New Problem - No Start Push Button

[Dave01]

Hoping someone has a "here's what you do" fix for this one. I see on Youtube that a bunch of people have had the problem.

Truck ran fine, parked it at work. A few hours ago tried remote start, didn't work. I got in, foot on brake and push button, nothing. Tried jumping, no difference, I'm sure battery is fine. I noticed the steering wheel didn't seem to be locked, so yanked the transmission disconnect, rolled it back a few feet, re-engaged, no difference. Not sure if the steering wheel is related or just didn't turn enough to lock. Any suggestions?

 

[flan]

Did you try pushing the start button with your fob? The battery in it may be low. The over ride is to do as I mentioned. Not sure how it works but it’s supposed to.

 

[Dave01]

Did you try pushing the start button with your fob? The battery in it may be low. The over ride is to do as I mentioned. Not sure how it works but it’s supposed to.

Thanks for the quick reply! If you mean actually pushing on the start button with the fob, I just tried it, no difference. The fob locks and unlocks fine, and I tried remote start while in the vehicle, doors locked and start enabled but same, just a click from somewhere and no start. I'm doubting it's the starter itself, just strikes me as something electronic, but not sure.

 

[Mooreman21]

is the brake pedal very stiff?

 

[Dave01]

is the brake pedal very stiff?

Yes.

 

[Mooreman21]

2 things have worked for me before, either disconnect the ground, or stand on the pedal. whatever causes it, the computer cant sense that the brake is depressed

 

[Dave01]

2 things have worked for me before, either disconnect the ground, or stand on the pedal. whatever causes it, the computer cant sense that the brake is depressed

I tried disconnecting the battery ground, will give the pedal a try.

 

[jsalbre]

Check your battery voltage. Also, for future reference the HDs don’t have a steering lock.

 

[Dave01]

Check your battery voltage. Also, for future reference the HDs don’t have a steering lock.

Well that explains why it didn't lock, thank you. You'd have thought I would have noticed that before.

I can check in the morning, but I'm pretty confident voltage is fine. My plow was on the truck, and the battery would operate the plow fine, plus I jumped from a known good battery with no luck. But I will check.

Mooreman21, stepping down hard on the brake made no difference either.

 

[DRAGRAM]

On this last trip my brand new 24 got goofed up. I think I had remote started it to warm the cab and when I got in and pressed the brake and hit the start button it turned off. Or something like that. I ended up in a no start situation where pushing the fob into the start button or another remote start or a normal start would not work. What finally got it going, I am thinking, was a door unlock from the keyfob followed by a push of the start button. I did have a second keyfob inside as well in my luggage. Just so you know.

 

[Dave01]

Ok so got to work this morning early, brought my other key fob. Truck started right up. Ran it a bit, shut down, tried the 1st fob, started up again. It was around 14 degrees so to me that rules out any battery/starter issue. Another mysterious Ram electronic gremlin. I'm glad I didn't have it towed last night, figured I'd try a few things this morning, but now I have to wonder when it will happen again, and somewhere not as easy to deal with as parked at work.

 

[jsalbre]

I’d get the battery tested anyway just to be sure.

Also check that all the fuses and relays are firmly seated if you haven’t done that yet.

 

[Dave01]

Appreciate all the responses. I did check fuses/relays, didn't remove any but gave all I could see a push.

 

[LateToTheParty]

Sounds to me like your starter is on its last leg. The symptoms and situation you describe sounds exactly like when mine gave out. That was at around 35k miles and the truck was just under 3 years old at the time.

 

[Dave01]

Sounds to me like your starter is on its last leg. The symptoms and situation you describe sounds exactly like when mine gave out. That was at around 35k miles and the truck was just under 3 years old at the time.

I suppose the one thing I didn't try was rapping on the starter. Not sure why it would change it's mind and start right up this morning though.

 

[DRAGRAM]

Ok so got to work this morning early, brought my other key fob. Truck started right up. Ran it a bit, shut down, tried the 1st fob, started up again. It was around 14 degrees so to me that rules out any battery/starter issue. Another mysterious Ram electronic gremlin. I'm glad I didn't have it towed last night, figured I'd try a few things this morning, but now I have to wonder when it will happen again, and somewhere not as easy to deal with as parked at work.

You ultimately did what I said fixed my Truck. Unlock command and then a start command (assuming the truck was locked). Earlier you said the truck would lock and unlock with the keyfob. But if the last command was a lock command and then you tried to start the truck, that might not work.

Also in my case it was 22 Deg outside (and getting colder) so that was real scary because I sleep in my Truck. I NEED the truck to start if I am haveing a hard time staying warm. I remote start the truck with the keyfob in the back where my bed is, to warm the cab. But you ONLY get 2 start cycles (until you have to depress the brake pedal to reset) so I try to conserve them on any given night.

 

[Dave01]

I see what you are saying, might have to try different sequences. But I'm wondering what that would mean, is it a key fob program glitch, or something with the truck side logic. First time it ever happened to me, and I don't like electronic type problems that aren't repeatable so they can be understood.

 

[DRAGRAM]

I see what you are saying, might have to try different sequences. But I'm wondering what that would mean, is it a key fob program glitch, or something with the truck side logic. First time it ever happened to me, and I don't like electronic type problems that aren't repeatable so they can be understood.

I think the RKE module gets goofed up. I think an unlock command resets it. It was scary when it happened to me. I was in NM and out of my element.

 

[Dave01]

Happened again this evening. Dragram, I think you are on to something, the sequence you suggested worked. I had no luck with either fob, then did the following. Used push to start button to go from run to off. Exit vehicle. Lock with fob. Wait for lights and dash to turn off. Unlock with fob (not handle). Get in, and I used the fob to push the start button. Slight hesitation, then started up.

I'm taking a chance, driving to MA tomorrow, fingers crossed I don't get stuck somewhere.

 

[Great White North Eh]

I had a 16 Rebel with electrical gremlins …needed a freakin Voodoo Doll to keep that SOB running. I feel your pain, good luck.