Not so smart key

[MStegmaier]

Well I had the first problem with my 2007. 5 Ram 3500 thursday. I made it to the atm to get money and came out to the truck and nothing. Key turns, lights come on radio works. Turn to the starting position and nothing. Starter dosen't turn over at all. Ended up getting towed to the dealer and had the WCM module replaced. I was told the part in the truck that reads the smart key died and didn't reconize the key anymore. It works now but bothers me that when I'm 40 miles from any pavement my truck my decide that it dosen't want to start. Does anyone know how to disable the smart key feature or work around it if I'm in the boonies and it decides to not to start again.

Also just got back from a trip to arizona and while fueling up by the house a young lady backed into my truck at the gas station. #@$%! Had the truck for about 5 months now and someone hits it. If I was lifted four more inches my bumper would of protected me but she took out my taillight lens and put a couple of dents in my right rear corner. Been a tough weekend.



Matt

 

[AllianceDiesel]

you can't get past the skim module/wcm it was probably just some freak thing that went bad inside the module. I have only see one go bad and that was on a neon and the customer was using a non-chipped key and the module just shut it self down.

 

[HBarlow]

I had a similar experience last winter. My wife and I were in Nashville for a performance at the Gaylord Theater, forget the complete and proper name.



My '06 Ram was parked in the huge parking lot and it was a very busy Sunday afternoon. When we returned to the truck it wouldn't start. I disconnected the ground leads on both batteries. After sitting, waiting in the truck for a few minutes I reconnected them and it started immediately and never showed another problem.



Some high powered electronic equipment or code scanner in the parking lot must have zapped the code. Allowing the computers to reset allowed them to cure their own problem.



The mysteries of allowing computers to run our lives!

 

[sag2]

The WCM (wireless control module) might have locked up. Have your dealer check if there is a flash available. If it happens again and you have a wrench with you, and the lock/unlock does not work, disconnect both battery ground cables, touch one ground cable to the positive cable for a couple of seconds, then hook both back up. This should reset a locked up module. If it starts then, it is a strong possibility the WCM was locked up.

 

[HBarlow]

sag2,



Thanks for the suggestion. I don't own the truck anymore so won't have that problem with that truck again but it is good to know that touching positive and ground wires with batteries disconnected can clear a locked WCM.

 

[MStegmaier]

Thanks for the tip on the battery cables. If it happens again I will sure give it a try. You were also correct that the lock unlock on the key didn't work either.

 

[BobTaylor]

Take a look at this thread. https://www.turbodieselregister.com...2007-5/201730-inconsistant-cranking-6-7l.html