So, like many Jeep Renegade owners out there, I found myself in the dreaded situation of needing a new key fob. Losing a key or just wanting a spare – we’ve all been there. Dealer prices for a replacement? Eye-watering. That’s why I turned to the internet, specifically Amazon, and snagged an OEM Jeep Renegade key fob for a much more palatable 70 bucks. It even came with an uncut emergency key, the squared-off laser cut type that fits my 2017 Renegade. I knew the edge cut ones were cheaper, but learned quickly they wouldn’t work with my model year.
Now came the next hurdle: programming. I knew this wasn’t something I could do at home, so I braced myself for the dealer visit. I called ahead to my local Jeep dealership to see if they could squeeze me in for a programming appointment. Luckily, they could.
Walking into the service department, it was like they were waiting for me. One of the service techs immediately asked, “Are you the one who just called about getting a key programmed?”. “Yep, that’s me,” I replied. Then came the slightly ominous question, “Did you buy it online?”. Uh oh. “Yes, I did,” I admitted, “but it’s an OEM fob, not some cheap knock-off.”
She then delivered the news I was half expecting, “Well, I have to be honest, there’s a good chance it might not work. And just so you know, we still have to charge the $145 programming fee regardless.” Fantastic. “Um, okay,” was all I could manage.
Thankfully, another service tech, who was actually logging me in, seemed a bit more optimistic. Overhearing the conversation, he chimed in, “I’ve seen plenty of fobs bought online programmed here with no issues, don’t worry too much. But she’s right about the fee, pass or fail, it’s still 145 bucks.” A small glimmer of hope.
Then, as he was entering my vehicle details, I mentioned it was a 2017 Renegade Latitude that I’d purchased from their dealership. He paused, a slight change in his demeanor. “Oh… Renegade,” he said, drawing it out a bit. “Problem?” I asked, my anxiety creeping back up. “Could be,” he responded. “Renegades are real picky about reprogramming keys. 2015 and 2016 models are usually straightforward. But the 2017s and 2018s, they can be more… finicky. We can certainly try though.”
Great. Just what I wanted to hear. I decided to head outside to wait and vape away my stress. Each puff was like a plume of nervous energy escaping. Honestly, I was preparing for the worst-case scenario. And then, it seemed to get even worse.
The service tech came out to find me, a slightly worried look on his face. He’d just spoken to the shop foreman, and apparently, there was a “slight chance” that attempting to program my “unknown history” key fob could actually cause my original, perfectly working key to also fail! Leaving me with… no keys at all. The solution, of course, would be to buy a key fob directly from them, at full dealer price, and end up with just one working key, exactly where I started.
This sounded completely illogical to me. My original key was already programmed and working with the vehicle. How could adding another key erase the existing one unless something went seriously wrong? I voiced my confusion, and he conceded that my logic made sense, but reiterated the foreman’s warning. He then asked the crucial question: did I still want to proceed?
Just then, the actual programming technician came out to get my Jeep. My service tech flagged him down and relayed the foreman’s dire prediction. The programmer just made a face, like he’d smelled something bad. He said he’d never encountered that issue before, and he’d programmed “a LOT” of Renegades. However, he did admit that the security systems on the 2017 and 2018 Renegades were different, more complex, designed to prevent theft and unauthorized key programming. As a final, slightly unsettling disclaimer, he added, “But hey, yours might be the first one I’ve done that wipes out both fobs!”. Wonderful. “Go for it,” I said, trying to sound braver than I felt. If I didn’t win the lottery, maybe I’d win this small gamble.
Back to vaping. The minutes stretched on. My vape tank, usually lasting half a day, was almost empty in just an hour. Was I actually wasting money in a desperate attempt to save money? The cynical side of me was screaming, “This is their game! They’ll deliberately mess up the key you brought so you’re forced to buy theirs, or you’re stranded!”. “That’ll learn ya,” as they say.
Then, finally, the programmer emerged, a big smile on his face and a thumbs up! He drove my Jeep back to the service area, got out, and even apologized for the wait. Relief washed over me. “Any problems?” I asked, my voice still a bit shaky. “None at all,” he replied. Apparently, it took a bit longer because the OEM fob I’d bought had remote start, and he’d taken the time to see if he could get that feature to work. My original fob didn’t have remote start, and he knew it was a long shot, more than just a button, but he wanted to try. I genuinely appreciated the extra effort (remote start would have been awesome!). They also performed a 27-point inspection (whatever that entails – I was still too focused on the keys to pay much attention). We tested both fobs, and everything worked perfectly.
So, to cut this very long story short… the OEM key fob I purchased on Amazon worked! The dealer couldn’t laser cut the emergency key on-site, saying it had to be sent out, but honestly, I wasn’t too worried about that.
The bottom line? I now have two fully functional key fobs for my Jeep Renegade! And, I’m seriously contemplating buying another one as a super spare. Maybe three is the magic number? For now, I’m just happy to have saved some serious cash and have a successful key fob programming story to tell.
