Yesterday I was hooking up to the boat and got out of the truck to go latch the gate. When getting back in the truck, the doors had all locked with the key in the ignition! Fortunately, I was at home and the garage door was still open so I could get the other key/opener to gain access.

Is there a way to disable the auto-lock function? I don't need this (have no kids) and it would have been massively inconvenient if that had happened at the boat launch fifty miles from home...now I am just consciously remembering not to leave the truck at any time with the keys in the ignition with truck running.

 

Yes, I did mine, and I also turned off the annoying bell when the seat belts are off. :P

The info is in the manual, my 04 manual it is right near the front. If I remember you get in, turn the key on, then quickly connect and disconnect the seat belt about 4 times, shake a leg, have a beer, phone home, then turn the key off. Anyway, it worked and it no longer locks at 15mph. I never got locked out, but got tired of getting out of my truck and tried to open another door and get something out and wham, the door would not open.

I really like turning the seat belt warning off. You want to get in and idle the truck or something and that things makes all kinds of racket. Even though it is disabled, the warning light still shows on the dash just in case you forget to buckle-up.

PS: the manual incorrectly says to start the truck-don't... You just have to turn the key on.

 

You might try the old and proven, keep a spare key in the magnetic "hid-a-key" box. Or keep a spare in your wallet.

Answer to the question however is that yes, you can dissable the auto lock feature. But that is not going to solve the problem you have described. The feature you want to dissable locks the doors at approx 19 mph. If they locked in the driveway, you probably just pushed the lock button down as you got out. If that was to happen at the boat ramp you'd have a lot of very upset people. Try the spare key idea. May save yourself a lot of grief.

2 cents

 

I keep a spare key in my pocket.....for times like this or on cold mornings, it's nice to start it up and lock it, then go back in the house and watch the news.

 

With my '03 I can't lock the doors when the key is in the ignition. And it hasn't ever locked me out running either. It is an SLT with the grey key. I don't think I have an alarm.

 

I wrote a post last summer when I got locked out, at a lake, with the engine running. To this day, I still don't know why, or how, it happened. Received lots of nice responses, but nobody could figure out how it happened.

Luckily, I reached my wife by cell phone and she brought the extra key to get the truck open.

It happened to my 03. I think it could happen with most any vehicle. Maybe they have a mind of their own, like HAL the computer in "2001, A Space Oddesy."

Anyway, the answer is an extra key for your billfold, or to hide somewhere on the truck.

 

I don't know why the doors all locked with the truck not moving and the engine running. I do not have the gray key. I figured it was just a computer glitch related to the doors locking at around 15 mph. Now I need to look for a secure place somewhere on the truck to locate a hidden key. I was concerned about it falling off when hitting a bump.

I had another truck once and they provided a plastic "key" that was kind of like a credit card but the key part would fold out for emergency use. It would be nice if Dodge provided something like that for emergencies and convenience.

 

I've had hide-a-keys on all my cars since I locked myself out of my '63 Stingray. (Clamped the key to the fiberglass with a rubber jaw spring clamp in a hidden place). Saved me many times. The magnetic one won't come off your CTD, mine has been on my buckboard F250 for 12 years.

 

I HAVE A SPARE KEY IN A MAGNETIC BOX, STUCK IN THE HIDEAWAY SPOT ON MY HITCH....ALLREADY HAD TO USE IT. THE PUT THE LOCK BOTTON IN A BAD SPOT. I HIT IT WHILE I WAS CLOSING THE DOOR

 

Mine have never locked on their own, but my co-woker has a 2002 Dakota 4 door and just the other day the locks will start to lock and unlock by them selves. No key in it.

He has no garage, and his truck is parked close to the house. He was in the house and thought he heared his truck being unlocked. Got up and looked outside to see, and saw the inside light of the truck was on. Got his pistol (we live in the South) went out side to the truck and the door locks locked again. He almost shot his truck door.This was at night.

Any way the dealer told him it was in part the computer, plus a relay i think. They was going to fix it.