FOB PROGRAM HELP

[tbowers391]

Ok y’all, I have read up on the multiple threads here about using AlfaOBD to program fobs.

I have the keyless touch and go or whatever push button “highline” fob on my 2013 ram laramie 5.7.
A year or two ago, my fob quit working. Changed battery and still nothing. Learned to do the touch the push button with fob to start the truck, and just basically never locked my doors after that(have to be pretty smart to start it and steal it)

Anyway, I stumbled my way here and have been trying to program my new highline fob. Everything seems kosher going through the Alfa obd process except when I put in pin and finally click “start” on program ignition Fobiks highline system it just starts the process and after clicking OK and then pressing unlock button once, it never finishes. I’ve tried letting it sit all night programming and tried in general multiple times and never get anything.

Could it be because my current fob is dead and it can’t copy or something? Or is it all coming from the RFhub in the truck anyway?

I also ran “check FOBIK product type” option in OBD and it just says No FOB.
“Locate Learned Keys” obviously gets me nothing as well.

Here’s a link to the process I am doing from a diff forum. It was just the quickest I had on hand right now but I think y’all know the process.
Followed procedure

Attached a pic of “no Fob” detected, and also a fault code with KIN/IGNM if that has anything to do with it ‍

 

[duckman631]

Side question….If you were to change the battery in the key fob, do they need to be reprogrammed?

 

[tbowers391]

Side question….If you were to change the battery in the key fob, do they need to be reprogrammed?

I did it in my old fob that eventually died and no you do not. Not with highline fob at least.

 

[duckman631]

I did it in my old fob that eventually died and no you do not. Not with highline fob at least.

Ok sounds good. Not sure if I have a highline fob. It’s a teardrop shape with the unlock lock and remote start option. When I search highline ram fob it looks like same.

 

[tbowers391]

If it’s teardrop shape it’s probably baseline fob.
Highline is for the push button to start vehicles. Baseline is the one you put the fob in the ignition and turn like a key I believe. That’s my understanding at least.
I’m sure battery situation is the same though. Shouldn’t have to program again after swapping battery

 

[Atcer2018]

The new fob you are trying to program, is it new or used and OEM or aftermarket?

 

[tbowers391]

Brand new bought from carandtruckremotes.com. Tried replacing battery from one that came in it too.

 

[ric221]

@tbowers391. I would try another remote. I just went through the same issue with new remote, turns out the remote was not compatible with my truck. Replaced with new fob and everything worked out fine.

 

[tbowers391]

Man, that would be nuts. Side by side, it’s literally the exact same as my fob that is no longer transmitting.
Was yours same situation?

 

[JW2 Innovations]

Man, that would be nuts. Side by side, it’s literally the exact same as my fob that is no longer transmitting.
Was yours same situation?

I've bought new off of Amazon and added to my truck with Alpha OBD and MX+ BT, you might want to try that.

If a FOB has ever been added to a vehicle it MUST be reset in order to be added to another vehicle. I see you said you bought it new, but it may be what you're facing (a return?). BTDT If it were me, I'd return the one not working and get one off of Amazon since they deliver within a day or two in most areas so you can put this one to bed quickly. Your truck, your call as always.

 

[tbowers391]

Well, so that’s part of the problem

So, I bought this one February ‘22 when my last remaining fob first stopped (lol I guess time goes by fast)

I quickly ordered it, it looks to be a Ram OEM one from their site (been so long I didn’t remember exactly) has ram logo on the back and they do sell OEM. I was going to go into a dealer back then but was quoted some absurd pricing and it wasn’t in the budget at the time. Eventually the pushing the button WITH the actual fob grew on me. I felt like it was kind of like a security system lol you kind of have to know what you are doing to get this thing started!

Anyway, I eventually stumbled my way here for other issues and upgrades and found out I can get the link and OBD to do it myself along with other changes.

So it being ordered so long ago, I doubt they will take a return on it, and honestly I have a hard time believing it’s the fob. I’m starting to consider the rf hub module now? Or maybe does the old fob have to be working to program the new fob? I think some garage openers I’ve programmed work that way?

As far as quickly getting this behind me, you are right, that would be awesome. But at the same time I’ve been living with it for 2 years already

 

[tbowers391]

Also, I am using the I think it’s EX+ obd link. It’s the hardwired version of the MX+ Bluetooth link by the same company that is tried and tested here. I went hardwired to eliminate potential connection issues and bought from reputable company. So I feel good about it not being that.

As I asked above, I wonder if it has to do with my old fob not transmitting?

The “no fob detected” when I try to run check fobik type on OBD is alarming to me too

 

[JW2 Innovations]

I know I've got some "projects" as well that I need to get to, so btdt

Old FOB not transmitting shouldn't have anything to do with adding a new FOB. I'm guessing your new FOB previously purchased is not reset/factory ready. You can search the web for places that will do a reset. Takes a bit since you have to mail it to them if not local, and not all places can/will do it. $15-$25 range last time I looked into it from buying used FOB on Ebay.

If it were me, I'd buy 3rd party new from Amazon at $25-$35 depending on whether you hare remote start or not. They are new (if you don't buy from Amazon Warehouse = returns so chance of same situation) to make sure your setup is working. If that doesn't work, you can return easy enough to focus on what isn't working right. Last time I looked at my 2016 you could add 8 FOB's to the truck just FYI

 

[tbowers391]

Yea I saw some on Amazon two for like $35. Pretty solid deal.

I don’t currently have remote start, but wanted to do that project right after I get remote working again. Do you know if you can use the actual remote start button on those new fobs when doing the AlfaOBD remote start upgrade procedure? I’ll I’ve seen written in here is I think “press unlock twice” after adding remote start feature.

Would be nice to get two new fobs with that button if that’s the case.

Thanks

 

[JW2 Innovations]

I don't officially know.....but Try this thread https://www.ramforum.com/threads/remote-start-addition.205803/

And it has this video Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0b87HsMBik

Looking at the video, seems like you could add a remote with remote start button, and then later activate so button works. If others have done otherwise or same way maybe they'll respond.

 

[tbowers391]

Well… ****.

I got new fobs from Amazon, these Ram fobs remote start

Did the whole process like before, went great! First fob worked! Put fob #1 away from the truck, programmed second fob which also went flawlessly.

I tested all features, lock, unlock, keyless push start button, and keyless entry, and all went perfect as I jumped with joy.

Drove it to the grocery store, and tried to hit the lock button on my handle when I went in and it didn’t lock. I then tested all the buttons and the push to start on both fobs and none of them worked. I tried pushing the button with the fob like I’ve been doing for the past two years with my OG fob that died, got the message “wrong fob.” Luckily had my other one still just in case.

Got home and tried to do the process again and of course it says “can’t program fob, it’s already been programmed”
So I tried the reset rfhub, which supposedly went fine but still nothing worked.
Just for ****sngiggles I tried to test the door handles, and got interesting message. All handles are “Not OK”. Could this point at a bunch I have that maybe the actual RFHUB module is toast?

 

[tbowers391]

Now these new fobs are junk unless they magically start working because they can’t be programmed “again”

 

[JW2 Innovations]

The fobs are programmed to your truck there's just something else not working right I think. I remember somewhere in Alphobd it shows the number of FOBs programmed to your truck. I bet you have 3 or 4 ar this point. 1 or 2 that came with truck originally, and two you just added. Are there any error codes happening right now?

 

[tbowers391]

Can’t find how you see all fobs that have been programmed but I’m guessing it was under the “locate learned fobs” option which isn’t working for me now.

I did have some codes, the ones about lost communication with ECM or the TCM one have always been on there since before I tried programming new fobs. I would clear them and of course they would eventually come back. I’m guessing that might have something to do with things?

The other two about fobs are new. I cleared them, and then waited a moment and read faults again and they didn’t come up. Then, I hit the buttons on one new fob, and read faults and of course one came up. Hit buttons on second new fob and the other code came up. So something is going on obviously, I just have no clue where to start to diagnose. I had tried resetting the ECM last night and didn’t fix anything. Then tried hard reset of the ECU I think it was and nothing changed either.

 

[JW2 Innovations]

With those codes, I would go after the the two U codes first, and set the 2 new fobs aside and just use the original one that you had to see if you can find out the U code issues.

I found this LINK and it mentions that the two B error codes are:

• B1A0B-00-RKE FOB 4 PERFORMANCE
• B1A0C-00-RKE FOB 5 PERFORMANCE (so looks like you had 3 FOBs programmed to the truck before adding the 2 from Amazon. Worse case once you get the U codes fixed you'll need to return them to Amazon if they still don't work)

I found this link for the U0100 code HERE and one for U0101 on this forum HERE

TBH, I would start with the battery and make sure it's getting charged correctly while driving. Clean all of the battery posts well, check where the opposite end of the negative cable is attached to the frame and is making good contact. A quick test would be a battery charger, wait till fully charged (and no errors - from charging it) and then clear all of the codes. Using only the original FOB see if you can start like you were by pushing it into the push to start switch to start the truck (new Amazon FOBS no where close to the truck at this point), drive it for just a little bit, and then shut it off to see if you still get the two U code errors U0100 and U0101. You probably don't even need to drive it tbh. You can also have the battery charged and load tested just to make sure it's ok.

If the codes still come back now you're looking at looking for a bad connection between the ECM and TCM, or (+/-) issue to the TCM, or harness wiring grounding out perhaps. Certainly could be a module as the above links show what to look at, but you'll need to dig around and check to find it.

Not saying this is your issue, but I had a Jeep GC with a 5.7 and was having some weird issues. Ended up being the wiring harness that comes from the driver side of the transmission and goes up and over the back side of the engine to where it ultimately connects to the ECM on the passenger side (again it was a Jeep GC, but same engine) I eventually found it by testing each ping in the large connector using a wiring diagram to where it terminates to one of the ECM plugs. I found the harness damage behind the engine top dead center of the 5.7. I identified the wiring sizes, took my soldering iron/heat shrink/ and harness tape and took my time repairing the wires that were grounding out through the rubbed through harness. Ran/drove like new! Never an issue again. Hope that isn't you situation and you won't know utill you find yours, but certainly can be fixed even it's a bad ECM or TCM.

Keep sharing as there's a LOT of experience on this site to ping details/thoughts to!