I've been doing a lot of searching and can't seem to find this answer. I have an 08 1500 with the integrated remote/sentry key. Naturally the dealer wants $135 for the replacement, I have two keys and can program it myself. My question, is can i use one of the $20 gray sentry keys in place of the keys i have? I do a lot of boating, and my goal is to have a key that's waterproof, or at least doesn't have a battery and all that that i can take out with me, and use the regular remote key on a daily basis.

Before reading any of this info on the sentry key stuff, i did go to ace and have a regular key cut, and sure enough, it does unlock the door, but sounds the alarm. It also starts the truck, only to have it cut off after 2 seconds.

Thanks

 

I don't know if the Sentry Key works or not, but the reason your alarm goes off is because you are not disarming the alarm when you just unlock the door manually. The remote entry does disarm it. If you don't mind the alarm going off for a few seconds while you find your real key, you can just lock your real keys in your truck, use the key you got at Ace to unlock the door, then grab your keys from inside and disarm the alarm.

 

You could use a Grey key as far as i know, but i don't know if it would work if it got wet, cause it has a sensor/chip in it. you could always keep a regular key in the boat, and keep your everyday keys hidden in the cab somewhere... my $.02.

 

i would just not arm the alarm when you go out in the boat. just lock the doors with the switch on the doors inside. dont lock it with the remote. as said before, leave your electronic key in the truck under the driver seat.

 

Thanks SOS. That's actually what I've been doing as a temporary solution. I would like someday not to turn everyone's head in the parking lot all the time though.

Now that I think of it, I haven't tested the dumb key by locking the door with it rather than with the remote key. I wonder if that would lock the truck without setting the alarm and thus it won't go off when I come back and unlock it later. Does anyone know if the alarm sets itself after so many minutes or whatever? I'll have to do some experimenting tomorrow

jstmahoney, I had a chipped key for my last chevy and it didn't mind water one bit. The RFID based chip was sealed in the plastic head. I got it wet all the time. The gray dodge keys look very similar.

 

Yes, locking the doors with the switch will still arm the alarm. The only way around it would be to lock each door one at a time using the latch thingy (technical term).

It'd probably be worth trying the older transponder key in your situation.

 

interesting......damn trucks are too smart sometimes!

 

Just ordered a blank gray key for $24.

In the process though, I did stumble across autotransponder.com which has the whole blank remote key for $83 which is a whole lot less than the dealer's $135

I'll post with results when I get the gray shipped and cut.

 

I have a spare like that and it works fine.I had Home Depot cut it for free (#19 key cutter). I got it from Joe Friday on ebay. http://stores.ebay.com/AMAZING-KEYS

 

I have an '02 so I'm not sure your's works like mine. If you unlock the truck with the manual key from the passenger's side it dis-arms the alarm. Bump it twice to unlock both doors then when you open any door the alarm does not sound and you can drive away. Good luck.