Remote Start/Panic Button Key Fob Issues

[Greg8444]

2012 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman. I have 2 key fobs, both have new batteries in them. Both will work to start the truck, and both work to lock/unlock the doors, though sometimes I have to press a few times (even standing close to the truck) to lock/unlock. The remote start and the panic button initially worked when I got the truck 3 months ago, but now they hardly ever work at all.

I did get the panic button to work an hour ago, and I could not get it to stop- repeatedly pushed all the fob buttons, started the truck, and still nothing worked until it just quit a few minutes later (I wasn't pressing any buttons at the time, I was looking for a wrench to disconnect the battery.

I have made no changes to anything in the truck since they stopped working other than I did the DIY "silence the seat belt alarm" thing posted in another thread here, but the fob issues were already happening before I did that. It also has an info think in the EVIC that it's due for an oil change- but it seems really unlikely to me that would be an issue, and I'm unsure how to reset that anyway (though I suppose I could look in the manual.

I don't care at all about the panic button, and I don't need remote start for another couple months, but I'd rather not buy a new fob.... Any thoughts?

 

[LeesEvoX]

Subbed for info.

I have the exact same issue. Drives me nuts. I Put a flash logic remote start in, and I have to just get lucky if it works or not.

The problem started way before I put the remote start on

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Greg8444]

It's starting to look like I need a new fob. Now even the lock/unlock functions are pretty hit or miss as far as working or not.

I don't know a lot about how these things work- I am assuming as long as the battery is good, the fob will at least still work to start the truck even if I have to use the key to lock/unlock the door- can anyone confirm?


Also- Is there any option besides the dealer for programming these things?

 

[stimpy433]

Call a few locksmiths, as some of them are able to make new fobs and my locksmith was half the cost of what the dealership wanted.

 

[Joe Lischinsky]

Hi Gregg. Any resolve on this? I am having similar issues (no remote start, sometimes several hits to unlock) but was thinking maybe the module. Thanks.

 

[Greg8444]

Haven't gotten anything done with this issue. I am wondering if alfaobd would work for programming a new fob.

 

[Ddalton]

I am having the same issues, now the horn goes off whenever it feels like. Even parked and locked. It goes off in the middle of the night. Had to disconnect the battery.

 

[CVX20]

Problem is just ****** FOB's.They wouldn't even replace one of mine under warr. for the same issues.You can clean the contacts and get them to work again but it'll be back.Probably Youtube Vid's on how to clean.

 

[Ken226]

Ive Ive had a few fobs act like that. Its a simple fix, if your problem was the same as mine.

When you take the fob apart, there are little contact cups glued to the underside of the rubber button pad. These cups tend to get dirty, and sometimes break off from the rubber pad.

Open up the fob and superglue the cups back where they go, then clean them.


The cups are the little round things glued to the rubber. They rest over the board contacts and close the circuit when the button is pushed.

In this pic, there are only 3 cups glued to the rubber pad. You can see them, look like round dots on the panic button, lock and unlock buttons of the rubber pad. The one on the lock button looks to be a little off-center. When theyre off center, **** starts to get wrapped around the axle



Here, u can see where the cups are supposed to be. This new rubber pad doesnt have any cups glued on it.

I gotta reglue and clean mine every couple years.

image hosting for websites


In a pinch, you can buy new fob housings on ebay and swap in the board from your current fob.

And you wont have to worry about not being able to start the truck. The ignition portion of the fob is s completely seperate system from the transmitting stuff like door locks and remote start.

 

[Ken226]

If your more of a replace guy than a repair guy, the button skins with new contacts are sold on amazon.

Non remote start
KAWIHEN Keyless Entry Remote Key Fob Skin Replacement For Chrysler Town AND Country Dodge Durango Grand Caravan Journey Ram 1500 2500 3500 Jeep Grand Cherokee GQ4-53T M3N5WY783X IYZ-C01C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J6H1RHR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_iiV4DbVDYVAXJ

Remote start
KAWIHEN Keyless Entry Remote Key Fob Skin Replacement For Chrysler Town AND Country Dodge Durango Grand Caravan Journey Ram 1500 2500 3500 Jeep Grand Cherokee GQ4-53T M3N5WY783X IYZ-C01C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HKXBVH7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_FjV4Db15DB06G

 

[Greg8444]

I have tried cleaning them, but it didn't work. Maybe I'll a new fob skin and see if that does the trick. If I do, and it does, I'll report back. Thanks!

 

[Greg8444]

An update- I tried the new fob skin and it still doesn't work. I don't know a lot about how the fobs work, but I tried some troubleshooting with a working fob from a work truck. Both of my fob skins (new and old) worked with the fob from the work truck. I switched batteries with the work truck fob and mine and that did nothing, so I know it's not the fob skin or a bad battery.

What's strange is that my key fob will still start my truck, even with no battery in it. That confuses me, as I would've thought whatever programming/etc is on the fob to get the ignition to run would require power.

I'm thinking I'll either need a new fob, or maybe the "receiver" on the truck is bad?

 

[Ken226]

The part of the fob that is responsible for starting the truck has nothing to do with the battery or the transmitter part of the fob.

The fob battery powers a radio transmitter, which tells the truck to lock, unlock, remote start, etc.

A totally seperate part of the fob, is the rfid chip. The ignition switch broadcasts a signal, which is reflected off a chip in the fob. T the fob rfid chip bounces back the signal, but encoded. If the chip bounces back the code the ignition switch expects to see, It will start your truck even without a battery

Sounds like the radio transmitter part had died, or needs to be reprogrammed to the rf hub.

If you have an obdlink and alphaOBD you can try reprogramming the fob yourself, otherwise i think youll have to go to a dealer.

 

[Greg8444]

@Ken226 thanks for the explanation on how it works. I was wondering about that.

I have an MX obdlink but not alphaOBD yet.

It seems odd that this happened to both fobs at the same time- they just both slowly died. First remote start quit working, then lock, then unlock- all over the course of a week or two. On both of them. One single time, immediately after I tried cleaning the buttons, the unlock function worked, but just one time and just on one fob.

 

[Ken226]

@Ken226 thanks for the explanation on how it works. I was wondering about that.

I have an MX obdlink but not alphaOBD yet.

It seems odd that this happened to both fobs at the same time- they just both slowly died. First remote start quit working, then lock, then unlock- all over the course of a week or two. On both of them. One single time, immediately after I tried cleaning the buttons, the unlock function worked, but just one time and just on one fob.

Did you by chance clean the contacts on the board as well? The copper can oxidize and lose conductance.

Try polishing the copper contact surfaces with a little brasso or something before you buy and program new fobs.

If you buy new fobs, there are instructions on programming fobs in the DIY forum, AlphaOBD thread.

 

[Greg8444]

Did you by chance clean the contacts on the board as well? The copper can oxidize and lose conductance.

Try polishing the copper contact surfaces with a little brasso or something before you buy and program new fobs.

If you buy new fobs, there are instructions on programming fobs in the DIY forum, AlphaOBD thread.

I will give that a try. I was hesitant to mess with the board for fear of wrecking it- I only used rubbing alcohol to clean the copper contacts.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Ken226]

I will give that a try. I was hesitant to mess with the board for fear of wrecking it- I only used rubbing alcohol to clean the copper contacts.

Thank you for your help.

Rubbing alcohol should have been enough.

But since this is pretty much a last ditch effort before you get new fobs, may as well try something more agressive.

I used mothers to clean mine last time. It worked great.