Another Key Fob Issue - 2017 Ram 1500

[FPrice]

I got my 2017 Ram 1500 just about three years ago this month. The two key fobs that came with it have both begun to exhibit the same problem. At random times, when being carried either in my hnad or pocket. each one will just start trying to start the vehicle with the remote start system. The horn will go off repeatedly. Sometimes it will not start, but sometimes it will.

The dealership cost for new fobs and programming is in the high hundreds.

But using google I came across some videos which showed me how open the fob, change the battery and generally clean the insides. This solved part of the problem with the one fob. No more random remote start attempts. But It also will not engage the remote start when I want to. That I can live with, at least until the winter.

Amazon does have the remote shell I need (which includes the remote start button). I am wondering if I place the old circuit board in a new shell if this will solve the problem?

Has anyone else come across the problem and found a financially reasonable solution?

 

[Treburkulosis]

You can have a lock smith reprogram keys for cheap. My ram only came with one fob. I would take to a place like batteries plus and let them replace it.

 

[Bigskyroadglide]

My experience, once you have fob problems, the only solution is a replacement fob. I don't carry mine in my pocket anymore due to this fact.

Replacement fobs are available from many sources as previously indicated. Replace it or don't, obviously your choice, but don't expect perfection, unless you make the change.

Ps, I've never seen one successfully repaired.

 

[FPrice]

I HATE key fobs!

About a year ago, after the post above, I acquired some new fobs and had them programmed along with the 1 or 2 that still seemed to work.

Bought 2 from Amazon, 1 new one from the dealer. All worked after the programming.

One of the Amazon ones, after some issues with being difficult to work, quit working on me while out on some errands. Luckily my son was home and awake (night shift worker) and he was able to bring me a good fob.

I've got one Amazon fob left working and in the usage rotation but I'm not sure if I can trust it or not.

Did I mention that I HATE fobs?

 

[PowrRam]

But using google I came across some videos which showed me how open the fob, change the battery and generally clean the insides. This solved part of the problem with the one fob. No more random remote start attempts. But It also will not engage the remote start when I want to. That I can live with, at least until the winter.

Has anyone else come across the problem and found a financially reasonable solution?

Bought 2 from Amazon, 1 new one from the dealer. All worked after the programming.

One of the Amazon ones, after some issues with being difficult to work, quit working on me while out on some errands. Luckily my son was home and awake (night shift worker) and he was able to bring me a good fob.

I've got one Amazon fob left working and in the usage rotation but I'm not sure if I can trust it or not.

Did I mention that I HATE fobs?

What happened to the key fob you bought from the dealer?

Anyway, I had this problem with the primary key fob on my 2018 Big Horn. I took it apart and cleaned it and very carefully reassembled it. The contact/switch area was a small copper circle with another, larger circular copper contact surrounding the smaller one. The two copper circles resembles a target. The trick is to clean these contact areas and also the soft rubber circular gasket with the metallic contact on it very carefully, and then reassemble with care. When it was reassembled it took slightly harder presses to get the key fob switches to engage but they worked.

I ended up switching to the (up til then) unused key fob and using my repaired fob as my backup fob.

 

[FPrice]

What happened to the key fob you bought from the dealer?

Still works like a champ.