Experiencing issues with your Jeep Patriot key fob after a battery change? You’re not alone. Many Jeep Patriot owners have encountered a frustrating situation where a brand new battery in their key fob doesn’t seem to solve the problem. You replace the old battery, expecting everything to work smoothly, only to find your key fob still unresponsive. Before you rush to the dealership or consider expensive replacements, there’s a surprisingly simple trick you can try that might just get your key fob working again.
After struggling with the same problem myself, I discovered a peculiar solution. I had swapped out the battery in my Jeep Patriot key fob multiple times with different new batteries, and none of them seemed to work. Each time, stubbornly, the old, weak battery would still operate the fob, while the new ones wouldn’t. It was perplexing until I stumbled upon a method that, against all odds, worked for me.
The solution? It turns out, the key fob might need a sort of “reset” after a battery change. This reset, in my experience, involves going directly to your Jeep Patriot and using the key fob in the same way you would if the battery were completely dead – the fob-on-start-button method. Essentially, you use the fob itself to press the ignition button to start your vehicle.
A Jeep Patriot key fob remote, likely similar to the one experiencing issues after a battery replacement.
After starting my Jeep Patriot using this method, as if jump-starting it with the fob, all the key fob functions miraculously returned to normal. Remote start, locking, unlocking – everything worked perfectly again.
This leads me to suspect that there might be some undocumented feature, either in the key fob or the Jeep Patriot’s system, that monitors battery levels. When a new battery is inserted, perhaps the system doesn’t immediately recognize the change in power. This could be a glitch or an intentional, albeit poorly communicated, design. Even the Jeep dealership staff I spoke with seemed unaware of this simple workaround, which is quite concerning.
Instead of offering helpful solutions, the dealership, in my case, immediately jumped to suggesting costly options: a new key fob, an overpriced battery, or an unnecessary reprogramming service, none of which were covered under warranty. This experience, unfortunately, reflects a growing trend across manufacturers – prioritizing profit over customer service and simple solutions. It’s frustrating when basic maintenance becomes a potential money-making opportunity for dealerships.
It’s also worth noting the lifespan difference between key fob batteries in older and newer vehicles. My older 2002 Chrysler key fob battery lasted for around 8 years. In contrast, the Jeep Patriot key fob seems to drain batteries much faster, requiring replacements every 1-2 years. While the older car didn’t have remote start, I regularly used its fob for locking and unlocking, similar to my limited use of those functions on the Jeep Patriot (primarily relying on remote start).
So, if you’re facing a “Jeep Patriot Key Fob Not Working” situation after a battery replacement, try this simple fob-on-start-button method. It might save you time, money, and a frustrating trip to the dealership. It’s a quick and easy first step to try before assuming a more complex or expensive problem.
