key fobs not working

[SNKEBIT]

Have a customers ACR extreme here and fobs quit working. Worked fine on the way here, next day, nothing. Changed batteries, nothing. Is there a reset process for them without dealer involvement?
Thx.

[Sub Driver]

Press the starter button with the key fob itself and the car should start.

[swexlin]

How's the car battery? My car started giving me "key not detected" messages on the first to pushes of the button. Even though the fob battery was new. I recently replaced the car battery, and that stopped. Battery was 7 years old - always on tender never any issues. But it was time.

[sadil]

The key fobs used are so garbage. Never know when it will give out. Sometimes my passenger door doesn't even unlock. Whatever FOB/Receiver system is in our cars is a PITA.

[cubeman]

If you keep the keys anywhere near the car it'll drain the fobs to nothing. For some reason they communicate with the car 24/7 when nearby. I had a 3 year old fob that needed a new battery. Replaced it and left it in the garage next to the car for a few days, fob dead. I changed the battery thinking it was faulty and once again a few days later dead again. Changed it one more time and kept it in the house with the rest of the keys and wasn't an issue.

The only thing I can think is the keyless entry receivers check for the key nearby and if detected keep a constant communication or check again constantly. All my other FCA product never has this issue.

[SNKEBIT]

This is a 17. New batteries in fobs. If 1 fob did it I would say the fob is bad, but both are doing the same thing. I can start the car by pushing the fob on the start button. I will check the battery.

[Steve-Indy]

As has been posted several times in the past...the 2 fobs that come with any CJDR equipped with smart keys tend to go dead within a day or two of each other. In our case, the keys to 3 different cars ( Viper, 17 Jeep, 17 Chry) went dead simultaneously...and, yes...these keys reside in the same location in the house.

[Hootie]

My keys are inside the house, but hung up on the wall just inside the garage. If I leave them there and try to open the car, the doors will not unlock. Does this mean they are far enough to avoid this draining problem?

[Steve-Indy]

I would assume yes.

[Scott_in_fl]

Should be no big deal. The batteries in the fobs go out pretty regularly and are an easy swap.

[SNKEBIT]

Swapped the batteries in the fobs at least three times...........
Juswt to make sure had good batteries.

[braunstein82]

Been having similar issue with my 2017. The car won't unlock with either key right away. Have to be around the car for about 10 minutes before it will unlock.

[Matt Dillon]

My 13' model has been going dead every 3-4 days & I've had the battery & starter checked several times & they're fine. But it still seems like something is draining off of my battery, I've since put it on the Deltran trickle charger & it's been fine but when I drive it anywhere & come back & plug it in it's blinking again like something is still drawing off of the battery? But I did have one of my key fobs out by the car in the garage, do you really think that could be the problem?

[Steve-Indy]

Yes, that COULD be the problem.

Here is the "test" that I did: Lock your Viper with the key fob, wait a couple of minutes, then place the fob 8 feet away from the car in the garage, then walk up to the Viper and try to open the locked door. If it opens with the fob 8 feet away, it is obviously still communicating with the car. Then, repeat the process but this time place the fob in the house using a room adjacent to the garage. Try to open the locked door...and, in my case, the door remained locked which means that the fob was out of communication range.

The necessary "safe" distance may vary a bit depending on the construction of the house and such things as interposed metal cabinets, appliances, metal doors, etc.

[ViperGeorge]

My 13' model has been going dead every 3-4 days & I've had the battery & starter checked several times & they're fine. But it still seems like something is draining off of my battery, I've since put it on the Deltran trickle charger & it's been fine but when I drive it anywhere & come back & plug it in it's blinking again like something is still drawing off of the battery? But I did have one of my key fobs out by the car in the garage, do you really think that could be the problem?

Is the original battery in the car? If so it is 7 years old! I am usually not one to blame the battery for every malady the car develops however in this case if the battery is 7 years old I would replace it.

[swexlin]

Is the original battery in the car? If so it is 7 years old! I am usually not one to blame the battery for every malady the car develops however in this case if the battery is 7 years old I would replace it.

Exactly. It's what I did - see my post above. However, I've only driven the car once or twice since (kept on a tender in the garage) so I don't have enough data yet to really see if it permanently solved the problem.

[Purple Haze]

The key fobs used are so garbage. Never know when it will give out. Sometimes my passenger door doesn't even unlock. Whatever FOB/Receiver system is in our cars is a PITA.

True had to replace mine car rarely driven too...

[HolyDiver]

Damn, guess since my keys are miles away from my car, ive never had to replace fob batt since purchase (received car mid 2017), I also got lithium car Batt instead of the CRAP stock ACR batt (bloody thing looks like it came of a quadbike). But God help me this car is very fussy with locking, when i click the button its almost 50/50 if i hear the lock "honk" or not. The "trick" ive found is to click the moment the door shuts and window rises. But even that works 60% of the time. Still love the car tho

[ViperGeorge]

Damn, guess since my keys are miles away from my car, ive never had to replace fob batt since purchase (received car mid 2017), I also got lithium car Batt instead of the CRAP stock ACR batt (bloody thing looks like it came of a quadbike). But God help me this car is very fussy with locking, when i click the button its almost 50/50 if i hear the lock "honk" or not. The "trick" ive found is to click the moment the door shuts and window rises. But even that works 60% of the time. Still love the car tho

Are you sure your FOB batteries are not getting weak. Try holding the FOB under your chin. Actually touch your chin with it when pressing a button. See if it works better. Not sure why but doing this increases the distance over which the FOB works. Works even on fresh batteries to increase the distance the FOB can transmit over.

[swexlin]

Are you sure your FOB batteries are not getting weak. Try holding the FOB under your chin. Actually touch your chin with it when pressing a button. See if it works better. Not sure why but doing this increases the distance over which the FOB works. Works even on fresh batteries to increase the distance the FOB can transmit over.

Because human bodies are good transmitters. Showing my age, but in the days of rabbit ears TV antennas, when you grab it, all of sudden, reception improved tremendously.

[ViperGeorge]

Because human bodies are good transmitters. Showing my age, but in the days of rabbit ears TV antennas, when you grab it, all of sudden, reception improved tremendously.

LOL. I remember that too! I still have my Philco Predicta TV with the rotating picture screen. It is a "Clock TV". Works like a clock radio but with TV instead. No broadcast channels to pick up now though.

[Policy Limits]

This happened in my 13 GTS. The fix was to replaced the WIN module as it relates to the ignition. Additionally the dealer had to order new replacement fobs/keys and program them. It was a major pita and finding a dealer to touch the car was equally as frustrating. Run a search for my old thread on this.

[Toolhead]

Because human bodies are good transmitters. Showing my age, but in the days of rabbit ears TV antennas, when you grab it, all of sudden, reception improved tremendously.

It also helps if you have a lot of fillings in your mouth...LOL

[Special Ed]

There are exceptions to everything. In the four and a half years that I owned my '15 TA2, the fob sat in the cup holder 24/7 while it was in my locked garage. Never replaced a fob battery. Go figure.

[ViperGeorge]

Why don't FOB batteries die when you have them in your pocket and are driving for hours? Do they not communicate with the car when the car is running?