Jeep Wrangler Remote Start Not Working—How To Fix

Your jeep wrangler remote start may be working well one minute and the next minute it won’t respond. You try pressing the start button only for your car to flash but not start. Or, the car beeps once and nothing else! In all these cases, you’ll be confused about what to do next. Luckily, this guide will help you out.

Jeep Wrangler remote start not working can arise from different potential causes including a weak or dead remote battery, drained car battery, incorrect remote start use, programming issues, valet mode on, low fuel in your gas tank, check engine light, car not in park mode, active hazard lights, not properly closing your hood or doors, etc.

This article will take you through an in-depth discussion of each of these potential culprits likely to make your Jeep Wrangler remote starter malfunction. We will also share the best solution to consider for each problem and other helpful info related to remote start system failure.

Why Your Jeep Wrangler Remote Start Is Not Working

Here are the most common reasons why your Jeep Wrangler remote start feature may be failing to work when you press the start button on your key fob:

Weak or dead remote battery

The most common culprit that makes your jeep wrangler remote start to malfunction is a weak or dead key fob battery.

Most car owners don’t know that their key fob takes in batteries to enable them to communicate with their keys. As with any other kind of battery, the key fob batteries degrade over time.

When they near depletion or become completely dead, they will cause issues with the remote start, as they produce a weak signal or produce no signal at all.

Solution: Access the remote battery in your key fob and test its voltage. If it’s below the recommended level, replace it with good-quality batteries from your nearest Jeep dealership or auto parts store.

Be sure to consult your user manual for more details on the correct types of batteries to get for your key fob.

Still at it, make sure you install the battery correctly so that your key fob continues functioning smoothly.

Drained car battery

If your battery becomes weak or dead, it won’t be able to supply your remote start system with the much-needed power, causing it to malfunction.

Some common causes for the battery to become drained include leaving the lights and other accessories on, faulty charging systems, or old age.

Solution: To fix issues related to your car battery, you’ll first need to test the battery to confirm if it has a low charge. Use a multimeter set to volts to check the battery voltage level.

If below 12V, that’s a sign of low battery voltage and you’ll need to recharge it. If your battery can’t hold a charge, then it’s probably damaged and will need a replacement.

If the battery is healthy, inspect its terminals for corrosion and clean them as necessary. Be sure to secure any loose battery connections.

Check engine light

If the check engine light is illuminating your dashboard, it will also disable your Jeep Wrangler check engine light.

The check engine light usually comes on when your vehicle engine has issues or the emissions control system is problematic.

Therefore, the remote start fails to turn on your engine as a safety precaution to prevent the existing issue from causing further damage to your vehicle engine.

Solution: Have your vehicle computer scanned for stored error codes behind the illuminating check engine light.

These will give you an idea about the underlying issue so you can fix it and clear the warning light.

Afterward, you can try remote starting your vehicle to see if it works.

Valet mode is on

Another possible cause for your Jeep remote start system to fail is the valet mode being activated.

For starters, Valet mode refers to a safety feature that your car manufacturer arms your car with to stop your car from running when it’s being serviced.

When activated, this mode helps temporarily disable the remote start and prevent your car from turning on when.

Solution: Check if you have activated the valet mode in your car or if your Jeep Wrangler is stuck in this mode.

You can confirm this by checking if your parking light flashes when you push unlock button on your key fob but the doors lock and unlock without issues.

If your car is in valet mode, deactivate it to restore the remote start feature.

To do this:

• Put your car key in the ignition lock but don’t start the engine.
• Now press and release the Trunk and Lock buttons at the same time. Don’t hold down the button; just a quick press is enough.
• Finally, remove the key from the ignition and try remote starting your car again. If it works, then you have successfully exited the valet mode.

Malfunctioning hood switch

For your remote start to work, the hood must be properly closed and latched.

A hood switch sensor is usually installed on the hood and helps detect whether the hood is properly closed when you attempt to start your car remotely.

If it detects the hood is open, it won’t engage the remote start feature.

This is a safety precaution to ensure that your Wrangler doesn’t start running when a mechanic is working on it as they could get easily hurt.

Moreover, it helps ensure the hood doesn’t spread over your windshield when you’re driving your vehicle.

If this sensor is faulty, it may tell your remote start that your hood is open and prevent it from turning on your vehicle engine.

Solution: Check if your hood is properly closed. If the hood is properly closed and latched, check the condition of the switch sensor inside your hood. Does it look damaged or broken? If yes, you’ll need to replace it with a new one.

It’s also possible that you got your Jeep serviced recently and the mechanic forgot to reattach the switch, making it malfunction. If you see a wire dangling from your hood, simply reconnect it to make your start function again.

A door is ajar

Your Jeep doors also need to be properly closed for your Jeep Wrangler remote start to work. Even if a door is slightly open, it will stop the remote start feature from engaging.

If you’ve successfully tried to use your remote start and you get a message on your dash that reads something like “remote start aborted door ajar,” then you just found your culprit!

Solution: Simply open and close your door to see if the error message goes away and your remote start system resumes normal functionality.

Active hazard lights

Most OEM remote starters won’t work with the hazard lights flashing on, and Jeep Wrangler’s remote start isn’t an exception.

However, if you have an aftermarket remote start, it may still work with the hazard lights turned on, so this may not be a reason for the system malfunction.

Nonetheless, it’s worth considering it as a potential culprit.

Solution: Turn off your Jeep hazard lights to see if your remote start will start functioning correctly.

Car not in “park” mode

Some people are guilty of engaging the emergency brake instead of parking their cars. If this sounds like you, then it could be the reason your remote starts won’t work.

This is another safety measure to keep the car from running when the engine turns on and there’s nobody inside.

Solution: Check whether the shift ever in your car is in the Park position. If not, get the shift lever to park and then try remote starting your car.

Low fuel

If your remote start on Jeep Wrangler fails to engage, you should also check how much amount of gas you’ve left in your fuel tank. If the fuel is below the preset level, then your remote start won’t start.

This safety measure helps prevent your car from running out of gas while idling. This can turn tragic when you run out of fuel and you’re far away from a gas station.

Solution: Check the amount of fuel left in your gas tank. Your fuel tank must have a minimum amount of fuel (around ¼ tank) for the remote start system to activate. So, be sure to top up the gas as necessary.

Other conditions necessary for the remote start are not met

There’s a whole list of other conditions that must be met for your Jeep Wrangler remote start to work.

We have already discussed some of these conditions including hood and doors closed, fuel level, hazard lights off, etc. But you want to ensure you meet all the necessary conditions.

Consult your user manual on what issues may stop the remote start from engaging. For most remote start systems, the requirements for the system to engage include:

• Low tire pressure
• Coolant temperature getting too high
• The panic button is not pushed on
• The brake pedal shouldn’t be engaged

Too many remote start attempts

The remote start is also set to temporarily disable if you try using t too many times. In most cases, a maximum of 2 failed remote starts will stop the feature from working.

Therefore, if you have already tried remote starting your car too many times, it may be the reason the system is failing to work.

Solution: Once you’ve reached the maximum amount of times for remote starting a car, you’ll need to manually start your Jeep.

This will help reset the remote start, and thereafter you can use the remote start feature to turn on your vehicle.

Programming issues

Your remote starter operates based on some programming. However, if your system was recently installed, the programming may have been done incorrectly.

Also, your remote start may lose its programming along the way and make it malfunction.

In Some cases, replacing your remote or car battery may require you to reprogram your remote start to make it functional again.

Solution: If most of the potential culprits above have checked out, then you’ll have no other option but to try and reprogram to see if it works.

Consult your use manual on the correct reprogramming procedure or simply get a professional auto technician or your Jeep dealership to do it for you.

Remote start feature is disabled

The remote start feature in your vehicle may be disabled, in which case it won’t work no matter what you do.

In most cases, the system is disabled if you don’t use your car for a long time. Other times, the feature may be accidentally disabled.

Solution: Check if your remote start system is enabled on your car by checking your vehicle system settings. If it’s turned off, simply turn it back on and then try to remote-start your Jeep.

As Jeep Wrangler enthusiasts grapple with remote start glitches, it’s enlightening to observe that other vehicle models, spanning different categories, encounter similar quirks. Those who have a penchant for the modern SUVs might find our thorough guide on Chevy Equinox remote start problems a useful read, offering insights into the challenges and fixes specific to this versatile crossover. Alternatively, for individuals with a preference for compact sedans, our detailed article on Chevy Cruze remote start issues delves into the intricacies and solutions surrounding this popular commuter choice.

Conclusion

This article has just highlighted the most common issues that make your remote start malfunctioning. These include a dead key fob, drained car battery, incorrect remote start use, programming issues, valet mode on, low fuel in your gas tank, check engine light, car not in park mode, active hazard lights, or not properly closing your hood or doors.

To restore your remote start feature, you’ll need to diagnose and fix the above issues in your Jeep. If you’re unable to diagnose it by yourself or you’re unable to fix the problem, don’t hesitate to consult your auto technician or dealership for further assistance.