"What DON'T you like about your 5th Gen RAM"?

[corneileous]

I don't think it would use the same handle. On a tailgate with a keyed handle, you have to pull the handle out maybe an inch to physically move the latching bars that hold it shut. On my electronic-only tailgate handle, I barely have to touch it and the tailgate unlatches. Not much more pressure than you have to use to push the buttons on your fob. It's basically just a push-button bar that indents maybe 1/8 inch and activates the actuator to withdraw the latching bars.
I am going to contacvt the dealer about it though. Maybe they'll just trade the manual locking tailgate for mine, mine being worth way more than a locking one.

Hopefully your dealer can help you figure it out but even though it sounds like they might have, for some silly reason made several different designs of tailgate handles, they all three should work on every tailgate and shouldn’t require different part numbers. Like, for example on the fourth gens, there was only two different styles of tailgate and the reason why was because one tailgate was stamped for the ram head logo to go right in the center of it below the latch handle and the other one had a whole bunch of alignment holes stamped in the center of it to accommodate the large “R A M” letters.

By the way, I called up the parts house for some random Dodge dealer but without knowing your vin number, she really couldn’t help me out all that much and most of those online Mopar parts stores that I told you about earlier don’t do a very good job at describing the differences between all the different parts because for your truck, there’s a lot of different part numbers when it comes to tailgate handle.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Hopefully your dealer can help you figure it out but even though it sounds like they might have, for some silly reason made several different designs of tailgate handles, they all three should work on every tailgate and shouldn’t require different part numbers. Like, for example on the fourth gens, there was only two different styles of tailgate and the reason why was because one tailgate was stamped for the ram head logo to go right in the center of it below the latch handle and the other one had a whole bunch of alignment holes stamped in the center of it to accommodate the large “R A M” letters.

By the way, I called up the parts house for some random Dodge dealer but without knowing your vin number, she really couldn’t help me out all that much and most of those online Mopar parts stores that I told you about earlier don’t do a very good job at describing the differences between all the different parts because for your truck, there’s a lot of different part numbers when it comes to tailgate handle.

Hey, very much appreciated - you didn't have to go to the trouble. My tailgate only has the black plastic RAM head with the RAM imprinted in the top of the logo. Other than that it just has the black bezel around the tailgate latch, the latch itself which is actually up under the top out of sight. That dot in the middle of the top is the backup camera lens that I put the piece of electrical tape over.

 

[corneileous]

Hey, very much appreciated - you didn't have to go to the trouble. My tailgate only has the black plastic RAM head with the RAM imprinted in the top of the logo. Other than that it just has the black bezel around the tailgate latch, the latch itself which is actually up under the top out of sight. That dot in the middle of the top is the backup camera lens that I put the piece of electrical tape over.

Hey man, that’s what we’re here for is to help each other out.

Your picture’s a little bit too dark to really see anything but either way regardless, it kinda sounds like you’re SOL on your tailgate handle because after calling up two other dealerships that had a little bit more knowledgeable parts-people… because I’m curious myself, they, in other words said ram quit making tailgate handles with key cylinders and based on what one of the parts counter guys told me, the only reason why you have lock cylinders in one or both your front doors with a key in your fob is because you have manual door locks and that on the models that have all keyless entry and the other bells and whistles, there’s not a single key slot anywhere on the truck. I forgot to ask it but on those trucks that completely relies on a key fob, they probably don’t even have a key in the fob like you do.

So with that said, if having to use that key fob to lock and unlock your tailgate still bothers ya, you could still unplug your tailgate wiring harness from the back of the bed and then go buy one of those pop locks that pretty much was designed to make a non-lockable tailgate handle to where you could lock it with a key. The way it works is it pretty much covers up the whole tailgate handle and it has a little mechanism in there that turns with a key and grabs onto the back side of the handle.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Hey man, that’s what we’re here for is to help each other out.

Your picture’s a little bit too dark to really see anything but either way regardless, it kinda sounds like you’re SOL on your tailgate handle because after calling up two other dealerships that had a little bit more knowledgeable parts-people… because I’m curious myself, they, in other words said ram quit making tailgate handles with key cylinders and based on what one of the parts counter guys told me, the only reason why you have lock cylinders in one or both your front doors with a key in your fob is because you have manual door locks and that on the models that have all keyless entry and the other bells and whistles, there’s not a single key slot anywhere on the truck. I forgot to ask it but on those trucks that completely relies on a key fob, they probably don’t even have a key in the fob like you do.

Yeah, there would be no need to have a key in the fob for them. The only two keyholes on my truck are in the door handles.

So with that said, if having to use that key fob to lock and unlock your tailgate still bothers ya, you could still unplug your tailgate wiring harness from the back of the bed and then go buy one of those pop locks that pretty much was designed to make a non-lockable tailgate handle to where you could lock it with a key. The way it works is it pretty much covers up the whole tailgate handle and it has a little mechanism in there that turns with a key and grabs onto the back side of the handle.

Not sure I'm picturing what you're talking about. I just texted my sales guy and he is going to ask their head mech if the handle can be replaced, and if not then maybe the whole tailgate for one with a keyed lock. It really is that much of a PITA with it accidentally locking all the time that I'd pay decent money to make that problem go away.

I think many of these issues that folks don't like about their new trucks (not just RAM) is that a lot of people are buying trucks as a status symbol and not actually ever using them as a truck, per se. And the manufacturers are kow-towing to those people instead of the actual truck users. I live rural, I need a truck for towing and hauling. I tote bags of cement, lumber, dogs, dirt, whatever and I can't do that with a car. I keep the interior of my truck clean because I have to live in there, so to speak, but I have had my truck now for 3 1/2 months and haven't washed it yet because barring not being able to see out of the window, I don't care that much what the outside looks like.

 

[Tulecreeper]

OK, sales dude got back to me. He said they can't find on any RAM parts list where I can buy a replacement lock mechanism, and as far as they can see I can't even buy a complete replacement tailgate with a keyed lock. So, unless someone tells me otherwise I'm screwed and stuck with an electronic-only latch mechanism. I have to figure a way for the lock button to not get pushed when it's in my pocket, because one of these days it's going to accidentally lock and then the battery is going to die when I'm out in the middle of nowhere and I won't be able to get open it. Probably right at the time I need to load 30 bags of cement into the bed. Ever try to load that much cement into the back of a truck by lifting it up and over the side of the bed? No bueno, ese.

 

[corneileous]

OK, sales dude got back to me. He said they can't find on any RAM parts list where I can buy a replacement lock mechanism, and as far as they can see I can't even buy a complete replacement tailgate with a keyed lock. So, unless someone tells me otherwise I'm screwed and stuck with an electronic-only latch mechanism. I have to figure a way for the lock button to not get pushed when it's in my pocket, because one of these days it's going to accidentally lock and then the battery is going to die when I'm out in the middle of nowhere and I won't be able to get open it. Probably right at the time I need to load 30 bags of cement into the bed. Ever try to load that much cement into the back of a truck by lifting it up and over the side of the bed? No bueno, ese.

That’s what I was afraid of.

And as far as that Pop & Lock device I told you about, I don’t think they even make one for your truck and if I had to make an educated guess, it’s probably because there isn’t much call for one being that you do have a way to lock and unlock your tailgate and if I had to take another educated guess, Ram probably don’t even make a non-electric locking handle for your truck.

I guess the only other thing more that I could say at this point is to look around online for some kind of a protective case that you could store your fob in that would make it a lot harder to press any buttons on it.

 

[Tulecreeper]

That’s what I was afraid of.

And as far as that Pop & Lock device I told you about, I don’t think they even make one for your truck and if I had to make an educated guess, it’s probably because there isn’t much call for one being that you do have a way to lock and unlock your tailgate and if I had to take another educated guess, Ram probably don’t even make a non-electric locking handle for your truck.

I guess the only other thing more that I could say at this point is to look around online for some kind of a protective case that you could store your fob in that would make it a lot harder to press any buttons on it.

Much appreciated for the conversation.

 

[logboom]

I'm a new Ram owner and am uneducated as to the various RAM generation designations.
Please advise.
Thanks!

 

[Tulecreeper]

I'm a new Ram owner and am uneducated as to the various RAM generation designations.
Please advise.
Thanks!

"Generations" of trucks have to do with when they were manufactured. Like 2019 and newer are considered 5th Generation. Go back to the main Forums page and scroll down to the "Dodge RAM Generations" heading. Under that you will find the forums for all the generations going back to the 1980 model year and older.

 

[logboom]

"Generations" of trucks have to do with when they were manufactured. Like 2019 and newer are considered 5th Generation. Go back to the main Forums page and scroll down to the "Dodge RAM Generations" heading. Under that you will find the forums for all the generations going back to the 1980 model year and older.

Thank you Sir!!

 

[jejb]

Well then I guess what you’re gonna have to start doing is just start turning your truck off if you’re not comfortable leaving the fob in the cab and closing the door with it idling or if you don’t want your horn honking at you when you take the fob with you because it’s got other keys on it. I don’t know really what more to tell you guys

As I explained, there is another option. Holding the fob against the rear door glass while shutting the door works great.

 

[Tulecreeper]

As I explained, there is another option. Holding the fob against the rear door glass while shutting the door works great.

If you have a rear door.

 

[jejb]

If you have a rear door.

Yeah, I put that caveat in too.

 

[corneileous]

As I explained, there is another option. Holding the fob against the rear door glass while shutting the door works great.

Hmm. I wonder if this would work on my 4th gen to keep the interior from beeping when it displays “fob not detected” so it wouldn’t drive whoever’s in the truck crazy.

 

[yrraljguthrie]

I was amused by your post about wanting NO electronics. Does that mean you don't want fuel injection and would rather have a carburetor? Or perhaps no electronic power steering? No radio since that's electronic. Heater and AC controls are going to have to be mechanical instead of electronic. Going to have to have an air tank and a cord to blow an air horn, can't have that electronic horn.
Then I say your profile. Chief Petty Officer and that explains the rigidity!

 

[yrraljguthrie]

I flat out don't understand why someone complains about having to have the key fob on their person. What is the difference between having to have a key fob and having to carry a physical key?

 

[TestPilot57]

The key doesn't need to be in the On position. If you have electronic locks, push the button on the armrest. If they're manual, like mine, push the lock button on the door with your finger.

In my old SAABs ('74 - '02) whether they had fully manual or electric locks you could not lock the driver's door unless it was closed. That meant that either you were inside the car, our outside with the key/fob.

 

[TestPilot57]

At some point earlier in this thread I complained that sometimes the radio would randomly go to another station for no apparent reason.

The reason has now become apparent. It happens at low speed when I am holding/turning the steering wheel with my left leg. The scan up/down button on the back of the wheel gets triggered...

So I guess I now have one less item on my list...

 

[oe542bob]

This is more of an observation, not a dislike of my ’22 1500 Longhorn, but I’ve noticed that some cars‘ headlights give a strobe light effect in the digital mirror when they are behind me.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I flat out don't understand why someone complains about having to have the key fob on their person. What is the difference between having to have a key fob and having to carry a physical key?

You mean, other than the fact that a physical key is a 3" long, flat piece of metal that you could literally carry in your wallet if necessary, while the fob is a golfball-sized object that is very uncomfortable to carry in my pocket along with my pocket knife and change? That kind of difference?