As a Dodge Durango Hellcat owner, you might be familiar with the two red keys that come standard with the vehicle. Unlike the Charger and Challenger Hellcats, which include both black and red keys to differentiate horsepower and torque levels, the Durango Hellcat’s key situation seems less clear. This raises questions, especially for owners looking to manage vehicle performance, perhaps for younger or less experienced drivers at home.
The quest begins with identifying the correct part number for a Durango Hellcat key, which appears to be 68467666aa. However, digging deeper into the OEM 2021 Durango Hellcat PCM calibration files reveals an intriguing anomaly: the power values associated with the black and red keys seem to be reversed. This inversion sparks a critical question: Are Durango Hellcat red keys simply standard black keys encased in red plastic?
Let’s examine the calibration parameters from a 2021 Durango Hellcat:
Image showing the 2021 Durango Hellcat PCM calibration with Red Key Power at 500 and Black Key Power at 707, indicating a potential value swap.
Comparing this to the calibration from a 2023 R/T Tow N Go model reveals a more expected configuration:
Image displaying the 2023 Durango R/T Tow N Go PCM calibration, showing Red Key Power at 707 and Black Key Power at 500, aligning with expected power designations.
The swapped values in the 2021 Hellcat calibration raise doubts about the true function of the red keys. It begs the question of whether these “Power Mode” fields in the calibration are merely for display on the uConnect screen – which, unlike Charger and Challenger models, doesn’t show horsepower figures for the Durango – and don’t actually govern performance.
To investigate further, we need to consider the Black Key Torque Multiplier, which is a known mechanism for performance reduction in other Hellcat models. Let’s look at the values:
Image illustrating the Hellcat Black Key Torque Multiplier settings, suggesting its role in limiting engine torque and performance.
And for comparison, the R/T TnG black key multiplier values:
Image showing the Durango R/T Tow N Go Black Key Multiplier values, used for comparison to understand performance control mechanisms.
Based on this analysis, a plausible approach emerges: purchasing a 2023 Durango Hellcat Key Fob and programming it to the Body Control Module (BCM). The expectation is that this new key will be recognized as a “red key,” allowing for the adjustment of the “black key” performance parameters to limit power.
The proposed solution involves pairing the new red key and then reducing the black key torque multiplier to a desired level, effectively creating a performance-limited key for situations requiring reduced power, such as when teenage drivers are behind the wheel.
However, validating the effectiveness of this approach presents a challenge, as the Durango uConnect system doesn’t display horsepower figures. One potential validation method involves setting a significantly reduced torque multiplier for the black key (e.g., 0.10 for 10% power) and a normal value for the red key (e.g., 1.0 for 100% power) and then conducting a real-world driving test to feel the difference.
The crucial question remains: Has anyone with a Durango Hellcat successfully purchased and programmed a black key specifically for reduced performance? Sharing experiences and insights on this topic would be invaluable for Durango Hellcat owners seeking more control over their vehicle’s power delivery.
