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Door Locks

2K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  storeboy 
#1 ·
I am sorry if this is long winded but I wanted to give everyone the history on this problem. I have been having problems with my door locks locking/unlocking from the door buttons and the fobik.

I started off replacing the batteries in both my fobik's to see if I could rule them out but no change. I took it into the dealer and told them it was from the buttons on the driver/passenger door and the fobiks. They decided to try replacing one of the fobiks (I didn't understand the reasoning behind this but went with it)...no change. Then they contacted Dodge and were told to order a TIPM module. Well this part is extremely hard to come by for 2009's. The part was on a national back order and it took 2.5 months to get. Regardless, the part came in and was swapped out and all was well for about a couple of weeks and now I am back to square one with the same problem. I took it back into the dealer today and asked them if it would be possible to swap out the TIPM from a 2010; does anyone know if 2010's TIPM are backwards compatible?

I did some research and found that 2009's have had problems with their TIPM's and it has to do with the manufacturer. 2010 on up use a different manufacture and don't have the same issues. Of course Dodge hasn't issued a recall for this.

My question is this: Is there really any other option that I have than to just live with it? It is an intermittent issue (as in once every day or two) but when it acts up I can hit the unlock or lock button on my fobik for a 30-60 secs before it will work. I am starting to feel like it is just one of those issues that Dodge knows about, but they choose to look the other way. Has anyone else here had this issue?
 
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#2 ·
Do you have any aftermarket electronic gadgets in the truck? I have a DiabloSport Trinity and when it's plugged up I get the same issue from time to time that you have. As soon as I unplugged it the problem went away. My guess is it was kicking out some kind of electronic interference. Other then that I'm not sure what it could be or if you will need to live with it.
 
#4 ·
Just an update: I took it into the dealer today for them to look at again. They could not reproduce it. Opened a Star case with Dodge and they said if it cannot be reproduced then there is nothing they can do.

It is just frustrating to spend that much money for a truck and the door locks work when they want to. Considering I am at the end of my 36k warranty it looks like it is something I am going to have to live with as I cannot reproduce it on a whim for them.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I have the 2009 RAM w/ Fobiks
i have the same issue now & then
My FOBIKs were replaced & it helped for a while
FOBIK stands for Frequency Operated Button Integrated Key

Now if it does Not unlock the doors, i click the Lock or Start button & then the Unlock button, works more often than not

Most RKEs operate at a frequency of 315 MHz for North America-made cars
Some RF interference can be from machine shops, automatic doors at stores, some home computers, lawn lighting, electric water fountains & sprinkler system

there are many people having this same issue, it was posted on this forum, check out the TSB 08-010-10 that is mentioned
http://www.ramforumz.com/archive/index.php/t-76405.html

=====================================================================

Radio Interference. The 315 MHz band is less crowded than the unrestricted
ISM bands. 2.4 GHz systems have to share air waves and do
battle with high-powered signals originated from pervasive devices such
as Wi-Fi routers, mobile phones, VoIP phones, microwave ovens and
Bluetooth units. When high and low power transmissions share the same
frequency, higher power outputs always win. EnOcean-enabled sensor
networks are isolated from the crowded ISM air waves.
Solid Material Interference. Laws of physics dictate that low frequencies
penetrate through solid materials better than do high frequencies. A 315
MHz radio signal can penetrate more walls, ceilings and furniture than a
2.4 GHz signal.
FCC Friendly Limited Power Output. FCC regulations limit both duty cycle and transmit
power output on the 315 MHz band. The stipulation causes fewer transmissions
and subsequently less potential for interference (collisions).
Short RF Packets. FCC stipulations require that short RF packets be sent
on the 315 MHz air waves. This is ideal for sensor networks and allows for
higher node counts.
Data Streaming. The 315 MHz band does not allow the transmission of
continuous data without gaps. Less data in the air means less potential
for interference.
 
#9 ·
...there are many people having this same issue, it was posted on this forum, check out the TSB 08-010-10 that is mentioned
http://www.ramforumz.com/archive/index.php/t-76405.html
I have seen this thread, that TSB is for 2010's. From what I have read, 2009's used a different TIPM that had issues. For 2010's they switched do a different manufacturer and most of the issues went away, the few that didn't, they were able to update the flash memory. 2009's did not have the ability to have the flash memory updated and the manufacturer is gone (this is why it took so long for them to get my replacement TIPM).

I tried asking the dealer if a 2010 TIPM would work in a 2009 but they said no (I don't 100% believe their answer as they seemed to say no pretty quick). If anyone else here knows or can offer any input, I would appreciate it.
 
#6 ·
I have had the same problem on my bone-stock 2010 since purchasing. Same as you described - I'll get out of the truck, and then try to lock with the fob, and it doesn't do anything. However, after about 30 seconds, it will work. I took it in originally and they said there was some bulletin out for it, but I took it in after my warranty expired (I have the extended max care with a 100 dollar deductible) and they told me I'd have to pay the warranty deductible for them to do the reflash or whatever it was. I decided to live with it for now....
 
#8 ·
Well my 2010 also does this from time to time. The first time it did this I cleaned the contacts on the Keyfob and it seemed to correct the problem.. However the last time it started doing this, cleaning the contacts had made no difference. It seems to go away on it's own and it is frustrating that there is no apparant pattern. Anyway I am just going to live with it and hope it dosen't get any worse.
 
#11 ·
I had read about the fobik battery prongs and tried that first before I took it into the dealer. Then I discovered my door lock buttons coincided with my fobik not working. Thats when I figured out the battery in the fobik wasn't related and this problem is much deeper.
 
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