2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in Ventura County

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Smart Key Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

I got a call on a weeknight from someone staying near Coast Village in Montecito. She was a travel photographer, in town between assignments, using a rental property as her base. Her 2011 Grand Cherokee had been sitting in the driveway for two days without issue, and then it just stopped responding to the fob. No door unlock, no response from the start button, nothing. The dash was giving her a key-not-detected warning every time she tried.

She had already called the dealer. They told her to tow it in, said they'd look at it the following afternoon, and gave her a number that made her pause.

I was there within the hour. The driveway was tight, good lighting from the property's exterior fixtures, and she stood near the front of the vehicle while I worked. First thing I did was pull the fob apart and check the CR2032. It was the original battery - still in there from whenever the fob was last serviced, which based on the contacts was a while ago. Voltage was low enough that the transponder signal was marginal. Swapped it, reseated the battery contacts, and reassembled.

The fob woke right back up. Doors unlocked, start button recognized it from a normal distance, no warning on the dash.

She asked what the dealer would have found if she'd towed it in. Honestly, probably the same thing, but a day later and for a lot more money. She didn't need reprogramming, didn't need a new fob, didn't need a tow. She needed someone to come to the driveway and do the obvious thing first.

That's most of what this job is. Knowing the order of operations.

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