Question 1

I am locked out with no spare key. Can you come to me in North Fillmore?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Call and I come to you, wherever the Stratus is sitting. I carry the tools and blanks to handle the lockout on site without a tow.

One thing worth knowing about this generation: the Stratus has a separate key and fob. If you are locked out, the physical key is what opens the door, and I can decode the lock and cut a replacement on site. Some owners have tried calling roadside assistance and waited an hour or more for someone who showed up without the right blank. I carry what I need for this vehicle. Fillmore is my territory and North Fillmore is not a detour.

Question 2

Do I need to tow my Stratus to the dealer if I lost all my keys?

Accepted Answer

No. I come to the vehicle. Dealers on all-keys-lost situations will typically tell you to arrange a tow to their service bay and then book a service appointment on top of that. Towing plus the wait adds up fast, and you are still at their schedule, not yours.

For the 2001 Stratus, I handle everything at the vehicle: decode or use your VIN to source the key code, cut a new blade, and get you back in and running. No tow, no appointment, no sitting in a waiting room.

Question 3

What do I need to prove I own the vehicle before you start?

Accepted Answer

Valid photo ID and something showing ownership, typically your registration or title. I verify the VIN from the dash plate or the door jamb sticker to confirm the vehicle matches the paperwork.

Dealers require the same documentation and have turned people away for name mismatches or for showing up with only a photo of the registration on their phone. I have seen it happen. Older vehicles like the 2001 Stratus sometimes left the factory with a small key-code tag on the key ring, but almost nobody still has that after twenty-plus years. Not a problem. I pull what I need directly from the vehicle.

Question 4

My Stratus fob stopped working but the key still starts the car fine. What is going on?

Accepted Answer

This is common on these. The key and the remote are independent on the 2001 Stratus. The key blade handles starting. The fob handles locking and unlocking remotely. If the engine starts fine but the fob does nothing, the problem is almost always the fob itself, not the vehicle security system.

Start with the CR2032. These cells go dead without warning, and the fob gives almost no low-battery signal before it just stops responding. Swap the battery first. If a fresh CR2032 does not bring it back, open the shell and check that the board is seated flat and the contacts are clean. Cracked shells on this generation let moisture and dirt in, and a dirty contact looks exactly like a dead fob. If the board is damaged or the shell is too far gone, a shell swap or a replacement fob programmed to the vehicle fixes it.

Question 5

Can I program a replacement fob for my 2001 Stratus myself, or do I need a tech?

Accepted Answer

There is an onboard programming sequence for this generation. You cycle the ignition a specific number of times within a timed window to put the vehicle into programming mode, then press a button on the fob to register it. A number of owners have done it themselves with a fob sourced online that matches the factory FCC ID on the back label.

That said, the sequence is timing-sensitive, and if you already have a working fob you want to keep, you have to register all fobs in the same session or the ones you skip get erased. Miss the window or interrupt the sequence and you start over. If you are adding a second fob and want to keep the first, bring both. If you bought a fob online and want someone to handle the sequence cleanly, I can do it at the vehicle in North Fillmore without a dealer visit.

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