I just had this issue start to pop up over the last couple of weeks so I took apart my key FOB and found a very simple construction inside.

I noted that the contacts for the battery were compressed so I took a pen an bent them back up just slightly to put more pressure on the battery.

Since doing that, I have no issues.

Its worth a try if your having issues.

 

Nice job on the mod Smoothbassman, I've been fighting that FOB for a couple of months now. It was getting to the point where I had to use the key to get in every once in awhile. Saw your post and bent the tabs up just as described... First try every try now! Thanks again!

 

For the first time I could not get mine to open. When the issue occurs I have always been able to get the fob to work one way or another. So I opened with the key and put the fob into the ignition and start to turn the alarm off.

A week later I found myself as the same place, parked in the same exact spot. Fob worked fine that time.

I think I am going to take mine apart like above and even replace the battery while I am at it.

Also note, I did change my EVIC to unlock all doors with one push of the button a while back, so that did not affect anything.

 

i have had it happen a couple times. usually if you "jerk it off" enough times it will work!! i.e. push the button 20 times it will eventually work..lol

 

No problem. I think that the entire cicruit board is flexing when you press the buttons causing the battery to stop making contact sometimes. The design is weak.

Wish they would have made a true keyless system like my wifes Nissan. It is so cool not having to use the key at all. Plus the batteries are rechargeable on the FOB. As long as the key is nearby you never have to use it.

 

Well I did check out the tabs and even when you go to bend the tabs you can feel the board flex now that is not cool. So pushing harder on you keyless buttons is NOT the answer to make it work. I have a feeling we will all eventually get new keyless FOBS lets hope so anyway. Now I am doing this on a key fob that my wife said she was having problems with. I gave her mine since I use the truck less since I don't drive it to work cuz hahahhah I don't have to work anyway she seems to have the problem only when parked in certain places she says. I believe it has to do with Security systems etc. She parks near the police station or the Casino downtown gives her and issue.....sometimes.....I will give her the FOB I just bent up the tabs I also bent in the ones on the sides of the battery a bit too hopefully it will help. The plan is to trade FOBs again and see if she has an issue in these same spots. Then if not I will bend up the tabs and the one around the battery on the FOB we trade, and we shall see what happens. While I have it out I am gonna see if there is a way to beef up the board maybe a stiff piece of sponge behind where the board flexes just not right behind the battery. Why should we have to fix this crap. Now I think about it I might if my wifes problems are over from bending these tabs certainly I will take the other FOB to the dealer and show them your idea and show them how flimsy it is, you can tell it rubs on the battery since the battery has marks in it. My kid has an Avenger no auto start and the actual key with the buttons he has not problems in fact his works from quite a distance.

 

I did that too forgot about the tinted windows, I thought they did them like the day you pick up the truck, I hadn't even said yes to the deal and the dealership had the running boards tubes or whatever they are called and the windows tinted. In fact I had called when we got home, the dealership is like 50 miles away so an hour ride and lunch , he told me whenever I am ready it's go the tint and running boards on. I told him what if I changed my mind he said doesn't matter everyone wants these items on,haven't sold one without. Here I thought I was getting a deal till he had me sign the paper for the handicap deal on the running boards since I am paraplegic. He billed 750 full amount for some 200 dollar boards. Anyway I made arrangements to pick up the truck a week later and thought when I pushed the button to put down the window ....oh crap the tint....was done a week prior and I was told that as long as either the truck has seen a good day of sun or you take a long trip and keep it rather warm in the truck like 200 miles you are good to go also. So basically they have to be dry. They do such a good job nowadays with the tint too, can't even tell untill you roll it down and just the slight line...so it doesn't peel....rambling again sorry.

 

I took my fob apart and slightly bent the battery prongs. I just tested it yesterday and it still does not work correctly. I have narrowed it down to being if I drive some place and then go back to my truck shortly after parking and locking it, then it does not work. For example, going into the store to pickup coffee or a pizza. For me, I haven't found any correlation with where the truck is parked.

 

I have a problem with me truck. I have a 2001 Ram 1500 Crew Cab. As I was looking at this thread it seemed to be happening to allot of people. My problem is that from time to time and recently about every 2 days the alarm on the truck will go off for no reason. Sometimes it happens when I try to unlock the doors. I thought that maybe I had hit the panic button but when I hit it the panic alarm goes off. I thought that maybe the battery in my FOB was low so I took the FOB apart and did not put it back together and it did it at about 3 AM this morning. I do not have remote start. This is really pissing my wife off. I am currently looking for a fuse that I can take out and I will just use my key to get in. If anyone has any good ideas that would be great.

 

If your alarm is going off, its an alarm issue, not a key fob issue. What you should do is start a thread in the other generation ram section. You'll have better luck with people seeing what your issue is.Good luck man.