Two different dealers were unable to program new key fob

[Ramsteen23]

Warning long story incoming...so, just to give you a little background that I know you've all heard before...I lost one of the key fobs to my 23 1500 Limited. Very frustrating as I know it was lost at home sometime on Sun Dec 22 as I ran to Dunkin that morning and was able to return home so based on that in depth analysis/troubleshooting lol, I was able to deduce that it was somewhere in or around my house....I didn't realize it until the next evening.

After looking everywhere I could think of over the next week, I came to the conclusion I must've thrown it out with boxes/trash or yard waste. So, I ordered a new fob from carandtruckremotes.com which I had previous luck with when I ordered one for my daughter's Jeep. Brought it to a local locksmith I had used before that said he had the correct software to program it but, he had no luck and blamed it on the fob since it was an aftermarket part. Ok, seemed like a logical reason from what I've seen online, so I called around and found a Ram dealer in RI that had a replacement fob for my truck in stock...how lucky. Made an appt. then drove an hour to the dealer to find out that they couldn't get the key fob that they provided to program either...WTF. They also blamed it on the fob saying maybe the reason they had it in stock was that it was ordered by another customer and found to be faulty...hmmm ok, why was it just put back in inventory then?...oh well, how was I supposed to prove him right or wrong seemed like a nice enough and knowledgeable guy. So, third times a charm right...so ordered another fob this time from the dealer where I purchased my truck...always had a good experience there and got to know a couple of the guys. Long story long...it took 3 weeks for the key fob to arrive so I used the time to keep looking for my missing one but again had no luck. So I showed up at dealer to have what is now the 3rd fob programmed (by 3 different people/dealers) and once again they could not get the damn thing to program. The tech said he was only able to get approx. 80% through the process before getting kicked out. The service manager said it could have something to do with my truck's RF hub and/or the version of the program/software Chrysler released for use by the dealers. The best part is that he said I would need to leave my truck with them for an indefinite period of time so they can work with Chrysler tech support to troubleshoot and resolve the issue which he said they do over email so it's a slow process...huh?...he said they had another guy's truck for 3 weeks! I tried not to take out my aggravation on him as he was just the messenger...goes without saying I did not leave my truck there. I ended up calling Ram customer support just to see what they would say and to see if this issue is known and if there's a solution (software update maybe). Only info I got from the person I spoke to is that there seems to be an issue with programming fobs on newer trucks (23-25) but it hasn't risen to the level that would prompt Ram to investigate and take action so I had to do what the dealer said which is leave my truck so they have time to troubleshoot it...could be a day, week or more...seems ridiculous just to get a key fob programmed.

So as much as I hated to do it, I made an appt. for the following week to drop it off hoping it would only take a day or so. I schedule it out a week just to give myself one last opportunity to turn my house upside down which I proceeded to do. No luck after a couple days of looking in every crevice it could have fallen in to. Then just this morning after taking my dog for a walk I figured I would check the 50 recyclable target shopping bags my wife took out of her car and hung on a hook in the garage and wouldn't you know it the damn fob was at the bottom of the one of the bags. It must've fell in when I was unloading a bunch of crap she bought that morning...I probably had it in my hand along with an iced coffee, mail, etc. so didn't feel myself drop it. Unreal...anyway, I am psyched I don't have to be without my truck for multiple days now and pay for a $250 fob plus another $80 to program it.

Sorry for the long story but I figured I would share in case others have had issues getting fobs programmed so they can report the issue to Ram Cares...https://ramcare.ramtrucks.com/owner/ to push them to look into it. Hoping the new CEO (who is actually the former CEO) helps improve the level of customer service that seems to have taken a dip in the last few years. Maybe the issue will be taken care of as part of next release/update to the programming software dealer's are using. By the way, I ordered an Apple AirTag that I will be attaching to my key fob...lesson learned.


Cheers to all ...happy driving!

 

[Rado]

Interesting read lol
Bummer but crap happens,,
Glad you found it bummer all the issues with trying to get the Fobs programed :O

 

[Jimmy07]

Warning long story incoming...so, just to give you a little background that I know you've all heard before...I lost one of the key fobs to my 23 1500 Limited. Very frustrating as I know it was lost at home sometime on Sun Dec 22 as I ran to Dunkin that morning and was able to return home so based on that in depth analysis/troubleshooting lol, I was able to deduce that it was somewhere in or around my house....I didn't realize it until the next evening.

After looking everywhere I could think of over the next week, I came to the conclusion I must've thrown it out with boxes/trash or yard waste. So, I ordered a new fob from carandtruckremotes.com which I had previous luck with when I ordered one for my daughter's Jeep. Brought it to a local locksmith I had used before that said he had the correct software to program it but, he had no luck and blamed it on the fob since it was an aftermarket part. Ok, seemed like a logical reason from what I've seen online, so I called around and found a Ram dealer in RI that had a replacement fob for my truck in stock...how lucky. Made an appt. then drove an hour to the dealer to find out that they couldn't get the key fob that they provided to program either...WTF. They also blamed it on the fob saying maybe the reason they had it in stock was that it was ordered by another customer and found to be faulty...hmmm ok, why was it just put back in inventory then?...oh well, how was I supposed to prove him right or wrong seemed like a nice enough and knowledgeable guy. So, third times a charm right...so ordered another fob this time from the dealer where I purchased my truck...always had a good experience there and got to know a couple of the guys. Long story long...it took 3 weeks for the key fob to arrive so I used the time to keep looking for my missing one but again had no luck. So I showed up at dealer to have what is now the 3rd fob programmed (by 3 different people/dealers) and once again they could not get the damn thing to program. The tech said he was only able to get approx. 80% through the process before getting kicked out. The service manager said it could have something to do with my truck's RF hub and/or the version of the program/software Chrysler released for use by the dealers. The best part is that he said I would need to leave my truck with them for an indefinite period of time so they can work with Chrysler tech support to troubleshoot and resolve the issue which he said they do over email so it's a slow process...huh?...he said they had another guy's truck for 3 weeks! I tried not to take out my aggravation on him as he was just the messenger...goes without saying I did not leave my truck there. I ended up calling Ram customer support just to see what they would say and to see if this issue is known and if there's a solution (software update maybe). Only info I got from the person I spoke to is that there seems to be an issue with programming fobs on newer trucks (23-25) but it hasn't risen to the level that would prompt Ram to investigate and take action so I had to do what the dealer said which is leave my truck so they have time to troubleshoot it...could be a day, week or more...seems ridiculous just to get a key fob programmed.

So as much as I hated to do it, I made an appt. for the following week to drop it off hoping it would only take a day or so. I schedule it out a week just to give myself one last opportunity to turn my house upside down which I proceeded to do. No luck after a couple days of looking in every crevice it could have fallen in to. Then just this morning after taking my dog for a walk I figured I would check the 50 recyclable target shopping bags my wife took out of her car and hung on a hook in the garage and wouldn't you know it the damn fob was at the bottom of the one of the bags. It must've fell in when I was unloading a bunch of crap she bought that morning...I probably had it in my hand along with an iced coffee, mail, etc. so didn't feel myself drop it. Unreal...anyway, I am psyched I don't have to be without my truck for multiple days now and pay for a $250 fob plus another $80 to program it.

Sorry for the long story but I figured I would share in case others have had issues getting fobs programmed so they can report the issue to Ram Cares...https://ramcare.ramtrucks.com/owner/ to push them to look into it. Hoping the new CEO (who is actually the former CEO) helps improve the level of customer service that seems to have taken a dip in the last few years. Maybe the issue will be taken care of as part of next release/update to the programming software dealer's are using. By the way, I ordered an Apple AirTag that I will be attaching to my key fob...lesson learned.

View attachment 560589
Cheers to all ...happy driving!

Sounds like your truck had the rf hub security lock flash performed. It’s only supposed to be done by customer request, but once it’s done, no more fobs can be programmed by anyone or any means. If you lose both fobs, the rf hub needs to be replaced to program new ones.

 

[Dean2]

If it was not an OEM Mopar FOB you have at least a 70% chance that it will fail to program, or that it will Kack out in under a year. Talk to any locksmith that does a lot of this, most will not even try to program a FOB they do not supply unless it is OEM. The ones that will make it very clear you pay whether the FOB you supply pairs or not.

 

[ExpressRules]

On my 19 I had dealer make me a spare fob. I knew it would cost me more, but did it so I wouldn't run into a hassle.

 

[BenchTest]

So, in summary: Don't lose your fob (or break it). Got it.
As a side note... Isn't it grand? All this technology to make us "safe and secure"? And it's so reasonably priced, right?

 

[Dean2]

On my 19 I had dealer make me a spare fob. I knew it would cost me more, but did it so I wouldn't run into a hassle.

I did the same after ordering what was guaranteed to be an OEM for cheaper FOB, that failed to pair up with a locksmith and then my dealer. Luckily, neither charged me to attempt it but I do a lot of business with both places.

 

[Ramsteen23]

Sounds like your truck had the rf hub security lock flash performed. It’s only supposed to be done by customer request, but once it’s done, no more fobs can be programmed by anyone or any means. If you lose both fobs, the rf hub needs to be replaced to program new ones.
View attachment 560609

Very interesting...thanks for sharing. So, if this is the issue it was done without me knowing because I definitely didn't request it. Could it have been done at the factory during the build?

I had one saftey recall recently performed but it was for an ABS Module Configuration, so not sure when it could've have been done other than during the build or when it arrived at the dealer before I picked it up.

You would think one of the dealers that tried programming the fob would detect that this was the issue but who knows. Oh well, I added an Apple Air Tag to my fob today, so hopefully I won't have to deal with it again.

 

[Ramsteen23]

If it was not an OEM Mopar FOB you have at least a 70% chance that it will fail to program, or that it will Kack out in under a year. Talk to any locksmith that does a lot of this, most will not even try to program a FOB they do not supply unless it is OEM. The ones that will make it very clear you pay whether the FOB you supply pairs or not.

At first, I did try having an aftermarket fob programmed with no luck...then tried two different OEM fobs from the dealer and they couldn't get them to program either so seems like it does have something to do with my rf hub.

 

[GTyankee]

I found out that if a Locksmith did not sell you the FOB
That the FOB that you bought online, will never Program, unless the Locksmith is your relative, or a very good friend.
funny how that works

Next time, if there is a next time,
Think about Tom's Keys

Tom's Key Company | Online Spare Car Key Services

Unlock significant savings in your spare car key! Discover Key by Photo Technology and DIY Programming for Fast and Affordable Solutions.

tomskey.com

OOPS
i entered your 2023 Ram into the site:

2023 RAM 1500
Oh no! We don't have keys for your vehicle...yet.​

So like Jimmy07 mentioned
there are no short cuts

 

[Wild one]

Very interesting...thanks for sharing. So, if this is the issue it was done without me knowing because I definitely didn't request it. Could it have been done at the factory during the build?

I had one saftey recall recently performed but it was for an ABS Module Configuration, so not sure when it could've have been done other than during the build or when it arrived at the dealer before I picked it up.

You would think one of the dealers that tried programming the fob would detect that this was the issue but who knows. Oh well, I added an Apple Air Tag to my fob today, so hopefully I won't have to deal with it again.

Some dealers were doing the RFI security lock out before the trucks were sold,especially if they're located in a high theft area

 

[Ramsteen23]

Some dealers were doing the RFI security lock out before the trucks were sold,especially if they're located in a high theft area

If that's the case, they should disclose that it's been done so the buyer can choose to have the RF hub replaced or take the necessary precautions to keep the fobs secure.

 

[Marshall]

If that's the case, then it should be the dealer that is responsible for cost of programing a new fob.

 

[Wild one]

If that's the case, they should disclose that it's been done so the buyer can choose to have the RF hub replaced or take the necessary precautions to keep the fobs secure.

I'm just telling you what some dealers might have done,maybe take it up with your dealer,and see if that's what transpired.Maybe they didn't do it,and they'll be able to program you a new fob

 

[GTyankee]

I'm a bit curious ...

Do these 2023 Rams have the 5 digit Pins ?

 

[GTyankee]

I was just reading up on different sites, about programming FOBs

Over on the 5th Gen site / community/threads/key-fob-programming.44930/page-4

1 member wrote this ...

• Oct 5, 2023

• #80

I can confirm the Autel 508s works to program keys on the newer 5th gens. Just programmed successfully 2 smart remotes with remote start to a 2023dt that came from the factory without remote start keys. Turned on the option using Alpa, programmed the after market keys and now have remote start and remote tail gate

 

[Dusty]

When my daughter tried to get three separate aftermarket FOBs programmed for her PT Cruiser without luck, I found in the PT service manual one could program it themselves for up to eight (I think) attempts. Worked as described but only on an OEM FOB.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 126590 miles.

 

[Guitar Guy]

My drama with getting key fobs for my 2023 Ram Classic when new are elsewhere in this Forum.

In a nutshell, the dealer that sold me the new truck (without fobs) quoted me $800 for the job, said I needed new RF, key fobs, and programming. Total BS. I bought two cheap fobs on Amazon and set out to do it myself. Got AlfaOBD software, tried a cheap programmer, then got the good one from Alfa, all before I learned that there is a rolling 5-digit pin number that can only be provided by the dealer's programmer - it changes every 12 hours! The first dealer was clueless about the whole thing and was only interested in ripping me off. I found another dealer who was very knowledgeable and had me in and out in ten minutes for $60. My cheap fobs work fine.

 

[DickLowman]

Sadly, this Ram Forum is loaded with similar stories of fob frustration. All seem to be valid complaints and I sympathize. We seem to be programmed to subconsciously believe that fobs are necessary and inevitable and we just have to learn to work around the problems. But virtually all of those problems (other than losing the device) would be resolved if Ram would return to using the old less expensive, more secure, more convenient, more reliable keyed ignition.

 

[Marshall]

My drama with getting key fobs for my 2023 Ram Classic when new are elsewhere in this Forum.

In a nutshell, the dealer that sold me the new truck (without fobs) quoted me $800 for the job, said I needed new RF, key fobs, and programming. Total BS. I bought two cheap fobs on Amazon and set out to do it myself. Got AlfaOBD software, tried a cheap programmer, then got the good one from Alfa, all before I learned that there is a rolling 5-digit pin number that can only be provided by the dealer's programmer - it changes every 12 hours! The first dealer was clueless about the whole thing and was only interested in ripping me off. I found another dealer who was very knowledgeable and had me in and out in ten minutes for $60. My cheap fobs work fine.

I am confused, New to you used truck? or new truck?
Maybe he gets his stock in driveways at 1 am?
How can a dealer sell a truck with out fobs? My truck came with 2.
If I don't have a fob, I'm walking.