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wanderingbob's avatar
wanderingbob
Explorer II
Sep 09, 2017

ignition fob , wet

Did ya ever wonder what might happen if your Ram CTD fob got wet ?
I put mine thru a wash and then dry cycle . Not only did it come out clean and dry but it still works . Maybe I should check my pockets a little better !
  • Your biggest concern is if your water (or the laundry detergent) left any residue behind, a little mildly conductive residue in the wrong place will render it useless. At the very least remove and replace the battery with a new one because the seals may have been compromised by the wash/dry cycle.

    Shortly after I purchased my new Cadillac CTS in 2008 I did a 1,000 mile oil change and then realized the key fob went through the wash along with my dirty oil change clothes. I caught it before the dryer, removed the battery, sprayed the insides down with WD40 (it is a water displacer and makes a fairly good cleaner), and then wiped the WD40 off. I put in a new battery and the fob was still working fine when I traded in the car 6 years later.

    I am not familiar with whether your Ram uses remote keyless entry with proximity sensing and/or keyless start but if it does I would keep your other fob with you for awhile to avoid potentially being stuck somewhere.