Autostart/FOB problems

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

RamChops

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2017
Posts
2
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
2013
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I have a RAM 1500 Laramie with the push start FOB. The range has been getting worse and worse (not like it was great to begin with) and the auto start was inconsistent, and now completely stopped working.
I've had the truck into my local dealership twice now, and they don't know how to fix the problem, they say the antenna is good, and we've replaced the FOB batteries, and a code us coming up on the FOB's that the "buttons were pressed too many times from out of range" and that's the problem (but they can't reset this error). They want me to buy another FOB off them in the hopes they can program that one and not fix the others.

Any help is appreciated.
 

DRkNESS

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Posts
5,808
Reaction score
3,393
Location
South Jersey
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7 HEMI
Well here’s my thought on that situation. How about they use another fob, if by doing so then that fixes the problem, then you’ll buy that fob. Why should you put out money for them to experiment with ?


Father Of Four
 

HEMI_Finn

U.S. ARMY Veteran
Joined
Aug 12, 2016
Posts
535
Reaction score
309
Location
N.E. Ohio
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 HEMI
Well here’s my thought on that situation. How about they use another fob, if by doing so then that fixes the problem, then you’ll buy that fob. Why should you put out money for them to experiment with ?


Father Of Four
FPNI - Why should your wallet be the guinea pig?
 

skupko9680

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2017
Posts
28
Reaction score
27
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Well here’s my thought on that situation. How about they use another fob, if by doing so then that fixes the problem, then you’ll buy that fob. Why should you put out money for them to experiment with ?


Father Of Four

Yes as an IT guy have them program another FOB and try it. That narrows things down in a binary kind of way.
 

DRkNESS

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Posts
5,808
Reaction score
3,393
Location
South Jersey
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7 HEMI
I can’t believe they had the “ balls “ to offer that as a solution !!!!!!!!


Father Of Four
 

skupko9680

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2017
Posts
28
Reaction score
27
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Yeah the buy a new FOB thing is WACK but the idea to troubleshoot this way makes sense.
 

Jarhead57

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Posts
1,378
Reaction score
327
Location
Santa Barbara, Ca
Ram Year
2015 4x4 CC Bighorn
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Yeah, I would make them test that idea at their expense not yours. Maybe try a different dealer?
 

bigred90gt

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Posts
903
Reaction score
664
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7 Hemi
What year is your truck? Is it under warranty?
 
OP
OP
R

RamChops

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2017
Posts
2
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
2013
Engine
Hemi 5.7
2013, 151000 km, no warranty left on it.
I will go back to the dealer and tell them their tech in incompetent and they shouldn't expect me to foot the bill for their trouble shooting. There is another Dodge dealer in town I will take my business to if they won't do anything.
 

baum

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Posts
1,893
Reaction score
411
Location
savage, mn
Ram Year
2015 Laramie
Engine
Hemi 5.7
because your out of warranty your sol unfortunately. unless you can get lucky and find a dealer that would be willing to try it.

ON the flip side OP would you work for free? i doubt it why should they.

Unless people purchase the "fob protection" plans that dealers offer they are only warrantied for a year from original purchase. They are an extremely disposable item, people drop and they can break easily.
 

CostaRam

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Posts
349
Reaction score
95
Location
Costa Rica
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7 HEMI
I just had a similar problem, FOB was working intermittent, sometimes it helped to use it just beside the car.
Both FOB i have had the close button not working right and you could not feel the "click" when depressing it.
I opend the FOB and pulled out the cirquit board from the rubber shell.
Instead of having micro switches as most other FOB is saw, this FOB has circular contacts on the cirquit board and some circular "cups" sticked to the rubber FOB cover.
In my case some of this rubber cups became loose and the other FOB just had them a bit corroded. The fix where two:
1° I cleaned the corroded cirquit board and cups from the corrosion
2° i used this white chewingum like removable stickers to hang stuff on the wall to stick the cups back in their place.
Problem solved!
Chris
 

JPT

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Posts
1,508
Reaction score
587
Location
NY
Ram Year
2015 Big Horn
Engine
5.7 Hemi
because your out of warranty your sol unfortunately. unless you can get lucky and find a dealer that would be willing to try it.

ON the flip side OP would you work for free? i doubt it why should they.

Unless people purchase the "fob protection" plans that dealers offer they are only warrantied for a year from original purchase. They are an extremely disposable item, people drop and they can break easily.

I think you are missing the point... He isn't asking them to work for free, he and others do not feel it is up to the customer to PAY for them to buy parts to test if that is the problem. You pay a diagnostic fee (labor), not a throw money at parts to see if it fixes it fee. If that FOB IS the problem, then the cost of the FOB is on him, but what if it isn't?

They either need to have FOBs on hand for the purpose of diagnosing the problem, or they need to find a better way to test. It is the dealership, not a mechanic without the FSM and all the FCA computers.

Now, if they say, "We will order a new FOB, if this is the problem, you will be charged for the new FOB, if not, we will return it at no cost to you" This would be different, and an acceptable way to test without screwing the customer.
 
Top