Question 1

How long does a Dodge dealer actually take to replace a smart key on a 2016 Dart?

Accepted Answer

The programming itself is fast -- once a tech is connected and the fob is in hand, the key learning procedure takes a few minutes. The wait around that is what kills you.

CDJR dealers commonly run two to three weeks out on service appointments. Dart owners on forums have reported being told five to seven days before a tech could even look at the vehicle, then additional days waiting on a fob to arrive if it wasn't already in stock. One owner described waiting nearly two weeks just to get a diagnosis appointment, then more time on top of that for parts. If you're dealing with an all-keys-lost situation, that timeline gets treated as a more involved job and can stretch further.

A mobile locksmith with the right equipment does it same-day, at your location, without the service-write-up and scheduling layer.

Question 2

What exactly is a smart key and how is it different from a regular key?

Accepted Answer

Your 2016 Dart uses a fob-based smart key system. The fob communicates wirelessly with the vehicle's immobilizer so the engine will start. It also handles remote lock, unlock, and the other button functions from outside the car. There's no physical blade you turn in the ignition -- but there is an emergency blade folded inside the fob body for getting into the door if the fob dies.

The part that takes real equipment is the registration step. The fob has to be enrolled to your specific vehicle through the OBD port before it will work. A fob you order online will arrive blank -- it's not paired to anything until a programmer does that step. That's why you can't just swap one in yourself the way you might swap a TV remote battery.

Question 3

Why does the dealer charge so much and take so long if the programming only takes minutes?

Accepted Answer

It's not the programming. That part really is fast.

What you're paying for at the dealer is the whole infrastructure around it: the service appointment slot, the repair order write-up, a certified tech with the required dealer software access, the fob itself at dealer markup, and labor billed in blocks regardless of how long the actual task takes. If the fob isn't sitting on their shelf, add shipping time. If their schedule is backed up -- and at most CDJR stores right now it is -- add weeks.

Dart owners on forums have described being quoted diagnostic fees just to confirm what key they needed, before any programming even started. The actual work is seconds to minutes. The bill reflects everything else around it. A mobile locksmith charges for the key and the skilled work, not the overhead.

Question 4

I bought a replacement fob online. Can I program it myself to my 2016 Dart?

Accepted Answer

No. There's no DIY sequence -- no door-lock trick, no ignition-turn pattern -- that will enroll a new fob on this system. The Dart's immobilizer requires a programmer connected to the OBD port to register a new key. That's true whether you have one working key already or none at all.

The fob you bought online isn't useless, though. As long as it matches the factory FCC ID for your vehicle, a locksmith or dealer can program it. Just bring it along and confirm it's the right one before the appointment.

Question 5

My 2016 Dart fob works sometimes and not others. What causes that?

Accepted Answer

Intermittent fob behavior on these is usually one of three things.

First suspect is always the CR2032. Even a battery that reads okay on a tester can drop voltage under load and cause the fob to behave erratically. Swap it before anything else. Make sure the battery is seated flat and the contacts are making solid contact -- a slightly sprung clip will cause exactly the kind of inconsistent behavior you're describing.

If the new battery doesn't fix it, the fob's internal circuit board may have a crack or a cold solder joint, often from being dropped. These fobs are tougher than they look, but a hard drop onto pavement can do quiet internal damage that doesn't show outside.

The third possibility is that the fob has partially lost its pairing -- Dart owners have reported this after a dead battery sits long enough. In that case the fob needs to be re-enrolled to the vehicle, which is a quick job with the right programmer.

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