If my transponder key battery dies, can I still start my 2005 caravan?

Asked by madhatter503 Dec 24, 2015 at 07:55 AM about the 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I routinely check my vans key "fob" battery and clean the contacts and key pad to prevent any issues, but if the battery should die, would the van still start? That would indicate that the battery is only necessary for door & locking functions. Also, we have a remote starter on the van. If we start the van with the remote starter, we can keep it running using a non-transponder blank cut key that we use to open the door in case of a lock-out problem. This is a great feature to have in case of a battery issue.

1 Answer
103,215

KenF answered 8 years ago

The battery in the fob is used to power the transmitter for remotely opening doors, trunk, and horn/lights (for when you lose your car in a parking lot). The transponder chip in the key does not require a battery. You can still start a car with a dead battery in the fob, so long as you still have the master key. In your case the fob and the transponder key are mated, but in fact the transponder chip does not require the battery and will still function just fine if the battery has died. The fob should take a standard watch battery.

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