I recently bought a 97 dodge ram 1500. It's got a few problems, but the biggest one right now is that it won't start. As far as I know, it's the alarm going off due to the hazards blinking when i try to crank it (horns disabled). I'm not sure if it's factory or aftermarket, but I haven't noticed the reset button that others have been able to use to fix it, and I don't currently have the door key in case it could be fixed by using that.

Are there any other solutions to this problem?

 

Nope.

You're going to have to find out whether it's factory or aftermarket. Most aftermarkets will be behind the kick panel under the steering wheel. I'm not sure where the factory is located. Does the ignition key look like it has a bulge, like most chipped keys?


After that, we can start to figure things out.

 

No chip in the key in 96. Don't know when that came about. My 98 doesn't have one either.

Ignition key should also unlock the doors.

 

Yeah , that's what I would have thought too. Of course, if the ignition or door locks were replaced at any time...

 

I don't know if our 2nd gens ever came with chipped keys. I've had a 97, 99, and 01 and none of them had chipped keys. All of them were pretty loaded with options also.