Truck won't start...

[Frankd]

I have a 2019 bighorn 1500 with about 20,000 miiles. Drove it last night with no issues. This morning I press the unlock button on the key fob and nothing happened (doors didn't unlock and lights didn't blink on truck). Thought it was the fob battery so I tried my spare and that didn't work either. I remove the key and manually open the driver's door (which set of the alarm) then tried The key fob buttons again but they still didn't work. Then tried pushing the end of the key fob against the start button to start the truck and that didn't work either.
There were no warning lights or alerts on the instrument cluster. I tested the voltage on the battery and it's at 12.3 so maybe a little low. I hooked up the battery tender to see if that would help.
Does anyone have any idea what could possibly be wrong?

 

[Rlaf75]

Try taking all the fobs you have for the truck out to the truck and disconnect the trucks battery for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes reconnect the trucks battery and see if the fobs work. It is like a soft reset for the system. Every once in a while I need to do this on the fleet of ram promaster vans at work.

 

[Frankd]

Try taking all the fobs you have for the truck out to the truck and disconnect the trucks battery for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes reconnect the trucks battery and see if the fobs work. It is like a soft reset for the system. Every once in a while I need to do this on the fleet of ram promaster vans at work

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately it didnt work. After disconnecting and reconnecting the battery it was doing the same thing except for 1 exception... Before when I manually unlocked the drivers door it would set off the alarm. Now it's not doing that, and when I try to lock the truck the horn honks 3 times and the truck automatically unlocks all doors. Like it thinks the keyfob is still in the truck (its not).

I'm thinking it might be time to call the tow truck

 

[SniperDroid]

Doesn't matter if the fob is in the truck or not, the Truck thinks it's in there. Hate to say it, but... Dealer.

 

[Frankd]

Thanks for the replies. I called the dealer and they cant even look at it until next week and dont have any loaner cars. I bought a factory extended warranty for $1,100 so it might just pay off...even if just for the towing. I think they might also cover the cost of the loaner

 

[Frankd]

I called my local dealer and they cant even look at the truck until next Thursday and they don't have any loaner cars. So I called 4 other dealers in the area- they either didn't pick up, or told me the were booked 2 months out!
I called the Ram Warranty people and was told that they'll reimburse me for a rental but only for 5 days at a max of $35 per day...not sure where you can still get a rental car for $35 a day.

Knew I was taking a gamble on a fiat....should have bought a Toyota

 

[stevenP]

On a battery if it doesnt test at 12.6 or above, with no load... it might be defective. Low voltage will cause these current hungry trucks to do stupid things.

 

[Frankd]

On a battery if it doesnt test at 12.6 or above, with no load... it might be defective. Low voltage will cause these current hungry trucks to do stupid things.

It's on a battery tender now so hoping the lower charge might be causing the problem. Thanks!

 

[stevenP]

I am amazed at these new vehicles, in respect that I keep my truck on a tender when not in use, and it will charge for almost a day after being driven.... before the tender stops charging. On my wifes Pacifica, that stupid thing with its start stop function, and dual batteries will charge for 1.5 days on a 2amp tender before it reaches full charge . I learned a lesson my corvette years ago, these newer vehicles have so many modules running all the time they will kill batteries seemingly out of no where.

 

[fireflymedic]

I would get fresh batteries for the fobs. Perhaps you have a old/defective/dead "new" battery. Unless you have a way of checking that little battery also.

 

[Farmer Fran]

Trade it for a Toyota

 

[Frankd]

Thanks for the replies. It's been on a battery tender for over 24 hours in still not charged. I'll also get new key fob batteries. Can't hurt. Tow truck isn't coming to get it until Thursday

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Replace your battery, not the first time a 4yr battery crapped the bed.

 

[SixAddict]

Replace your battery, not the first time a 4yr battery crapped the bed.

THIS ^^^^^^ my battery pooped the bed in two years .
If you have to wait a couple days for the dealer it may not hurt to replace the battery. Buy it from Costco if it’s not it take it back.

 

[Frankd]

So after about 36 hours the battery tender is showing a full charge on the battery...but key fob is still not opening the doors and truck still won't start. I bought a lithium ion jump starter which arrived yesterday so I connected it to the battery and was getting a warning chime from the device- which (according to the manual) would indicate that the polarity was reversed on the clamps, or there was some sort of short in the connection. I assumed it was a faulty product so I tried connecting it to my wife's and it worked just fine....

 

[Frankd]

Replace your battery, not the first time a 4yr battery crapped the bed.

I'll pick up a new battery today. Can't hurt.

 

[turkeybird56]

Check all cables and grounds and make sure tight and not corroded. On MY 19, I just changed out the battery about 2 weeks ago, put in a Duralast Platinum AGM battery (my battery was showing 11.9 Volts to 12.02 Volts resting (as in cold, not run like overnight)). Also, for giggles, I bought a lil battery tester. Everybody right concerning the modules and power pull. I can go outside right now, open door, pop hood, close door. Put that battery checker on battery and it will show 12.4 Volts and battery good. Leave hooked up and Watch the battery Voltage over the next ten minutes on cold status go slowly from 12.4 Volts to 12.6 Volts and finally reads battery full at 12.6 Volts. There are just that many modules running and pulling voltage, and it takes that long for some to turn off (go to sleep) and go up .2 Volts. Definitely get a battery. Also call where you are buying and see if they will put on a charger for you for a few hours before you buy. You never know how long a battery has been sitting on a shelf. Above is just my experience and IMHO. It is a good practice ne time you buy a battery, if possible have put on charger first, or definitely do yourself when you get home.

ADDED: Trick to pull battery cables takes longer like 5 minutes more like 30 minutes to a day. Most also say hold both cables together to pull voltage out of modules. Take that one at your own risk.

ALL ABOVE IMHO...



There a lot of more expensive testers out there that do a lot more. This is sufficient for a general test, not need anything fancy and you can even keep in glove box. Just what I use.

 

[turkeybird56]

I'll pick up a new battery today. Can't hurt.

Possibly a 2019? it either is or is not, lmao. Mine is a 2019 DT truck but was built in April 2018, lmao. Early build, I bought when they first came out. Which made my battery over 4 1/2 years old. U can look in drivers door and see your build date if you wanted to research age.

 

[4xdad]

These trucks don’t like low voltage but it shouldn’t take that long to charge a battery my wife’s jeep with that stupid start/stop mode will kill the battery if she is just driving around town repeatedly discharged lead acid battery loss their poot after a while

 

[Frankd]

Appreciate the replies! Getting a new battery today and we'll put it on a trickle charger until it's fully charged before installing. Hopefully that does it!

I did check the wires and connections and all looks good...but I only checked what was easily accessible