Durango Hellcat owners quickly realize something different compared to their Charger and Challenger brethren: only two red keys are provided. Unlike the Charger and Challenger Hellcats, there are no separate black keys intended to limit horsepower and torque. As I gear up to install a Whipple supercharger on my R/T Tow & Go, the idea of adding “red keys” for unleashing full power while retaining my black keys – but tuning them down for less experienced drivers – became appealing.
My search for Durango Hellcat key part numbers led me to 68467666aa. However, delving into an OEM 2021 Durango Hellcat PCM calibration file revealed a curious detail: the power values for black and red keys appeared to be flipped. This sparked a question: are Durango Hellcat red keys simply standard black key internals housed in a red Hellcat Key Fob Shell?
Let’s examine the parameter screenshots. First, the 2021 Durango Hellcat PCM parameters:
Image: Screenshot of 2021 Durango Hellcat PCM calibration settings displaying ‘Red Key Power’ set to 500 and ‘Black Key Power’ set to 707, suggesting a potential configuration anomaly.
Now, compare this to my 2023 R/T TnG parameters:
Image: Capture of 2023 Durango R/T Tow N Go PCM settings illustrating ‘Red Key Power’ at 707 and ‘Black Key Power’ at 500, aligning with conventional performance key configurations.
Notice the swapped values in the Hellcat calibration. The black key is associated with 707, while the red key shows 500. My 2023 TnG, however, displays the expected configuration.
Could these “Power Mode” fields in the calibration be merely for display on the uConnect screen, showing horsepower figures like in Chargers and Challengers, without actually restricting performance? Since Durango screens don’t display horsepower numbers, perhaps these fields are irrelevant. Maybe the real performance limiter is the Black Key Torque multiplier.
Investigating the Black key torque multiplier reveals more expected values.
Here’s the Hellcat Black Key Multiplier:
Image: Screenshot of Hellcat Black Key Torque Multiplier parameter within PCM calibration, indicating a value of 0.85, suggesting a performance reduction factor.
And my TnG’s black key multiplier:
Image: Display of TnG (Tow N Go) Black Key Torque Multiplier parameter in PCM calibration, also showing a value of 0.85, consistent with standard black key performance reduction.
Based on this data, I believe purchasing a 2023 Durango Hellcat key fob and programming it to my BCM should work. It should be recognized as a “red key,” allowing me to then reduce the performance associated with the black keys. Perhaps the internal components are the same, and the distinction truly is just the hellcat key fob shell color.
The plan is to pair the “red key” and then lower the black key torque multiplier to the desired level. Validating the actual performance reduction without horsepower display on the uConnect screen is a challenge. A test with extreme multiplier values – like 0.10 (10%) for black key and 1.0 (100%) for red key – could provide a clear indication.
Has anyone with a Durango Hellcat successfully added and programmed a black key for reduced performance? Sharing experiences would be greatly appreciated!
