These keys were setup using cheap overseas components. The solders were poor yet Daimler refused to recognize a problem thus refused to fix them, and now since Daimler is out of the picture, Chrysler/Dodge is placing the blame on Daimler. I have owned 2 different Durangos and ran into this with both vehicles and all 4 related keys.

Luckily with my current Durango, I was able to pop open the plastic and redo the solder myself, but that is only a temporary fix until they break to the point of being completely unusable like my previous Durango's keys did.

Not sure what is wrong, had the suv for 4 months, first vehicle I have purchased. When I put key in ignition it gives a partial turnover on engine, its usually cold when this occurs but only had it for winter months thus far. If problem can be fixed or not im going to sell it and never buy a dodge again.. I have done a lot of research on 04 dodges and see that dodge just wants to sweep there problem under the rug and f@#k the consumer this is not fair... If you pay 1000's of dollars for a vehicle it should be dependable, that was my main want on this. I have 4 kids and need a good vehicle.. I should have stayed with FORD......

After learning of the defective key fobs, we repaired ourselves by soldering internal components as instructed. Fix was temporary and we were back to setting off alarm when entering. We found that if we locked all the doors with the automatic lock on drivers door and then manually pulled up the drivers door lock knob to unlock and then pushed it back down manually we can now re-enter the truck without setting off the alarm. Our dealership was nice enough to show us how to fix the key fob at no charge but bypassing alarm partial fix was found during many internet searches and then trial and error trying it ourselves.

I bought the Durango new in 2004 and the keys worked well for a while and then started to fail intermittently. The local dealer told me to switch to the spare key which I did until it also started to fail. A friend who is a locksmith advised me to change the batteries which I did but I noticed that the internal battery clasps were loose and the key fob would not work. I saw a local firm that specializes in remote starters but they told me only Chrysler could handle the key problem since it is related to the other computer systems controlling engine systems. The Chrysler dealer wants $220 per key and when I told him I might continue to put up with the alarm sounding every time I opened the door, he told me that eventually the key would fail to start the vehicle and that I would eventually have to have new keys made. It seems there is now no escaping the grasp of the Chrysler dealer!

Norm.

The easiest and cheapest way to fix this problem is with one tiny piece of dense craft foam. Carefully open the back cover of the key by removing the screw and prying the cover. You will see that the bracket that is designed to hold the battery in place has sheared from its solders and it and the battery are free floating. All you have to do is get everything back into place, place the small piece of foam over the bracket, and carefully replace the cover, screws and all.

The added pressure provided by the foam will hold everything in place once the cover is back on. Quite frankly to h--- with Dodge, and the Better Business Bureau who found this case too difficult to amend. Anyone who needs more detail, feel free to email me.

MW

My 3 young kids and I came out of the store, and the car started, then immediatly shut off. Tried it again...NOTHING! Had to call a tow truck, then a taxi because we couldn't all fit in the tow truck. Had it towed home because didn't know where to take it. Figured out that all my electrical worked, but the windows won't roll up and engine won't start. This sounds exactly like what happened with someone else when the car quit recognizing the key altogether! The dealer said that the car should still work, even if the key is internally broken, but it's not starting. So now I'm a mom with 3 young kids and a car that won't go. Had the car towed to a mechanic, and they can't find anything wrong. So upset! This is so inconvenient and frustrating! Email me if you have any info/advice about 2004 limited Durangos!

I got my Durango a little over a year ago, and until now i absolutely loved it. It's my baby. My one and ONLY issue is this STUPID KEY! I am currently missing the lock button, the hole where you would attach a key ring is broken, and it has officially completly BROKEN ON ME. Apparently this is a big problem, the connections inside are broken and now anytime i try to manually enter my car the alarm will sound! I personally know of at least six other Durango owners that have the same year as mine or within a year of mine who have the SAME EXACT problem. So why has this not been dealt with by dodge? This is obviously not some freak thing that randomly occurs. The construction of the internal components of the key are FAULTY at best. Tomorrow i have to go down and get an alarm system put in and have the stock alarm bypassed. I will not be giving dodge anymore of my money and will not waste any money on another faulty key. I suggest other people do the same.

This is hell. Weve purchased this very nice car and after not spending it for some two months, the car would not start again. The car does not recognize the key. The have tried to reset the Pcm (car computer), which did not help. They have tried other keys with no result.

We have been in touch with different car dealerships in Canada and Iceland, with no result. We are about to invite a car mechanic from Iceland (bromborg.is) to come to Greenland and fix it (giving him a free fishing trip in Greenland - Northpole, sailing, paying the plane, hotel etc. ) this is how bad a situation we are in. This really sucks.

We would be sooooo happy if this could be relieved.

Poul

Upon returning from a fishing trip with our children, our alarm system did not recognize our key as being the "proper programmed" key, and it wouldn't start the car. My husband took the car, after using the back up key to the dealer. All they had to say was to buy a new key for $200 and have it programmed. We decided to use the back up key since it was working, until a week later. After having dinner with our children, 40 miles away, I got into the car and tried to start it. After two attempts, the alarm system went crazy, wouldn't recognize the key, the remote wouldn't turn off the alarm, and we had total shut down. My husband tried to pull the fuse to the headlamps, since it was flashing into the pizza place, and the lights continued to flash. All we could do was pull the fuse to the horn. We were stranded, with my children no less. My husband, who was driving behind me in his truck, took our kids home, again 40 miles away, to get a tow chain, then return back to tow the Dodge home. It took us over 2 hours to get home. I called the dealership and spoke with some manager and he blew us off, just like what happened the week before when my husband had the car at the dealership.

All I know is there is no reason for a key to cause this much havoc, to the point that your car completely shuts down. I am taking this farther, I had no idea that there were so many people out there with the same problem. This should be a recall item or something.

As is the case with many other consumers who have been confronted with this issue, Dodge is incredulous! The keyless remote (in my case, BOTH!) internal battery clasp comes dislodged from the circuit board and operation ceases. I have yet to contact the dealership from where I purchased the vehicle and may forego that decision as it seems a costly endeavor with little or no support. I surmise I'll make an attempt to fix myself and contact the KS state attorney general. Completely inconvenient, a designed flaw to generate post-sales revenue, and a blatant misrepresentation by Dodge and its affiliates. I didn't think of it at the time, but what manufacturer puts one key hole on a vehicle of this size (or any other size for that matter)? Flippin' ridiculous!!

I have had the same issues as many others have had. Both of the keys to my Durango are no longer working. They both went out about 2-3 years after getting the car. I called Dodge to try to get them replaced for free and they stated that they would not cover it and that I was on my own to replace them. It's almost $200.00 per key to have them replaced. Initially I thought my battery was dying but after taking both keys to a dealer I was told that I needed to buy two new keys. This is wrong! Dodge should take better care of their customers!

I've had the same problem. I bought a used 2004 Dodge Durango Limited in January 2008 and it only had one key at the time, which worked. A couple of weeks after normal use the "lock" button stopped working, but the "unlock" continued to work. Now, after my wife accidentally dropped the key, the "unlock" button does not work either. And, as everyone else states, the alarm goes off every time you get in the vehicle. I have not investigated getting another key or attempting to repair it myself. After reading the comments, I wonder if it is even worth it. It certainly does not appear that Dodge cares enough to step up and do the right thing.

Same problem as everyone else. Battery clip solder joint breaks easily. Very bad design. Both keys failed., one key was hardly ever used and when first key broke, second key broke a few weeks later. One key had the left side solder joint fail and the other had the right side solder joint fail. As I work with electronic assemblies daily, I repaired the solder joints and replaced the batteries, but only one key started working again and only for a week. Will attempt to repair again.

If any Dodge representatives are reading these, please do the right thing and issue a recall and have these replaced!!!!

This is so incredibly annoying. I had tried super gluing the bracket in place, but that is only a temporary fix. BOTH of my keys no longer work. And yes, just like everyone else, every time I open my car door, I set the alarm off. I called the dealership to which I was told that is would cost $160 to replace just one of the keys. A friend of mine at work owns the exact same vehicle and has the exact same problem. It seems that if so many people have the same complaint, why is nothing being done about it? The dealership pretty much brushed me off and told me I could try to take it somewhere else to have it soldered to POSSIBLY fix it. It seems like since it is a dodge key, they should have the capability to fix it at a reasonable price.