URGENT help needed. Key fob stuck

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LeesEvoX

LeesEvoX

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So go home and tested the battery. It did sink on voltage once I started cranking. But had right at 12V..

my dad said he had this issue wen he owned the truck. Happened twice. Just woke up one morning and bam. Completely dead battery..

I'm gonna have it tested at o'Reilly's tomoro

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Elevated 2013

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Make sure they do a load test on the battery!! They’re 2 totally different voltages and 1 reading good doesn’t mean that the other will!! I’ve seen it happen 4 times in the last month just out of the blue and a battery fixed the issue and saved them from replacing the alternator or starter.
 

RoadRamblerNJ

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Battery tenders ain’t chargers they only maintain a charged battery over a long period of nonuse i.e. a m/c battery over the winter. I recommend getting a regular battery charger that will put out a steady 12V 10-15amp.
Free replacement on the battery warranty??

The Blue Mule
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Put that sucker on a "charger", not a "maintainer". You'll actually charge it faster just driving it. Get on a highway.

When fully charged, let it settle for an hour. You should read +/- 13.8 VDC. A12 volt battery is actually considered "dead" at 12.0 or less volts across the posts. You should have it load tested. That will tell you whether or not you need a new battery.
 

HM_SanDiego

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As others have said - anything under 12v and the battery requires a serious “charger” NOT a maintainer - the latter simply can’t do what the battery needs at that point.

A charger will offer 6+ amps, whereas a maintainer offers .75 - 3 amps .....once a battery is discharged below a certain point, in many cases either,
A) the battery will require extraordinary measures to revive (google search for reviving a discharged auto battery)
B) the battery is beyond reviving and must be replaced

The last 3 automotive batteries I had die, came with zero warning - one day no issues, no problems, and no failure indications of any kind, and the next day = paper weight.

My experience in automotive batteries over the last 10 years, including AGM and lead acid batteries is this - if you get 4 years out of a battery, anything more than that is bonus time. If a battery is subject to any sort of parasitic drain (car alarm, stereo, accessory bleed off, or if it is going to sit for days or weeks, etc....) it had better be on a quality battery tender or maintainer.

On the subject of a new battery, my suggestion is to go to your nearest Costco and buy their Interstate brand battery for your Ram, or for that matter, the retailer of your liking - save the extra money you might have spent on a Gee whiz AGM battery. I have been running AGM batteries in my motorcycles for years, and will continue to, but, with car/truck batteries, my car/truck batteries have had the exact same lifespan, 4-5 years tops, with AGM and the old fashioned lead acid bath batteries......and AGM batteries for cars/trucks cost 30-30% more $$$.

Here’s hoping you didn’t accidentally break anything with the ignition or the key fob.
 

Dusty

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Huh. That's what those thing are for huh? Well thank you. It is what it is. I didnt "feel" anything break lol.

Still got nothing though. I dont know what happened. Truck was fine yesterday. Had a cold night (like 37 degrees), and nothing today.

Voltage is showing 5.4V WITH the charger on it lol

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If the terminal voltage is 5.7 volts with a charger connected, you either have a bad charger, a shorted battery, or an electrical short in the vehicle.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram DT 1500 Silver Billet Laramie, Quad Cab, 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, 18 inch wheels. Build date: 17 April 2018. Now at 024967 miles.
 

Marshall

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Huh. That's what those thing are for huh? Well thank you. It is what it is. I didnt "feel" anything break lol.

Still got nothing though. I dont know what happened. Truck was fine yesterday. Had a cold night (like 37 degrees), and nothing today.

Voltage is showing 5.4V WITH the charger on it lol

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Well that is not right., you should have a hell of a lot more than that on the charger , even with a dead battery, have it set for 6 volt?
 

JimE

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Okay guys here's the deal. Starting with 2012 models RAMS CAME WITH AN AGM technology battery. AGM batteries behave somewhat like a Lithium Ion battery, they'll go until virtually fully discharged. The change from common lead acid batteries was made due to the load nature of all the electronic crap now on RAMS.

Once totally down a common battery charger will not charge an AGM battery as it identifies it as internally shorted though that may not be the case and will throw a fault code. To get passed this problem the battery will need a conditioning charge to bring it up to a voltage level great enough for the charger to recognize it being a functioning battery. This can be done by using jumper cables connected to the battery of a running vehicle. Ten minutes should do the trick and it may then be possible to jump start the vehicle but maybe not if the on board computer thinks the battery is dead and shuts down the charging circuit rather than risking taking out the alternator.

The AGM batteries in my 2014 Chrysler 300, 2017 RAM 1500, and 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee were all manufactured by Johnson Controls as was the one in my 2012 RAM 2500. There are several makers of AGM batteries and all have a life expectancy of four or more years. The AGM batteries sold by WalMart are manufactured by Johnson Controls and identical to those originally installed on all my FCA produced vehicles.

Final note, the battery/charging circuit testers at places like Autozone, O'Reily's, etc. may not be new enough to properly analyze AGM battery charging systems. Second note is never replace an AGM battery with a common lead acid battery.
 

Pttrader

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Nothing like some cold weather to kill off a weak battery!

Lot's of good advice! A battery charger that has a AGM setting will charge at a higher voltage than the traditional car battery charger.

If your battery drops below 10.5 volts some chargers (Even with a AGM setting) will not charge your battery. Had to do the Jumper cable trick with another battery to fool the charger that it was charging a battery with over 10 volts for it to even start to charge. My leaky alternator discharged my AGM battery down to 6.75 volts by the time I caught it and the battery recondition setting did not help!

You can search the internet and find the Optima guys talking about how to perform the jumper cable trick to revive a discharged AGM battery provided it does not have a defective cell.

I had another AGM Battery with a bad cell and the charger would shut down/time out at 80% charge and tell me the battery had a problem. I could run my hand across the battery and feel a warm spot along the front probably indicating the bad cell. The battery had about 12.75 volts when I took the charger off and after a few minutes it discharged down to around 11 volts...
 

RoadRamblerNJ

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Nothing like some cold weather to kill off a weak battery!

Lot's of good advice! A battery charger that has a AGM setting will charge at a higher voltage than the traditional car battery charger.

If your battery drops below 10.5 volts some chargers (Even with a AGM setting) will not charge your battery. Had to do the Jumper cable trick with another battery to fool the charger that it was charging a battery with over 10 volts for it to even start to charge. My leaky alternator discharged my AGM battery down to 6.75 volts by the time I caught it and the battery recondition setting did not help!

You can search the internet and find the Optima guys talking about how to perform the jumper cable trick to revive a discharged AGM battery provided it does not have a defective cell.

I had another AGM Battery with a bad cell and the charger would shut down/time out at 80% charge and tell me the battery had a problem. I could run my hand across the battery and feel a warm spot along the front probably indicating the bad cell. The battery had about 12.75 volts when I took the charger off and after a few minutes it discharged down to around 11 volts...
It has always amazed me how many people use a battery device (or 5 devices) every day and don't know squat about batteries.

My wife does not get why a "12 Volt" battery is technically discharged at 12 Volts but fully charged at 13.8 -- 14.2 Volts.

All AA, AAA, C & D batteries listed as 1.5 Volts ( rechargables are 1.2 V.) when new will read +/- 1.6 volts. It will also start doing weird things and need to be replaced at +/- 1.38 Volts.
A 9V will be "dead" at +/- 7.5 Volts.

You don't need a $500. Fluke meter to test any battery. You can buy a cheapo for $20. if all you need to do is test batteries voltage, test continuity, check if a wire is hot or dead around the house etc.

They've saved me a great deal of time over the years.
 

McBroom

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It has always amazed me how many people use a battery device (or 5 devices) every day and don't know squat about batteries.

My wife does not get why a "12 Volt" battery is technically discharged at 12 Volts but fully charged at 13.8 -- 14.2 Volts.

All AA, AAA, C & D batteries listed as 1.5 Volts ( rechargables are 1.2 V.) when new will read +/- 1.6 volts. It will also start doing weird things and need to be replaced at +/- 1.38 Volts.
A 9V will be "dead" at +/- 7.5 Volts.

You don't need a $500. Fluke meter to test any battery. You can buy a cheapo for $20. if all you need to do is test batteries voltage, test continuity, check if a wire is hot or dead around the house etc.

They've saved me a great deal of time over the years.

I totally agree with you. But for some folk just knowing how to use/read such meters can be difficult to use. I have 2 meters one for the house/shop wiring and 1 for the vehicles. [emoji846]


The Blue Mule
 

Pttrader

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Ouch! Wow, try to help someone out with facts and actual experience and get thrown under the bus!
 

RoadRamblerNJ

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Ouch! Wow, try to help someone out with facts and actual experience and get thrown under the bus!
No, No, No!!! Pttrader,

I WAS NOT referring to you! I actually agree with and "liked" your post. Your info was spot on. I just wanted to add something to it, that's why I linked to your post.

I, in no way meant it the way you took it. I just re-read my post and now I see how you took me the wrong way. Sorry. I should have read it over before I hit send.

I was referring to people in general, no on this site. I gotta stop commenting after 0200 hrs! Lol.
 
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Pttrader

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Thanks RoadRamblerNJ,

I surely do not know it all, but I am constantly learning. I think the internet is a great source of information. I have definitely had my share of reading one article on a website that was presented as fact and then found another website that had different info.
I am not perfect and have been given bad advice in the past and went with it as fact only to learn that there was some issues with the facts.

My experience with AGM batteries only goes back to about 3 years and the article I read about the AGM charger needing a higher voltage to properly charge the AGM battery is in question since other websites I read do not mention that fact.

I like Optima's website and they go into detail about how to recover a discharged AGM battery. I bought the Harbor Freight Viking Charger (discontinued) and wish I would have spent more money to buy a better charger like Optima Digital 1200 that may have reconditioned my discharged AGM battery.
 

madtrucker2016

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I would replace that battery at soon as possible if that's the first cold snap. You will have a stuck truck on the road at some point.:banana-mario:
 

scott lass 18

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Ok here is the youtube video I made showing what's happening

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its a problem dodge has mine too u have to start truck move it back a little then turn off seems if i m against front wheels it did it key wont come out ! big mess to fix was told whole steering wheel has to come off and replace some parts hoping mine doesn't do it again went 2 years just did it few weeks ago drove up to shop fast put in park and then it was locked not problems yet ? very costly repair too !
 
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LeesEvoX

LeesEvoX

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Ok so to follow up on this. O reillys wouldn't load test my old battery because it was bulging. So gyu hey just replaced it under warranty.. cool.

Got up this morning.. truck is dead as a door knob. Absolutely nothing.

They did test the alternator and starter at o reillys. Both were fine. But the first test they did showed the starter as failed.. thought it was a fluke. So did a se ind test. And came back fine...

I'm losing my **** with this lol....

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crackerjack1957

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Sounds like a short/drain on the electrical system.
How long after battery install & dead?
You sure you have power on battery & not a relay, switch, or starter?
Any electrical hardware been added to vehicle?
 
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LeesEvoX

LeesEvoX

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Sounds like a short/drain on the electrical system.
How long after battery install & dead?
You sure you have power on battery & not a relay, switch, or starter?
Any electrical hardware been added to vehicle?
Thanks for the tips bud.

Got the battery replaced on tuesday. Was fine that day, and yesterday.

I parked the truck at 5:30pm after work. And left it till 7:30am this morning. Dead.

I do have some aftermarket lights in my bull bar. But I wired these from the battery. To a relay, and a switch inside the cab. I guess my next logical step would be to disconnect them from the battery and see what happens right?

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chrisbh17

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Double check to make sure the battery connections are tight.

Then yes I would start disconnecting non-factory stuff, at least for now.
 
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