Key Fob Not Detected.....but....it's in my pocket!

[bonebro]

Side question from a soon-to-be owner: Does the truck have a back up way to be started if the fob battery dies on you? In my Audi, I can stick the fob in the 'charging slot' located in the dash, and start it (fob is used as a physical key).

Yes, you can start the truck by mating the head of the fob and the start button

 

[rlc2020]

So, next day, 5 degrees outside, NO remote start. Battery charge cycle did not fix the issue. Spoke with dealer, they are going to take the truck next week and give me a loaner until they figure it out. I've also requested to have my upper glove box fixed (door is crooked) and my rear breaks lubed (back up howl when wet). Hopefully that's everything!

 

[NoRamForUconnect]

I have been having a similar issue, but mostly with the remote start. It will honk one time and flash the lights and then do nothing. No error message on the dash. It says " press brake to start" as if I'm in the truck and hitting the button but not pressing the brake. It doesn't seem to register that I'm using the remote at all. Last night after trying a few times to get the remote start to work I gave up and it gave me the "Key Fob not detected" message while I tried to start it with the ignition button. After 3 tries it did finally start. But it is acting very strange. Fob works for lock and unluck every time so It's not a battery or range issue.

This may or may not be related, but my uconnect app and the mopar website both will not remotely access the vehicle. No starts, no remote locking, no location, etc. They have a trouble ticket open for that for what that is worth. I will be going to the dealership soon to have everything looked at.

What was your fuel level? Low fuel I think below a 1/4 will inhibit remote start function

 

[Edwards]

Here's a wild story from Canada where they tracked the issue down to another car with a misbehaving remote start that blocked everyone else. What do we need to carry frequency scanners now?

https://gizmodo.com/mystery-of-blocked-key-fobs-at-parking-lot-likely-solve-1832277387

 

[Rich]

So, next day, 5 degrees outside, NO remote start. Battery charge cycle did not fix the issue. Spoke with dealer, they are going to take the truck next week and give me a loaner until they figure it out. I've also requested to have my upper glove box fixed (door is crooked) and my rear breaks lubed (back up howl when wet). Hopefully that's everything!

This is only a random thought, but is your truck due for the Steering bad ground issue?

A bad ground could cause all sorts of issues, especially in cold weather. One of those bad grounds is possibly at the battery to the frame ground point. This could affect every system IMHO. Perhaps ask the dealer to check on this for you and see if it affects more than just the steering?

 

[Dusty1948]

So, I've been having an issue the past week or so, which is starting to get slightly worse and more annoying each day.
If the key fob was in my left pocket, a week ago, there was a 50% chance it would allow the truck to start. If not....took is out, held it up....started every time.
Now, if the key fob is my left pocket, there is about a 10% chance it allows the truck to start. I have to almost always take it out.
By the way....In my right pocket, I was 100% last week, and we're at the 50/50 point as of today. QUOTE]

If I read your description correctly, the FOB in either pocket always allows entry into the vehicle, but will not always allow the engine to start?

Best regards,
Dusty

2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Now at: 009022 miles.

 

[Sooliman]

Yes....doesn’t matter which pocket, it’s an intermittent issue. I can be holding the Fob in my hand and this happens. Frustrating!

 

[rlc2020]

This is only a random thought, but is your truck due for the Steering bad ground issue?

A bad ground could cause all sorts of issues, especially in cold weather. One of those bad grounds is possibly at the battery to the frame ground point. This could affect every system IMHO. Perhaps ask the dealer to check on this for you and see if it affects more than just the steering?

UPDATE: Truck is in the shop. They are addressing the power steering recall among other things. The remote start issue extends beyond the key fob. I'm having the same issue with uconnect which is now sort of working. I can lock and unlock the truck, but the remote start does the same as with the fob. Flashes lights and honks, but then nothing. The service manager said that he will go through and update the system in the truck and see what he can do.

my rental is a Caravan and I want to drive it into a tree, but that's another issue...

 

[RichT]

my keyfob fails if it is in my pocket with my little vape device, which does have a small magnet on it.

hasn't been an issue otherwise

 

[Rich]

I don't have this problem, but for those that do, try turning off NFC on your phone, or shut off your phone to see if it affects this problem.

 

[Gman]

I've also had issues when 2 different proximity keys are in the same pocket.

 

[AbitaPro]

Bump

 

[Dusty1948]

Bump

Have you tried the second fob you received with the vehicle and isolated/verified the problem? Have you removed the fob battery and checked the battery or battery contacts?

You have a couple of options. You could take it to the dealer to pull any codes and verify the symptom, or disconnect the battery for 6 minutes and see if that corrects it. If you disconnect the battery any codes associated with the problem will likely be erased.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Silver Billet Laramie, Quad Cab, 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, 18 inch wheels. Build date: 17 April 2018. Now at 018658 miles.

 

[ForTehNguyen]

i had key fob interference when i put in a new red LED for the high mount brake light. Found a new LED that said it doesnt cause radio interference and it works fine now. Just another thing to check

 

[Quiet]

I had this issue for years in my 2013 Explorer and now I'm having it with my new RAM. I just assume my fat *** is absorbing the RF signal.

 

[silver64]

You will never get stranded with this. You can take the battery completely out, and have the key in two halves, and if you push the start button with the key it will always work.

Possible problem: I've had this with a old gen too. If your key is left too close to the truck or inside of the truck, it will "lock" the key so no one can take your truck. If you want to test this next time it pops up that it isn't detected, take the key about 100 feet away and come back. If it works then, then that is the issue.

But the obvious first, battery and proximity sensors. But 99% of the time if it's the battery in the fob, you'll get a message in the gauge display saying key fob battery low.

I had this happen with several different cars and this walk away solution works 100% of the time. Eventually one of my cars wound up being a bad antenna which was replaced and the vehicle worked fine ever since. The antenna was the shark fin on the roof as its used for a bunch of functions.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

i had key fob interference when i put in a new red LED for the high mount brake light. Found a new LED that said it doesnt cause radio interference and it works fine now. Just another thing to check

I would have never considered this. I just recently started having Fob not detected issues, remote start works great, proximity doors work fine but when I would attempt to start the truck i would get not detected message, I also just recently installed an LED bulb that pulses three times before staying lit in my CHMSL. And since you have to press the break to start the truck makes total sens why no other issues arise except when trying to start the truck. So glad I read this post before trying my other FOB and possibly taking it into the dealer for a self inflicted issue.

 

[ForTehNguyen]

yup i havent had issues since, can you imagine trying to troubleshoot this, would be a ton of wasted time going to the dealer and them replacing crap that doesnt need replacing

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

yup i havent had issues since, can you imagine trying to troubleshoot this, would be a ton of wasted time going to the dealer and them replacing crap that doesnt need replacing

When you had the issue, was it every single time you tried starting the truck or was it random? Sometime I can start it up fine without issue and sometimes I get the not detected message but it'll work after the third or fourth try occasionally I have to put the fob right by the start button to use the passive RFID. I still think its the bulb because I have never had a single issue until installing it, but there is pretty random.

 

[silver64]

The one test to do is when you are in a large parking lot test to see how far the lock/unlock works. When I had the issue with the bad shark fin it would only work within about 5 ft or so and sometimes not at all. Once the shark fin was replaced it worked over 200 ft away.