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Dodge Ram Electronic Ignition Key Questions

jollypopperjollypopper Member Posts: 2
in Dodge
I recently acquired a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie with security coded ignition key. Since only one key came with it, I contacted my friendly local Dodge dealer inquiring about duplicate keys and was told the key would run $69.00 per key. My immediate reaction was that was ridiculous. I recently had a Cadillac coded key make at the GM dealer here for $18.00. The question is what is so expensive about this key? Is it the blank or the programming that is expensive? The owner's manual explains how to program a key and it is very simple, but you must have two working keys to program a third. So surely, the programming can't be the expensive part of the operation. And I checked on EBay for blanks. You can buy an un-programmed blank for like $5.00. Since the programming of the key looks fairly simple and the blanks can be had for cheap, where is the cost here? Can I buy a blank off EBay, take it to the local hardware store and have it cut, then take it to the local dealership for programming? How do I get a key at a reasonable price?
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Comments

  • stanoskistanoski Member Posts: 76
    You need 2 full function keys to start with and from them you can program a cheaper ($15) blank key you can get off Ebay. I did that and it worked fine. Instructions come with the key blank. Again, to do this you will need 2 full function keys. If not, you will need to bike the dealer bullet and pay for the 2nd key.
  • geraldramm3645geraldramm3645 Member Posts: 1
    I recently had a key made from my ignition key with chip for a door key in case of locking keys in truck. The dealer said dont use the plain door key he made to use in ignition to start truck. Why can anybody tell me, and is there a way to bypass.
  • dodgedaddodgedad Member Posts: 1
    I have had an ongoing problem for the last year with the truck not starting. It will run fine but after I turn the truck off, I can't get it to start or even turn over. The dash lights and warning bells are still active. This happens infrequently and most of the time if I just let the truck sit for a while, it will start. I have replaced the starter, ignition and fuse box ( I think they call it a control module now.) After my last replacement ( the control module 6 months ago ) the truck ran fine until yesterday when, after a long trip, I stopped at a convenience store and it did it again. As usual I waited a few minutes, locked and unlocked the doors, jiggled the key etc... and finally it started. I am lost at what to try next. Any suggestions?
  • chell21128chell21128 Member Posts: 1
    did anybody ever answer this question? Because my husband used the non chipped key on the ignition and the truck wont run and diagnostics shows a bad fuel pump. help ppplease.
  • dodgeram2008dodgeram2008 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2008 Dodge Ram and i dropped the key down my stairs and the whole thing popped open. i put the battery and chip back in but ever since that happened the key wont open the truck anymore and the chip wont let me start the truck. what should i do?
  • chryslergroupchryslergroup Member Posts: 35
    Hello dodgeram2008,

    Sorry to hear about your key. If you have not already done so you may want to have your local Dodge Service Department take a look at it to see if it just needs to be reprogrammed or if it was damaged when it came apart and needs to be replaced.

    Lisa
    Customer Care
    Chrysler Group LLC
  • drew75drew75 Member Posts: 1
    What can cause this to happen. My 06 2500 diesel's key did this.
  • mikec27mikec27 Member Posts: 3
    I recently purchased a 2003 ,3500 4x4, crew cab, diesel. I need to do some work on this veichle as I bought it as a project truck. My question is this did this model come with a computer key, can I swap this colmn out with an older one with regular keys? Or can I swap this ignition out with a regular ignition in the same colmn. What is it that the dodge dealership is actually doing when they match the keys and the switch to the truck? Any help at pointing me in the right direction wuold be appreciated!
  • bigtexunbigtexun Member Posts: 2
    Actually, in this type of security device, the key is not programmed, it is the access computer in the truck that is programmed.

    Essentially the key has a unique encoded serial number. When you program a new key, you are telling the vehicle to remember that key.

    So her fob doesn't need to be reprogrammed, either the battery is inserted backward, or the fob needs to be cleaned. Removing the battery and wiping all of the contacts with a clean lint-free cloth may do the trick. However it is possible the fob suffered enough damage to crack the circuit board, or chip.
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