Ram 1500 key fob and key type: which one does your truck take?

Ram 1500 Classic vs new body style (DS vs DT)

In June 2018 Ram announced it would keep building the previous truck as the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic, beside the all-new 2019 Ram 1500. Ram's internal codes are DS for the Classic and DT for the new truck, which is why forums and locksmiths say "DS vs DT".

The Classic is the fourth-generation truck that started with the 2009 model year; the new truck is the fifth generation. Production of the Classic ended at the Warren Truck plant in 2024, and 2024 was its last model year.

How to tell a 2019-2024 Ram 1500 Classic from the new truck

1. Count the lug nuts on one wheel. Five on the Classic, six on the new truck.
2. Look at the grille. The Classic keeps the crosshair grille of the earlier Rams.
3. Look for the badge. Ram put "Classic" badges on the Classic's fenders.
4. Don't go by the start button. Both trucks were sold with push-button start, so a START/STOP button alone does not tell you which one you have.

The VIN settles it. Scan it in Partexia and see the key for that exact truck.

What kind of key is a Ram 1500? Fobik, smart key or transponder

• Fobik. Chrysler's name for a fob-integrated key: the remote and the key in one. On a truck with a twist ignition you push its square end into the ignition switch on the dash and turn it.
• Proximity smart key (Keyless Enter-N-Go). Stays in your pocket. With it inside the cab, you start the truck with the START/STOP button.
• Transponder key. A metal key with a chip in its head and no remote buttons. The truck's immobilizer only starts with a chip it has learned.

Ram fobs and smart keys also hide an emergency key inside, for the door when the fob battery dies.

The same model year of Ram 1500 was built with more than one of these.

Which one yours takes is in the VIN. Partexia shows it, with the OEM key to order.

Ram 1500 key fob upgrade: can a new fob add features?

No. Remote start and Keyless Enter-N-Go are factory equipment, listed in the owner's manual as "if equipped". A fob with a remote-start button does nothing on a truck built without remote start, and a truck with a twist ignition only starts with a key you insert and turn.

Order the key that matches how the truck was built. Partexia reads that from the VIN.

Where is the VIN on a Ram 1500?

• Through the windshield: on the left front corner of the dash, readable from outside on the driver's side.
• On the driver's door: on the certification label on the door edge or the door post.
• On the vehicle registration and title.

In Partexia, point the camera at the VIN barcode or type the 17 characters.

For locksmiths: Ram 1500 all keys lost

Before you quote, establish:

1. The truck: on a 2019-2024 VIN, Classic or new.
2. The ignition: twist key or push-button start.
3. The features: what the customer's key worked, such as remote start, the tailgate or air suspension.

Then scan the VIN in Partexia for the OEM key part numbers that fit that truck. Programming is a separate step, with your tool or at the dealer.

Other vehicles sold as two different models under one name

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