Experiencing issues with a brand new car is incredibly frustrating, especially when it involves critical functions like starting the vehicle. This was the exact situation I found myself in recently with my Dodge Hornet. After leaving work, I encountered the dreaded “key fob not detected” issue, which escalated into a full-blown car bricking and a series of alarming events.
The day started normally, but ended with my Dodge Hornet refusing to recognize the key fob and power on. It was as if the car was completely dead. Thankfully, I was able to manually unlock the door with the physical key. Upon entering, the only signs of life were a rapidly flashing red alarm light inside and the blinking turn signals on the side mirrors. Everything else, including the dashboard and infotainment system, remained black.
Checking the Dodge app on my phone provided a cryptic message: “theft event occurred mark the car safe.” The app offered two options: “call” and “dismiss.” Recalling a previous frustrating experience with Dodge’s generic helpline, I hesitated to call. Last time, they were unhelpful and ill-equipped to deal with this specific kind of problem. So, I opted to dismiss the app notification, hoping for a quick fix.
Thinking a jump start might resolve the issue, I enlisted the help of a coworker. We popped the hood and carefully connected the jumper cables from their car to my Dodge Hornet’s battery. Unfortunately, the jump start attempt yielded absolutely no response. The car remained completely unresponsive, as if still bricked. Defeated, I was about to call the dealership, resigned to having my brand new car towed again.
As my coworker began disconnecting the jumper cables and returning everything under the hood to its original state, a sudden, loud car alarm erupted. The key fob remained stubbornly unresponsive, refusing to disarm the blaring alarm. Panicked and unsure what to do, I jumped into the driver’s seat, key fob in hand, and started pressing random buttons on the dashboard in a desperate attempt to silence the noise. To my surprise, the alarm eventually stopped, and power seemed to return to the car, but a new problem emerged – the car still wouldn’t start.
The dashboard display now flashed a new message: “key fob not in car.” This was perplexing, as I was sitting in the driver’s seat, holding the key fob directly in my hand. Further complicating matters, another message appeared: “can’t start hood is open and can’t condition battery.” Despite the hood being securely closed, the car seemed to think otherwise.
In a moment of frustration-fueled improvisation, I slammed the hood shut again and made sure all doors were firmly closed. Then, in another unexpected turn of events, the key fob miraculously started working. Pressing the start button finally brought the engine to life. However, this momentary victory was quickly overshadowed by a new wave of problems.
Typically, starting the Hornet in hybrid mode is a near-silent affair, prioritizing the battery. This time, however, the gasoline engine roared to life immediately, accompanied by a cascade of warning lights illuminating the dashboard. It seemed every possible warning light was activated, from “service engine” and “power steering” to “auto headlamps not available” and “ESC is off.” The car resembled a Christmas tree of error messages.
Despite the alarming display, the car surprisingly drove without any immediately obvious issues. However, closer inspection revealed that the turn signals were malfunctioning. They would activate when engaged but failed to automatically turn off after completing a turn, requiring manual cancellation each time.
Concerned and deeply frustrated, I drove directly to the dealership while on the phone with their service department. Explaining the bizarre sequence of events and the persistent key fob and electrical issues, I left the car in their care, hoping for a resolution.
This marks the second time in just two months of ownership that my Dodge Hornet has been in the shop for significant issues. While I genuinely appreciate the car’s handling, driving dynamics, fuel efficiency, and overall aesthetics, this ongoing reliability nightmare is testing my patience. If this problem recurs, I’m seriously considering pursuing legal options, including invoking the lemon law. It’s unacceptable to spend hard-earned money on a new vehicle only to be plagued by constant breakdowns and the persistent anxiety of whether the car will even start. This Dodge Hornet, despite its many positive attributes, is quickly becoming a source of immense frustration and disappointment. I sincerely hope the dealership can finally diagnose and resolve these deeply concerning electrical and key fob related problems.
