Hi everyone.
I purchased this 04 Dakota off of a car lot about 5 years or so ago when they were going under. The owner was almost impossible to catch at the yard, but I finally cornered him long enough to make an offer, and wound up with this beautiful Dakota for 2 Grand, amongst listening him complain about how his mechanic had taken it out on the river bottoms drinking, and blew up the motor, and how he would never get his investment back, blah blah blah!!

So, I had it towed to the house, and contacted a friend who owns a local garage, and he found me a low milage 4.7L motor from a smashed Dakota in a salvage yard, and in a couple of weeks, and 25 hundred dollars later, I had a great truck. I never had any problems out of the truck until about a couple of months ago. I don't drive it much, and it sat so long the battery died. I replaced the battery, and ever since then, the keyfob does not work, and the doors don't lock when you reach 15 MPH. All door locks and windows work from the door buttons, but no keyfob activity at all.
I was told by a shop that it needs to be taken to the dealership and the computer " reset " , which I find a bit hard to believe. And their service charge is unreal!!

I have tried disconnecting the battery, and waiting a few minutes, but it did not help. the truck has 170,528 miles on it, and was well maintained by the previous owner. The car lot dealer bought it at an auction, and it was a good truck till his mechanic " borrowed " it!!
I thought the computer reset issues did not start until around the year 2007, But I could be mistaken.


any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated.
.......................jb

 

I *think* you need to have one programmed by someone with the right equipment, and once you have one, you can program others.... I am not certain of that though, so, take it with a grain of salt. The dealer, or a well-equipped locksmith should be able to program the first one for ya. Then there is a procedure in the owners manual to program more....