They told me when I went to get quotes that I would need a bypass even though I dont have a factory alarm. Maybe they didnt know that my truck doesnt have a coded key?

 

Is the key Grey, or have the keyless buttons built into the head? If you answered yes, then you have factory security. AFAIK, ALLLLLLL Gen3 Daks have OEM security, being a transponder built into the key.

 

I have a key fob with keyless entry. I dont have a transponder key however. I work for a hardware store and tried out my key in the tester one day, and no transponder was read. So I made myself a key and it will start the truck. It comes in handy on those cold days. I can start the truck with the copy and keep my key fob to unlock and lock the doors. So my Dakota has no security.

 

Did you buy the truck used?

I have not seen a gen3 Dak without transponder, and you say that your key has the keyless built in that I also have never seen without transponder.

It is possible that someone has removed the transponder from the key and installed it in the steering column as a cheesy bypass. I know some installers that have or continue to do that.

 

I did buy the truck used.

If I take apart my key fob, can I see if there is a transponder or not in there? I have the two key fobs for the truck, and I would assume both are original. The only other thing I could do is take the tester at work and take it out to the truck and see if I can read it in the steering column.

And Im guessing my keyless entry is factory. The truck has the SLT package, which probably included the key fob vs. the ST package where it was probably an option.

When I first found out my key didnt need a transponder, I thought that atleast for the 05 Daks, unless you had the factory alarm there was no transponder.

 

My truck doesn't have a transponder key either.

I woud have to guess the non-transponder was probably an option as mine was a prior fleet vehicle and there was absolutely no evidence of any electronc modifications to my truck when I bought it.

 

I have a Python 2way security and remote start installed and so far it's been very reliable (close to 2 years IIRC). No problems at all and the range is great.

The 2005's were definitely available without the transponder. My grandfather bought my truck new originally and ended up selling it to me when he decided to go back to a full-size. I know he didn't have anything like that done and one of the first things I did was have a normal sized key made since I hated how big the key with built in keyless remote was.