Losing the ability to remotely lock or unlock your Jeep Cherokee can be a major inconvenience. Fortunately, programming a new or replacement key fob for your Jeep Cherokee can often be done right at home, saving you a trip to the dealership. This guide provides straightforward methods to program your key fob, getting you back to convenient access in no time.
Method A: Customer Programming Procedure
This method allows you to program your Jeep Cherokee key fob using a series of button presses and ignition turns. Follow these steps carefully:
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Begin by pressing the LOCK button on your key fob five times, with approximately 2 seconds between each press. This step is crucial for resynchronizing the transmitter. After this, attempt to use your key fob. If it now works, programming is complete, and you can stop here.
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If the key fob still doesn’t work, proceed to the next step. Turn your Jeep Cherokee’s ignition to the RUN position. Make sure to allow any ignition chimes to fully stop before moving on.
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Take an original, working key fob and press and hold the UNLOCK button for a duration between 4 and 10 seconds.
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While still holding the UNLOCK button, press and hold the PANIC button for 1 second, then release both buttons simultaneously. Listen for a chime sound, which indicates that your Jeep has successfully entered the key fob programming mode. Allow up to 3 seconds for the chime to sound.
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Now, press and hold both the LOCK and UNLOCK buttons on the key fob you are programming at the same time for 1 second, and then release them. A short chime should sound (on some models).
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Immediately press and release any button on the same key fob you are programming. A chime will sound again to confirm successful programming. On some models, the door locks may cycle to indicate success.
Note: For the first key fob being programmed using this method, a chime may not sound in step 6. However, it will sound for subsequent key fobs programmed.
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If you need to program additional key fobs, repeat steps 5 and 6 for each new key fob.
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Finally, turn the ignition to the OFF position to exit the key fob programming mode. The programming mode will automatically time out after 60 seconds (or 30 seconds on some models), so ensure all key fobs are programmed within this time.
Method B: Alternative Customer Programming Procedure
Here’s another method you can try to program your Jeep Cherokee key fob, which is slightly different:
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Start by pressing the LOCK button on the key fob five times, with 2-second intervals between presses to resynchronize the transmitter. Test the key fob functionality. If it works, you are done.
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Turn the ignition of your Jeep Cherokee to the RUN position and wait for the ignition chimes to stop.
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Using an original, working key fob, press and hold the UNLOCK button for a duration between 4 and 10 seconds.
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Continue holding the UNLOCK button and then press and hold the PANIC button as well. You should hear a chime, indicating that the system has entered the key fob programming mode. Give up to 3 seconds for the chime to sound.
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Press any button on every key fob you wish to program, including any previously programmed key fobs that you want to continue using. A chime will sound each time a key fob is successfully programmed.
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Turn the ignition to the OFF position to exit the key fob programming mode.
By following these methods, you should be able to program your Jeep Cherokee key fob and regain remote access to your vehicle. If you encounter any issues or these methods do not work for your specific model year, it’s always best to consult your owner’s manual or contact a certified Jeep dealership for assistance.
