asked you to check your owner's manual as Texas Clodhoppers suggested right at the beginning. Anyway, the braking system I use is Brake Buddy. It relies on the Jeep's battery to operate a compressor. What does your braking system use? If it does use the Jeep's battery, disconnecting the cables becomes dangerous.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

If you have a locking steering wheel, the key must be in the ACC position, which means you will be using power. Does the Stay and Play require power? I think the reason the manual states to disconnect the negative cable is to prevent draining the battery. With a charge line, you should be fine.

I have a charge line on my Gladiator because when the LED taillights are illuminated, it wakes the computer, and everything comes on. Crazy, but thats the way it is. I've towed for close to 72 hours without starting the Jeep, and the charge line has always maintained a full charge.

 

[TEO]

Hmmmm I'm surprised they don't give you a reason for the battery disconnect. And I apologize. I should have asked you to check your owner's manual as Texas Clodhoppers suggested right at the beginning. Anyway, the braking system I use is Brake Buddy. It relies on the Jeep's battery to operate a compressor. What does your braking system use? If it does use the Jeep's battery, disconnecting the cables becomes dangerous.

Yes the Demco stay in play uses the jeeps battery to power the compressor.
I assume that jeep doesn't know if you're using a brake system that uses the toad's battery

 

[TEO]

If you have a locking steering wheel, the key must be in the ACC position, which means you will be using power. Does the Stay and Play require power? I think the reason the manual states to disconnect the negative cable is to prevent draining the battery. With a charge line, you should be fine.

I have a charge line on my Gladiator because when the LED taillights are illuminated, it wakes the computer, and everything comes on. Crazy, but thats the way it is. I've towed for close to 72 hours without starting the Jeep, and the charge line has always maintained a full charge.

Yes it uses the the Jeep's battery and I will verify the steering doesn't lock this weekend, I don't think it does so the key won't be needed for acc.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

According to Dr Google and a little AI.

This is so typical of Jeep to screw up their manual.

Why the Manual Instructions Cause Confusion
There is a specific reason this instruction is in your ⁠2014 Jeep Wrangler Owner's Manual: [1]

• The "ACC" Position Requirement: In earlier model years (2007–2008), the Wrangler had a physical steering lock. This meant the key had to be left in the ACC (Accessory) position to allow the front tires to steer while being flat-towed. [1]
• The Power Drain: Leaving a key in the ACC position keeps the vehicle's onboard computers, modules, and accessory outlets active. Over hours of towing, this parasitic load completely empties the battery. Disconnecting the cable cuts all power so you do not arrive at your destination with a dead vehicle. [1]
• The "Copy-Paste" Manual Error: Jeep removed the steering lock entirely by mid-2008. However, Jeep mistakenly left the legacy "leave key in ACC and disconnect battery" instructions in the 2014 manual anyway. They finally corrected and removed this wording for the 2015 model year. [1]

Why Specifically the "Negative" Cable?
If you do choose to disconnect your battery for towing or maintenance, you must always remove the negative cable first for safety: [1]

• Chassis Ground: The negative terminal connects directly to the vehicle's metal frame.
• Spark Prevention: If your wrench touches the vehicle frame while loosening the negative terminal, nothing happens. If you try to loosen the positive terminal first and your wrench accidentally touches the metal frame, it creates a massive electrical short-circuit, dangerous sparks, and can damage your Jeep's electronics. [1, 2, 3]

Real-World Flat Towing Practice
Because your 2014 Wrangler does not have a steering lock, the key does not need to be in the ignition at all while towing. Most 2014 Wrangler owners flat tow with the key completely removed and the battery cables left untouched.
The only exception is if your supplemental towing braking system (like a BrakeBuddy) plugs into the Jeep's 12V cigarette outlet and relies on the Jeep's battery power. In that scenario, instead of disconnecting the battery, owners typically run a charge line kit from the RV to keep the Jeep's battery topped off while driving.