NOT dead fob battery - updated

[Linda's Hell Cat]

Ooops that wasn't the article link I wanted. Posted it half a sleep.
You can check your car manual to see if there are any instructions to help.


Maybe while you changed the battery you had pressed some of the buttons and changed something.


I did see these instructions for a Dodge Challenger.

Press and hold the "Unlock" button on your remote for four seconds and press the "Panic" button while still holding the other button. Release the buttons at the same time to open the programming mode. Press and release both "Lock" and "Unlock" and then press and hold "Unlock" until the car responds with a lock cycle.


Another person that may have an answer would be @rayzazoo

Linda

 

[Slowpoke387]

Change them all. It has been an issue when one dies, they all need to be replaced. No idea why changing one wont at least make that one fob work correctly but when mine died I remembered that and did all three. No issues now.

 

[Stormtrooper1320]

Ok, here's the situation: pulled out my ratchet screw driver from the desk here, attached flat blade, ejected physical key, pried open case (with a few small curls of plastic, more on this later). Popped out battery, grabbed battery box, inserted appropriate number battery (last one in the box, by the way). Test fob. Car does not detect. Earlier today the car still detects the fob if you get within RFID range (can open the door with the handle as usual). So, open fob, check battery voltage, 3.31 volts, examined contacts, all appears good. Sufficient dielectric compound on contacts to leave small smears on new battery. Seal battery back up. Take both red fobs and black fob out to drive way. Neither red fob signal received by car from 35-40 feet. Black fob received like nobody's business.

Disappointed.

Anyone have this BS happen before? Black fob working seems to indicate something is wrong with the red fob transmitters. Power on the changed battery fob is good, not opening second red one yet. Don't get it.
Had the oil changed today but the car would not remote start yesterday or this morning (thought perhaps it was being temperamental as it on occasion has been).

Ideas?

Oh, and I trimmed the little curls down, as they were leaving a tiny tiny gap on the key ring end of the fob (not wide enough to prevent contact, etc...

Next step - get another, new, battery, change red fob number two and see if that will work.

I had something similar happen on a Ram truck I previously owned. I went to the dealer and they were able to re-sync all of my key fobs so that they worked once more. I thought there was a way that you could do this yourself now by having the fobs in close proximity to each other...but I may have that mixed up with GM. I'd be surprised if you actually had to replace them all.

.02

 

[DodgeCares]

Thanks, but not a replacement issue.

Hi Magnified, I do apologize for the trouble you are experiencing with your keys. If you are not able to remedy this concern with the advice provided here, I kindly recommend connecting with your local Dodge dealer. If you are in need of any assistance with that process, our team is available via private message.
Rob
DodgeCares

 

[SilverBillet]

Looks like you failed the “easy to replace your battery” test! Make sure the two halves of the case are pressed back together tightly. Are you sure the shiny smooth side of the battery was down when you placed it back in?

 

[Confuzed1]

lol, yes, oriented correctly. Even if it wasn't the second red fob should still work (has not been opened)

No, your second FOB probably won't work. Even if you've never used that FOB, they tend to wear out pretty close to one another whether used or not. I just buy two batteries and replace both in the red FOBS....I don't worry about the black FOB since I never use it anyway...

 

[MikeD1]

Neither red fob signal received by car from 35-40 feet. Black fob received like nobody's business.

The gods of speed trying to tell you something ??

 

[moparjim]

@Magnified I have had this issue on a couple of different fobs.
I found before squeezing the 2 parts together. If I lay it on a counter (wood) and give it a whack with my palm to close it.
They all have worked when doing it that way.🤷‍♂️

 

[stonewall]

I have replaced mine. when the dash would show FOB NOT DETECTED. battery replacement corrected them. but if yours is opening the doors, it may be a communication problem. might try disconnecting the the battery and reconnecting to see if it clears the trouble.

 

[Slowpoke387]

No, your second FOB probably won't work. Even if you've never used that FOB, they tend to wear out pretty close to one another whether used or not. I just buy two batteries and replace both in the red FOBS....I don't worry about the black FOB since I never use it anyway...

What he said ^^
Do them all and I'll bet they work fine.

 

[BULL]

It has been the consensus that the fobs are "active", not "passively" transmitting only when pressing a button, this seems explain why so many of us experience all of them dieing at the same time.

(Also explains the black box amplifiers that criminals use to steal your car while your key is inside.)

Now why you're having sync issues, unknown.

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

42,000 miles on my car, I've been through 4 batteries. The only time I used my black key was when I found it, split it in half, and took the battery out of it.
Needless to say, I have 2 dead fobs, the one I use, and 2 spare batteries.

 

[BULL]

42,000 miles on my car, I've been through 4 batteries. The only time I used my black key was when I found it, split it in half, and took the battery out of it.
Needless to say, I have 2 dead fobs, the one I use, and 2 spare batteries.

When you've replaced the battery, did it simply work, or did you have to fiddle with it?

My one time it simply worked.

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

When you've replaced the battery, did it simply work, or did you have to fiddle with it?
My one time it simply worked.

Other than "the curls" there were no problems at all. It just worked.
I knew it was really dead when it was in the cup holder and it said - No Fob Detected ... That's when I went back into the house, did the swap, and drove away with no problems.

 

[Magnified]

Ok... so, I pulled both the red fobs and changed both batteries with them (and the black key) on the desk - though why this should make any difference makes no sense to me - in the interests of accurate reporting I record all the facts. The black key did not get changed. When I closed the second one I used the suggested pound on them like a gorilla closure method instead of my squeeze them together slowly like a civilized strong person method. Upon closing the second red fob my children reported that the HC car alarm was going off. So, we knew that one worked. Took them all out and tried them and they will all remote start, etc... Check the two batteries removed, the new one was full strength and the other, original, was low but still in the range I would normally consider acceptable. Generally a weird experience.

Note, I did not code anything or do any combo of keys and the change was out of range of the car. Also, I believe the door handle trigger is an RFID chip (if I remember correctly) and not related to the other key functions at all (that way, even if the key is dead you should be able to get into the car because RFID draws power from the scanner, not from a battery).

 

[Stormtrooper1320]

Ok... so, I pulled both the red fobs and changed both batteries with them (and the black key) on the desk - though why this should make any difference makes no sense to me - in the interests of accurate reporting I record all the facts. The black key did not get changed. When I closed the second one I used the suggested pound on them like a gorilla closure method instead of my squeeze them together slowly like a civilized strong person method. Upon closing the second red fob my children reported that the HC car alarm was going off. So, we knew that one worked. Took them all out and tried them and they will all remote start, etc... Check the two batteries removed, the new one was full strength and the other, original, was low but still in the range I would normally consider acceptable. Generally a weird experience.

Note, I did not code anything or do any combo of keys and the change was out of range of the car. Also, I believe the door handle trigger is an RFID chip (if I remember correctly) and not related to the other key functions at all (that way, even if the key is dead you should be able to get into the car because RFID draws power from the scanner, not from a battery).

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

So what you’re saying is to smash the fob flat when you change batteries?

 

[Magnified]

Exactly. I recommend a 20 pound sledge.

 

[stonewall]

So maybe it was just not fully closed before?

 

[Magnified]

No, it was fully closed. Don't know what its problem or the second red fobs problem was. Batteries were good; orientation perfect; everything closed (just did not pound it). Perhaps it checks for other fobs around? Neither of the other two should have been able to be picked up. Why you would do it that way, I can't fathom.