Hi, Please help. I have locked both sets of keys in my son's Dodge Ram, with the lights on, and the battery is now dead. I have borrowed a friend's slim jim but don't know how to use it. Any suggestions for unlocking the truck? Thanks! I now have my son and husband home and the slim jim hasn't worked yet. They are pros at car stuff, but there must be a trick to it?

 

Its probably a good idea to wait for him to get to where the truck is and call a locksmith...that way there will be no damage. If you dont know what you are doing, you will need the standoffs that hold the sheetmetal away from the window to prevent damage to the paint.

 

Good point Doc...

Also, for security reasons, not too many here would tell you how to break in over the thread. You may get a PM as one fellow did here a while back on how to get into his truck..

J-eh

 

The outcome is - had a key made for $10 at the Dodge deaelrship. It would have cost $55 to have the local locksmith open the truck. Now I guess I have to replace the battery since it ran all the way down! Just thought I would post the ending, and perhaps it will help somebody else.

 

As long as the battery did not freeze while it was totally flat it will not be necessary to replace it. Just get it trickle charged overnight. NOT fast charged!!!!!

 

Shabbyheaven: What Mexstan said. Try trickle charging the batteries (if the truck is a diesel, there will be two of them) first. They may well be OK if they didn't freeze.

Good Luck,

DeWain

P.S. Let us know how things come out.

 

IF you have a charger that will go down to 5 or 2 or in a pinch even ten volts, with the two batteries hooked up, that will be a trickle charge. I have killed mine a couple of times with the refridgerator when I forgot to disconnect for a couple of days. Your batteries will be ok, just chargte slow.

 

[quote author=shabbyheaven link=board=13;threadid=22274;start=0#msg208632 date=1068596682]
The outcome is - had a key made for $10 at the Dodge deaelrship. It would have cost $55 to have the local locksmith open the truck. Now I guess I have to replace the battery since it ran all the way down! Just thought I would post the ending, and perhaps it will help somebody else.
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Yikes, I didnt really think they'd want that much for 2 minutes work.....I guess I should consider a career change... ;D

I think ya got a good deal on the key from the dealer...have heard of people paying much more than 10 bucks. I keep a key hidden on my truck for just such an occassion.

 

After reading a couple posts about being locked out, I went to Lowe's and had them cut 2 spare keys, $2/ea. Looks just like the Dodge OE key, only without the RAMs head. It will only be a matter of time before I do the same, so hopefully I'll be prepared.

 

i JUST paid $35 for a new key at the dealer, they wanted a 1/2 hour labor to program the sentry devise, but my alarm guy did it for free.

if you have the sentry system, which i think MOST do it will only unlock the door. you cant use it to run the truck.

 

Yeah, but if all you want to do is remove the keys from the ignition, that door key is just the ticket. I can't count how many times I've jumped out of the truck and went "OH No!" as the door slammed shut.

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