jmccart

A couple weeks ago my wife was driving my truck. It would not start for her so I had to come there. I stuck my key in and all was normal. I had no idea why it would not start for her.

Two days ago, while camping, I saw it happen. She got in the truck to go and it kept stalling a few seconds later. I got in, same story. I plugged the Smarty in, and there was a "key skim" code with some number. What is up with this? I cleared it, popped my key in, no worries.

Some one fill me in on this one?

Thanx.

Speed Shift

Did the key your wife has come with the truck, or is it a copy? It sounds like it needs to be programmed by the dealer.

jmccart

It came with the truck, but I did have some flashes like a year ago or so. I think my wife has driven it a few times w/her key.

Does this mean that a regular, all metal, flat key copy can't be used on my truck?

Thanx Armstrong.

Speed Shift

I used to be a tech at Dodge a while back, and remember doing it on the Sprinter vans, but I really cant ever remember programming a truck.... It sounds like the same scenario though. You start the vehicle and it runs for like 5 seconds then dies and wont restart. Then none of the keys work, and you have to reprogram the ecm for both keys to work, or clear codes and use the original. Reflashes dont effect the key code though.

I am not positive but I think that is what you need, I would check with your local dealer, or someone with a DRB/Starscan.

Hope you get'er fixed!

jmccart

Thanx a bunch Armstrong.

rstone

I had that same problem with my truck. Those keys has a chip inside them and if she has any other keys on the same ring with newer style keys from another vehicle those chips inside those keys could interfer with the keys. Thats what the dealer told me. But my problem was that my truck come with a antitheft chip on it if you pulled that chip out the truck it would not crank. It wired in the ignition harness so the dealer pulled it out of the truck and no more issues with the key skim code no more. It sucks it would leave me stuck at some places for 20 minutes at a time some times intill I could get the truck to finally crank.

mpracehemi

Check in your owners manual. I bought new key off ebay and reprogrammed it following the manual. I can send you a copy if ya need. There shouldn't be much diff. I compared it to my wife's caliber and pretty much the same except for some wording, steps are the same.

jmccart

Good stuff, thanx guys.

Erik@LCD

we had one here too. Ended up towing to the dealer. The PCM had failed and caused an intermittent short that screwed up the skim key functionality somehow.

PRO-NRA

About 8 months ago this happen to my truck in my driveway with my own key. It started and died seconds later. tried several more time with the same results. I gave up and used my Beetle TDI to go to Costco (man it was stuffed). When I got back I used tried the spare key and it worked fine. After that it never happened again even with my own key. Weird.

DaveB.inVa

I had it happen once when I changed settings with the Smarty. It ran for 5 seconds then died. It then fired right back up.

I cleared the code with the Smarty and it was fine after that. I frequently cycle the key 3 times and one day got P0513 for the Skim key error. Some folks on here told me it would eventually clear itself after a good amount of starts so I left it even though I could take care of it with the Smarty. It finally did clear itself after some time.

cumminshakesit

i believe there is also a watch battery in the keys for the pwr door locks, and to transmit the security code to the ECM. you can open the key with a flathead...

jivemother

gilfriends nissan altima had a recall on her key pods ,the old ones would get screwed up if u had them next to a cell phone like in a purse . i would just contact ur dealer ...

bob4x4

The sentry key does not need a good batt to run the truck,it does need a good batt to open the doors with the button,if the truck has sentry key a std key will not run the truck

Bob