Hi , I bought a brand new caravan 9-1-10 an have only 10,560 miles on the van an the keyless entry battery was dead this am ??????????? These caravans won't start without this battery voltage !!!!!!!!!! A # 2032 battery . I was affended !!!!!!
Pryor to the dodge van I owned & bought new a 1996 Park Avenue an kept it " 14 years " till the new dodge an " never " never " replaced the keyless entry batteries !!!!!!! over the entire 14 years I owned the Buick .
If your battery on the dodge fails you will have to be towed to the dealer if you don't keep a new battery in the glove box.
I thought I would help stop some bad days with this message . Lovvorn I,ve been retired for 10 years . I attended Rock Springs Auto tech in the sixtes in Rocksprings , Ga. I have been a Hot Rod mechanic on cars,trucks & yes Harley "s . I think 50 years of Tech work & Tech school qualifies me to tell the truth ! I don't make a "living" working for Chysler or Dodge . I have 1,000's of " post ' Tech school certified training in my life .I have nothing to gain by lieing to the forum members . I have a new 2012 sx4 ,a 2010 van ,2008 Harley Ultra ,A 2006 4x4 Ford truck & a 2004 S.uper S.port R.oadster that I keep up on the specks with little trouble . Hey you tech's ! go get in the bunk with your cell mate an be happy !!!

 

Wow that is good information to know, I guess I never really thought about that. I'll keep a new battery in the glove box. Honestly I'd be worried about the remote getting wet or something and failing to work too. I'll keep a spare in the glove box for sure though.

 

The Van doesn't use the replaceable batteries in the fob for starting. Do you not have another Key?

 

I guess I got the cheap keyless intry !! I replaced the battery with the same battery that was in the FOB only it came out of my Harley Ultra Classic key FOB an not dead !!! I put a good post for people to save a lot of big expense & a lot of trouble an $ 5-600 @ the dodge dealer . You only need to stop @ any drug store or walmart each year to replace the battery # 2032 to prevent this night mare !!!!!!! Now you throw down your captin tech badge an place all the dought you can apply with your thoughts . You are clearly wrong !!!!!!!!!captin tech ! If you havn't been there be quiet !!! Everyone don't carry the second key with maybe a good battery just in case the other factory FOB battery is dead ! The factory FOB will go in the switch ,but with no FOB battery voltage a caravan will not " start " !!!!!! An Old Mans Thoughts !

 

I knew better than to reply to you. I had already clicked "submit" before I remembered the name.

The batteries in the fob are NOT for starting the car. You can think that if you like. Doesn't matter what's in my sig line....you're still wrong. You talk about quality, YET you claim to own a Harley. Isn't that a little wishy washy?? hehe...

 

Yes it would be, if it were true, but lovvorn must have had another problem besides the dead FOB battery. TNtech is absolutely correct, the FOB does not need power to start your van.

I have "been there" and when the battery in my FOB died (2009 Caravan), I removed the battery from the FOB, started my van with that FOB, and drove to a store to buy a new battery.

I think that is proof that the FOB doesn't require power.

George

 

Wow, well thanks for the update. What a waste of a thread.

 

EAT MY GRITS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lovvorn

 

Now this cracks me up, the typical " I Know How to Work On cars Guy" that tries to do his own oil change and forgets to take the old seal off. Then blows the engine. Not to be harsh but lovvorn that was funny. The Keyfob battery is just for the keyless entry portion of the key, has nothing to do with the starting of the vehicle...

 

I have never replaced the fob battery on our 2001 Caravan in the 11 years we have owned it while my 2000 Bonneville requires a new battery every 6 months or so.
Go figure.