4 Dodge Ram Key Fob Features That Go Beyond Unlocking Doors

With technology constantly evolving, modern day vehicles have so many perks that we take for granted nowadays that were never thought to even be possible 50 or so years ago. There was a time where vehicles didn't even have air conditioning, let alone 360-degree bird's eye cameras to help you perfectly park, a speedometer floating on your front windshield like a hologram, or even self-driving vehicles. Unfortunately, there's one thing that modern tech have nearly eliminated from cars, and that is the physical key. Gone are the days of sticking your key into the ignition to start your car. Now, you can just push a button on most vehicles. It takes some of the tactile fun out of the driving experience. Luckily, we still have the key fob, which has also undergone some major technological upgrades in the 21st Century.

Take the key fob for the Ram 1500, one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States. Although pickup trucks have the reputation of being tough and rugged, they are not exempt from getting a bunch of tech upgrades, and the key fob for the vehicle proves it. Yes, it is able to perform the tasks of locking and unlocking your vehicle, along with setting off a panic alarm. This comes as no surprise. What is a little more surprising is that the Ram 1500 key fob lets you perform several other tasks that seemed like fantasies when the truck first hit the market back in the early 1980s. If you're getting yourself a 2025 Ram 1500, here are four features that fob may be able to do.

Being able to turn on your car without a physical key and instead just using a button, whether you like it or not, is certainly an interesting convenience feature, and the Ram 1500 has adopted this method of startup. That is a technological advancement, but what is even more technologically advanced is the ability to start your truck's engine without even being inside the truck. Well, the Ram 1500 can do too. The key fob features four rows of buttons, and on the third row on the right side, there is a symbol with a circular arrow enclosing a "x2" symbol. Pressing this button twice in succession will start your vehicle remotely.

While it may seem odd to start your truck while you aren't in it, there are times where it can be hugely beneficial, particularly when it comes to the climate control. If the truck has been baking in the hot sun for hours, turning on the car to activate the A/C for a bit before you get inside can be a far more comfortable experience. The same is true for having the heat activate on a freezing cold day.

This is not a standard feature for all Ram 1500 models and will only come standard on higher priced trims, such as the Limited Longhorn model. However, there may be packages available for an extra cost for some of the less expensive trims that can add this feature as well. Remote start can also be added to a vehicle from a third-party as well.

One of the primary reasons why someone chooses to get a pickup truck is because of the truck bed. Being able to easily haul large or heavy loads around town in your own vehicle comes in handy more than you think it would. It doesn't even have to be anything spectacular, like moving a couch or just purchasing lumber from your local hardware store. If you are working with stuff that can be heavy and uncomfortable to carry, you might find it awkward or unfeasible to lower your truck's tailgate to load your stuff into the bed. Well, this is something that can also be accomplished with the Ram 1500 key fob.

The second of the four rows of buttons on the key fob features just a single button. It is an outline of the back half of a pickup truck, featuring a down tailgate and an arrow pointing down as well. If you press this button twice in succession — as the "x2" symbol also included on the button indicates — the tailgate will automatically lower for you. Many vehicles have a similar feature with the rear trunk, and although a tailgate version may not be as widely necessary, it can prove useful when you least expect it. Like the remote ignition start button, this feature is unfortunately not standard for all Ram 1500 trims.

Whether it be for a medical reason or just a pure happenstance of not being very tall, climbing into a Ram 1500 can take quite a bit of effort, whether you are driving it or riding just as a passenger. Luckily, the Ram 1500 has the ability to accommodate those who may have a little trouble getting into the truck by lowering the vehicle's air suspension to bring the cabin closer to the ground. Even better, you activate this feature remotely with the key fob.

To the left of the button that starts the ignition, there is a button that features the outline of the full Ram 1500 and below it is an arrow point downwards. Tapping this button twice in succession will lower the truck's air suspension, as it too features the "x2" symbol. As you have probably guessed with the other modern tech key fob features mentioned, this is not standard across all Ram 1500 trims, meaning it will cost more. However, if you are getting one of these features for your truck, you are likely getting all three of them.

The last feature that the key fob can accomplish is not one that can be done with any of the front-facing buttons that have been discussed thus far. This one is a far more physical use that is needed in very specific situations. Because you are working with a fob that relies on a battery, there will come a time when that battery dies. If that happens, you won't be able to lock or unlock your car, let alone any of the other features. That is why the Ram 1500 key fob has an emergency physical key inside of it.

Towards the bottom of the right side of the fob, there is a little button that you can press. This releases the truck's emergency key that you can use to unlock and lock your car manually on the driver's door handle. When the key fob battery is dead, it means that the normal push button start of the engine will not work either, and your key fob is needed for that as well. Put the emergency key back inside your fob and then push the start button on your dashboard directly with the top end of the fob. It should recognize your fob and start the engine. Although it may take years to occur, it is nice to know that just because your key fob goes dead does not mean you will be left stranded until you replace the battery.