Finally! How to program a non-SKS key/fob. Detailed!

[RobH]

I think it's safe to program the keyslot function with the 5 step procedure described as "The Fob (for operating the car)". The 13 step function, or at least a modified version of it, is where I ran into trouble.

It's nice to have an extra keyfob as a backup, even if it doesn't have the remote functions.

Part of the sequence that the keyfob sends is a counter of how many times a button has been pressed. The security computer in the car keeps track of that counter, and refuses to accept anything that has been used before. Apparently the ADD function requires that counter to be a very low number, such as would be the case with a new keyfob.

Nobody has reported back on what happens if you try to add a used keyfob using the immobilizer reset. This is the function that a dealer can use to handle the situation of all keyfobs being lost. My guess is that it might work, both with new and used keyfobs.

There have been several reports of a technician having trouble programming the car to accept a new/used keyfob. After much cursing, and a call to the Toyota technical help line, something magic happens and the keyfobs are made to work. So there's the standard function which sometimes fails, and the magic one that works if the technician jumps through enough hoops. It's much easier to just reject a keyfob that doesn't work and get another new one from the parts department.

[puckplayer]

Hi all, I've read through this and other threads and am still looking for some help as I'm not the brightest. :-)
So, I have an 08 SKS. I've lost one of the fobs, have the other. What I'm curious about is:
Can I get a non-SKS fob (from eBay or elsewhere) and use the programing steps above to have it work as a unlock/lock doors (by pressing the buttons, aka non-SKS mode) and when put into the key holder start the car?

So, if that works I would have one SKS key doing it's SKS thing and one non-SKS key which would still lock/unlock doors and allow me to start the car when it's put into the key holder.

Thanks all for your responses in advance.

[eddie27970]

Well, it's the weekend now. And I'll be out in my 05 Smart Key Prius, flapping doors, inserting & removing, probably a million times, trying to 1. get my old silver logo from an earlier smart Prius to work with my current one, and/or 2. getting my wife's 04 non-smart black logo fob lock/unlock start my car. Wish me luck.

It's a good thing I live in country, no neighbors to laugh at me. Just my dog, looking at my like i'm nutts. ha ha

by the way, what does "fob" stand for?

[puckplayer]

Hey Eddie, let us know how it goes. Particularly interested in if you can get the non-smart black ones working on your car. Again your car is a smart key one right?

[eddie27970]

PuckPlayer, I just came back in from flapping car doors, and Jammin key fobs till I have tennis elbow. Only part I am able to get is the insert fob start function. I am working with both prius-es, the 04 non-smart, and the 05 smart. I came back in to see if there is some other instructions for the lock/unlock.

No problem taking one key fob and inserting it to starting both cars. My 05 smart fob will now start my wife's 04 non-smart. when inserted. And her non-smart (black logo) will start my 05, when inserted . But I cannot get none of the lock/unlock's to work. And I have altered the steps several different ways. At the last step, I can only get the response of the car, itself, cycling the door locks one-time. (not the two cycles, to indicate it is in the add mode.) At this point, if I proceed, and press both buttons on the adding fob, the car responds with two-cycles of lock/unlock, indicating it did not work.

as to a spare for my 05 smart prius, looks like i will get the metal key cut for the door locks, and have it with one of the extras that will start when inserted.

Anyone know some other steps (variations) to try? ....for the remote door lock? It would seem these instructions are "close" because the car does go into some sort of function (cycle one time), just not the right one for adding another fob to the door lock computer.

[eddie27970]

E L 009-07 PROGRAMMING OEM WIRELESS DOOR LOCK REMOTE TRANSMITTERS ?00 ? ?08 Applicable Models Technical Service BULLETIN

Don't know if you-all can copy and paste this link, but it is the Toyota T.S.B. for programing door locks--very similar--to what is in this thread, but it is only good for up to 2003 Prius. ...nothing on 04 and newer. I am still looking and trying. Here is someone's rewrite of this same TSB

Remote Transmitters

Here again, it refers to ignition "lock" and "unlock" ...conventional metal key in conventional turn key starter cars....not these plastic fob inserted into slots.

My Prius is reacting to these instructions. ...all except the add another transmitter part. That is still in the cycle 1-time, not the needed 2-times for add another.

[Jeremy]

Thank you so much for posting this. When my wife and I bought our Prius (used) it only came with one fob, and buying one from Toyota for $250 total was not appealing. The new key from ebay came in Friday, and using these instructions it took all of 5 minutes to get it totally programmed and working both the ignition and door locks.

Thanks!

[snengnr]

sorry if this is not the right thread to ask my question under, but i'm new to this stuff

Ok, so I just bought an 08 Prius that was actually used (I know, unbelievable) yesterday. My key is a regular fob, with locking and unlocking mechanism. that's great, except they didn't have a spare key at the Toyota dealership. So....does anybody know where I can by a spare key. I would LOVE to keep the fob key i have now, and get a cheap smart key that can be programmed to my prius, that way I could make the new smart key my primary key, and the current fob key my backup just in case i lose the smart key (which i'm especially proned to doing)

[Nords]

$52 "dumb" 2007 Prius key fob off eBay from Scottsmen1.

After much searching, $8.20 blank key from Servco Toyota Honolulu. These don't appear to be available from retail key cutters/locksmiths, but I hope I'm wrong. Servco wasn't very easy to deal with but hopefully they are not the typical blank-key experience. Our kid was driving the car at the time I was getting the blank, so I didn't have the original registration in my hot little hands. It took me two photo IDs, a copy of the registration, my best innocent smiley-face demeanor, and some faceless manager's command decision to get them to give it up.

Then Servco they insisted that they couldn't cut it because they couldn't determine the key number (mentioned in the owner's manual but lost by our previous owner). Apparently that was the best excuse they could come up with, because the key guy in the basement of Pearlridge Sears smirked at the story and cut the key in about two minutes for $2.60. Works fine.

I tried the fob-in-the-dashboard programming about five times. On the fifth attempt, I rolled up all windows and fastened my seatbelt. I don't know if that made the difference but it completed after 70 seconds with an audible dashboard "click".

The fob programmed for the door locks on the first try, but I didn't understand the indication. Our 2006 Prius door locks make one "ka-chunk-a" sound when locking and the same sound when unlocking. So for the first half-dozen attempts (as I was looking at fobs, directions, and everything except the actual door lock) I kept hearing "ka-chunk-a, ka-chunk-a" and thinking that the door locks were cycling twice. It turns out that's just one cycle.

So now the third fob is ready for the day that one of the other fobs goes surfing...

[snengnr]

Thanks Nords!

Okay, so one more question...if you buy a sks fob (silver Toyota logo on back that doesn't have to be in ignition dock) as a spare...can you program it with a car that has only been programmed with a regular fob (black Toyota logo on back that must be in the ignition dock)??

if so, is the reverse also true? would these same instructions apply

08 Prius Package 2 (i think)