Key FOBissue, and its not the size

[bmilleker]

Traded in my 2014 JKU Rubicon for a Gladiator Rubicon. The size of the FOB's did surprise me, but I can live with it. What I found very weird was the gap on the battery cover. Have a look at my photo. Is that gap supposed to be there? Both my FOB's are like this. The dealer told me its to pop the cover off, but I don't buy it. They look put together incorrectly. I dont see how they can seal properly with the gap being there.

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[DanOnTheCob]

Traded in my 2014 JKU Rubicon for a Gladiator Rubicon. The size of the FOB's did surprise me, but I can live with it. What I found very weird was the gap on the battery cover. Have a look at my photo. Is that gap supposed to be there? Both my FOB's are like this. The dealer told me its to pop the cover off, but I don't buy it. They look put together incorrectly. I dont see how they can seal properly with the gap being there.

I have heard of this gap thing before, I don't have keys yet to compare. Have you tried disassembling to see why it won't lay flat?

 

[bmilleker]

I have taken one apart trying to figure it out. I have no idea what's causing it. Jeep couldn't have made them like this, could they?

 

[ColdSRT]

The one I have in hand right now is the same way. Something definitely isn't right. That whole corner is not snapping in correctly. This will undoubtedly affect it's water resistance.

 

[Okk9]

Mine has the same gap. I took it apart and noticed the seal is internal and around the actual battery compartment with its own locking tabs. Where u see the gap and around the edges doesnt really seal. Seem thats the way its designed and should still be weather resistant. Go ahead and pop the back off and you will see.

 

[JT_Todd]

I found this on the Wrangler forum because nobody had posted it here yet. Whomever is popping those covers off is breaking one of the hooks from a looky inside of the fobs. I asked my salesperson about it and I was told that all of the new fobs are like that

It really is an engineering disaster. I put a cover over mine to keep the moisture and dirt out.

I hope we can expect a fob recall!

 

[ColdSRT]

Turns out both keys are the same. I took it apart and it's likely a design flaw. The two tabs that hold the case halves together nearest that corner are likely too long to make them snap together without a gap. All of the hooks/tabs are intact.

I'm not sure how bad that is for water resistance due to the seal design, but it moves fairly easy so I'm not that confident in it's ability to keep water out, even though that's not too big of a deal for me.

It's common enough that others have experienced it with the JL and some have had the fobs replaced by the dealer. I'm not into playing the key fob lottery with the dealer and I'm not a big fan of the fob in the first place so I will be replacing both cases with this...https://www.ajtdesign-llc.com/online-store/Wrangler-JL-c34349008

 

[Tortooga Custom Works]

Both of my keys have this same issue, where the one side isn't fitting perfectly snug.

 

[bmilleker]

Sounds like the consensus is that the FOB's have flaws. I wonder if you could remove those two tabs that are too long, and then use double sided tape to hold that end down.

I was interested in the AJT fobs, but I read the quality wasn't that great. And, they really aren't that much smaller. I find that I am carrying just the FOB itself without any other keys. Because I am doing that, I'll probably buy one of these: https://gibsonleatherworks.com/shop?olsPage=t/jl-key-fob-holsters. It will add some bulk to an already bulky FOB, but I can much more easily carry it on my belt, or clipped to my jeans loop.

 

[tanman]

Turns out both keys are the same. I took it apart and it's likely a design flaw. The two tabs that hold the case halves together nearest that corner are likely too long to make them snap together without a gap. All of the hooks/tabs are intact.

I'm not sure how bad that is for water resistance due to the seal design, but it moves fairly easy so I'm not that confident in it's ability to keep water out, even though that's not too big of a deal for me.

It's common enough that others have experienced it with the JL and some have had the fobs replaced by the dealer. I'm not into playing the key fob lottery with the dealer and I'm not a big fan of the fob in the first place so I will be replacing both cases with this...https://www.ajtdesign-llc.com/online-store/Wrangler-JL-c34349008

already ordered and received my AJT fobs! they look great, should look better once I spray with Mopar granite touch up paint...

 

[bmilleker]

already ordered and received my AJT fobs! they look great, should look better once I spray with Mopar granite touch up paint...

Super curious what the quality is like compared to the stock FOB.

 

[tanman]

Super curious what the quality is like compared to the stock FOB.

Hard to say since I cant compare the key fob I don't own yet (granite LE)

I would say the plastic seems cheap, yet durable. The buttons are nice, but not as soft as the original from jeep fob. (I test drove a rubi)

I can also say it is much smaller in every way than the Jeep Fob, and seeing this new issue about the bad corner not laying flat, I'd go with AJT every time. Waterproof? I'm not gonna try, but it would sure be nice.

It's also hard to say about the functionality of the buttons, without the internal chip to install, as the buttons just push through to the middle without a chip to press against.

Somebody out there has to have done this mod already to give a better assessment.

 

[Benbean66]

My girlfriend's JL keyfobs are like that, and they do not keep the water out. Went kayaking with them, and ruined the one. Kept setting the panic off off on her Jeep after we dried it out. It works intermittently now, but most definitely a design flaw. Hope my JT's aren't like that. Anyone check with @JeepCares?

 

[ColdSRT]

I can tell by the pics and videos that the aftermarket fobs aren't quite as polished as the factory, but they will actually seal and don't rely on plastic tabs. They seem to get pretty good reviews from what I can tell.

 

[5JeepsAz]

Both of my keys have this same issue, where the one side isn't fitting perfectly snug.

Let em break. Some people don't even like fobs!

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