Experiencing issues with your 2009 Dodge Caliber Key Fob and door locks? Many owners encounter a frustrating situation where the key fob seems to activate the car’s electrical system, indicated by dash and exterior lights responding as if locking or unlocking, yet the door locks themselves remain unresponsive. Similarly, the interior door lock buttons fail to operate the locks. The only method to secure or open your doors is by manually using the key in the driver’s side exterior lock. This also unfortunately means the rear hatch remains inaccessible without a functioning key fob. A faint relay sound can often be heard originating from under the steering wheel when the fob or interior lock buttons are pressed, suggesting some electrical activity is occurring.
Interestingly, a temporary workaround to restore door lock functionality involves either removing and reinstalling the door lock fuse or disconnecting and reconnecting the negative battery cable. Performing either of these actions will momentarily allow the car doors to lock. This behavior, alongside the observation of a constant parasitic drain on the system, points towards a persistent electrical issue affecting the door locking mechanism. It has been confirmed that power is reaching the locks and actuators, the regulators are operational, and signals are being transmitted from both the switches and the key fobs. All fuses and relays have been checked and are deemed functional.
Given these symptoms and diagnostic steps, the crucial questions remain: Could a failing door lock module be the root cause of this problem? Or could a malfunctioning body control module (BCM) be responsible? Furthermore, are there any inline fuses or specific wires within the door lock circuit that warrant closer inspection? Initial checks have been performed at the driver’s side kick panel, examining all accessible connections. Any further guidance or advice on troubleshooting this 2009 Dodge Caliber key fob and door lock issue would be greatly appreciated.
