Weird keyfob/command start issues. Help!

[Erix]

You wouldn't hear the horn honk or lights flash if it wasn't seeing the command. It does that to indicate it's recieved the 2 button presses command to start.

The 2nd light flash is it actually starting.

I'll go double check as soon as I leave my place to check the cluster

 

[hotrod45]

You wouldn't hear the horn honk or lights flash if it wasn't seeing the command. It does that to indicate it's recieved the 2 button presses command to start.

You wont see the lights/horn after 1 button press. It does that not because it's asleep or anything it's simply to prevent people from accidentally starting their vehicles when the key fob is in their pocket. It's much more unlikely that you'll accidentally press the button twice in 5 seconds.

There have been some theories that I need to press it three times. That just isn't true with mine anyways. The 3rd press cancels the action as it says in the manual.

Others have said I press it too quickly, how quick I press it makes no difference as long as there are 2 presses within 5 seconds. If your vehicle needs a pause between presses its probably more to due with your keyfob itself and the spring action of the contactor. As long as there is any pause of any kind in the signal within 5 seconds.

Please re-read post #20. I replicated what I have seen in your videos. Answer the question: does the '19 flash the lights once or twice after receiving the proper command for remote start? If it's "twice," then your system is the same as the '17. One flash of the lights is an indicator that remote start is disabled.

 

[Erix]

How were you able to disable it to replicate?

 

[Erix]

The question is, if it is being disabled, then why. Anyways I'll report back in a bit.

Thank you for this information. It's very helpful.

 

[hotrod45]

The system disables itself if it gets too many screwy signals (for sure) and it disables itself if somebody plays with the key fob repeatedly (suspected). I didn't know what state my truck was in when I started to push buttons, but I got it messed up without any effort at all. Speaking of starting by accident, I have started these trucks by accident once or twice per year since the '11 I had, I think, and I have hit the panic button two or three times per year over the same period, all with the fob in my pocket without me reaching for it or anything. I just bump things, apparently. I have almost no feeling in my thumbs and first two fingers on each hand, so this morning, I might have pushed the button once without knowing it, just trying to get the fob out of my pocket. I don't know. But it didn't work with two pushes and then, most likely, I was out of synch with the truck without any way to know, except for resetting it by going out and starting it. OK, I just got out the fob, pressed two deliberate times, two flashes and start. Good to go.

 

[Erix]

I just tried again and got no command start disabled message but that does make sense.

It makes sense because the keyfob or else the receiver module for the drivers side will go nuts sometimes as shown later in the first video I posted.

That leads me to believe the command starting issues is not the core issue but is a symptom of the door locking system issues.

Whenever it goes nuts, which is pretty common considering how many times I see it happen when I happen to be standing beside the truck. It must cause the command start to disable itself.

 

[Erix]

I'm going to try disabling passive entry in my options on the infotainment center thing. Hoping that'll at least make it so the command start works for now until I get the door handle issues figured out.

 

[hotrod45]

It is very common for me to put my hand "behind" the door handle and get no response the first time. Solution: take your hand away from the handle, then put your hand behind the handle again and pull. For me, it always works the second time. Don't get into pushing the "lock" button or other fast sequences. Sometimes the door opens on the first pull. If it doesn't, it will very likely open on the second pull if you give it a chance. BTW, the "lock" button doesn't always work on the first push, either. It will almost always work on the second push if I have discipline enough not to put my fingers behind the handle while in the process of trying to push the lock button. I make a fist and use my thumb to push the lock button now, or sometimes, I just extend my index finger as if to ring a doorbell.

 

[Erix]

It's weird. The passive entry works flawlessly on our Durango. Never an issue. Never need to try again. First time, everytime.

On the truck, it's not even that every once in awhile that it's non responsive, 99% of the time it's non responsive. I used to take my hand away and try again but I don't even bother anymore, I just use the key fob. The lock button works about 40% of the time, and I do know to not put my hand on the handle while trying to use lock button, I used a pointed finger.

I should point out that this is only the drivers side. The passenger side almost always works properly (though for obvious reasons I don't tend to use it)

 

[Ram19 Owner]

For the passive entry, if you grab and pull without hesitating a second, the door will not unlock. I do the same thing at times. Grab and pull then I have to let go, grab the handle and give it a second to unlock. I do the same thing with my wife’s Cherokee and always remind myself to wait a second to let the handle recognize a touch.

Sounding like you may have a module issue which most dealers will deny, deny, deny

 

[Erix]

Yeah I'm still waiting for the dealer to get back to me. They did try the key fob module but it didn't help.

I did try just straight up disabling the passive entry system to see if that was what was locking out the command start issues from giving it too many screwy signals but it had no effect, the command start still doesn't work. It's been cold as hell here the past few weeks and I've been diligently trying the command start every morning and it hasn't worked once.

It's pretty frustrating.

 

[hotrod45]

Are you still getting one flash from the lights?

 

[Erix]

Yeah

 

[hotrod45]

One flash indicates that the remote start system is disabled. You have to ask yourself whether you want to use the remote start or whether you want to insist that it work the way you expect it to work. Reset the remote start by getting into the truck and starting it. It appears to be the case that some other members and I experience a similar situation and that is that the truck very often does not recognize (or count) the very first press of the remote start. About the only way to counter the problem is to slow down. Press once, break, press second time - and if you pace it right and the truck has counted "two," then you will see two flashes of the lights and it will start. Keeping with the pace or cadence of the first two presses and there are no light flashes, press one more time to see if, perhaps, the truck recognized only one of the first two presses. It happens to me a lot. If the truck recognized one of the first two presses and you press twice, it will definitely cancel the remote start. I also suspect that it will make the system disable itself, but that remains a guess. If the one more press is recognized by the truck as the second press, you'll get the two flashes and start. However, any time you are seeing one flash of the lights, you can be reasonably sure that the system is disabled.

 

[Erix]

I appreciate the help, I really do. But i can't stress enough that this happens regardless of speed of the button presses.

This entire month I have deliberately been waiting a full second between presses and it has only started once for me.

The fact that as I get close to the truck and the truck starts unlocking itself over and over and the key fobs lights flashing madly without me so much as pressing a button leads me to believe there are other issues at play here.

 

[Ram19 Owner]

I appreciate the help, I really do. But i can't stress enough that this happens regardless of speed of the button presses.

This entire month I have deliberately been waiting a full second between presses and it has only started once for me.

The fact that as I get close to the truck and the truck starts unlocking itself over and over and the key fobs lights flashing madly without me so much as pressing a button leads me to believe there are other issues at play here.

What does the dealer say? Have you taken it to them? Obviously no one in here can troubleshoot your issues, only the dealer can do that.

 

[Erix]

My hope wasn't necessarily to get help troubleshooting, all though I appreciate it. I was hoping to reach someone else with this exact problem that perhaps has had it repaired or at the very least discuss what we've tried.

I have had it in the dealer two times now, once to show them the problem because it's really something you have to see to explain it, and the second time they changed the key fob hub but unfortunately it didn't help.

I filed a report with FCA awhile back and they were confused as well. They were the ones who asked me to take time stamped video of it.

I'm leaving my truck at the dealership for several days on the 25th. The service guy at the dealership who I've been emailing back and forth I told him to drive it around for a few days to get a full scope of the problems as it's tough for them to fully see when they only had it in the shop for an hour or two the first time.

I know the original video I posted is a bit long and boring but towards the end I kind of explain some of this.

I do appreciate all efforts to assist me. When I do get this figured out I will be sure to update in hopes that if this ever happens to anyone else, they will hopefully stumble on to this thread.

 

[Erix]

So I noticed an odd thing.

We had a cold snap for basically all of February below -20 C and the command start never worked. The other day it warmed up a bit to -10 C to -5 C and the command start worked again until today where its below -20 again and didn't work.

Not exactly a ton of data to go by to be sure of anything but an odd coincidence to be sure.

 

[Erix]

So the Truck has been at the dealership for a few days and I just got an email that they may have found what was causing all the weird issues. They found a loose ground, tightened it and everything seems to be working properly again. They going to do a bit more testing tomorrow to make sure. I'll find out some details when I go to pick it up so I can share with you guys.

 

[JoeCo]

So the Truck has been at the dealership for a few days and I just got an email that they may have found what was causing all the weird issues. They found a loose ground, tightened it and everything seems to be working properly again. They going to do a bit more testing tomorrow to make sure. I'll find out some details when I go to pick it up so I can share with you guys.

I hope that solves it for you, seems like loose grounds have been a problem on some of the 5th gens so far.