I bought a 2002 Dakota a month ago. The dealer only gave me two keys and a key fob that has an unlock key, lock key, remote start key and a trunk key. I didn't know the truck had an alarm until tonight. I drove up and was getting out of my wives car when my truck started beeping and all the lights started flashing. I walked over and pressed all the buttons...nothing. I pressed them longer...still nothing. Pressing the start button started the truck but the alarm was still sounding. I opened the door, put the key in and turned it on...nothing. I turned it off and restarted it....nothing. I was looking for pliers to disconnect the battery when the alarm finally stopped. I checked youtube and the videos stated I need an operating key fob to program a new fob. How do I go about getting a new alarm key fob if I don't have an old one?

Thanks
Reid

 

The factory alarm will disarm when you start the truck with the key. Alternatively, you can unlock either door using the key, and it will disarm.

It will not disarm by pressing unlock or lock on the fob. It requires a physical key action (door cylinder or ignition cylinder movement).

It sounds like you may have an aftermarket alarm installed.

Is your key thick and gray/green or thin and black?

 

Sure it wasn't the red panic button that you accidentally squeezed? To stop it, press red button again. Happens to me every now and then.

 

My remote doesn't have a red panic button. It only has 4 buttons: open, close, start and trunk.

 

You don't have a factory fob...that's a big part of your problem. These trucks can have fits with aftermarket alarms because of how the CTM interprets inputs/outputs.

Is your key thick and gray/green or black and skinny? It makes a huge difference on how we proceed with advice....

 

This is the factory fob for all dakotas/trucks. Below it, Durangos and cars of similar era.

 

My key fob is sort of triangular in shape. Almost like a face. The left button is the lock, the right is the unlock. Between those two is a small triangle button with a snowflake on it which is the starter button. Below that is an oval button with a car on it with it's trunk open. The word "Avital" is stamped below the car. So I am assuming I have an after market alarm system. I plan on taking off the lower dash panel today and see if I can locate the alarm module and at least cut the power wire to it until I can afford a new system.

Thanks
Reid

 

For the third time, I'm going to ask:

Is your key thick and gray/green or black and skinny? It makes a huge difference on how we proceed with advice....

Depending on your answer, what you plan to do may set you up for a dealer visit, or it may work....

Again, these trucks are extremely finicky with aftermarket alarms.

Oh, and dealer support for them has ended since they are over 15 years old. Any dealer can deny service at will - the DRB3 used for these trucks is beyond end-of-life and a few of us in private sector are lucky enough to have them for diagnostic purposes. Most dealers only have 1, if any.

 

Thanks for your responses and the FOB picture above fixed the issue. As I stated in my original post we were getting out of the car when my truck alarm went off. I didn't know I had an alarm since my FOB didn't have an "Alarm" button. We stopped at the mailbox this afternoon and my wife hands me the FOB I gave her that I had forgotten about. She had the FOB shown above as being a dealer FOB. Oh yea!!! I drove by my truck and hit the Alarm button and sure enough the alarm went off and I was able to turn it off with her remote. Now my remote. She must have hit the alarm button when she was going thru her purse to get her keys out.

Oh and my key is a normal skinny black key.

Thanks
Reid

 

I'm confused. If your wife "Had the FOB shown above," then she must have hit the panic button, as there is no alarm button. Unless your wife also has another remote with an alarm button?

Good that you got it figured out though!