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

[patsparks]

You can use an SKS fob in a non SKS but that wont give you SKS.
The instructions may not work in an SKS car.

[spitinuri]

Does this work for all 04-09's? I have an 04 with only one SmartKey. I can add a black label FOB myself. I did talk to the service tech. at the local Toyota Dealership. He told me I could bring in a new Silver Label SmartKey and they would program it for me for the price of 30 minutes of labor. I have read other nightmare post about this subject. It seems like a fair deal. Thoughts!

[happycamper]

How many times can you open and close a car door in an hour? That's how many times I did. (my dog gave up her confusion and went back into the house after a few minutes) It still doesn't work. I can't find anyone with instructions for the SKS system, which is what I have, so I tried your instructions, because a non-SKS is better than nothing.
Four years ago, my husband was hit by a drunk driver in our new '05 prius. Thank goodness he was in the new car. Airbags did what they were supposed to do and saved his life. The car was totaled. We replaced it with another '05 prius.
Fast forward 3 years. Husband lost his keys, including prius fob, house alarms, etc. So we have been sharing my prius fob. (I know we are living on borrowed time, before he loses mine too)
A few days ago on his way home he pulled over to check something in the back. Got back in the car and drove home. When he got home he discovered that the no-key dash light was lit. He had put the keys in his lap and when he got out of the car they fell out on to the street. Close enough (on the ground) for the computer to think that he had them so it let him drive away. It was midnight and when he went back, in the dark, he couldn't find them.
Panic set in when I looked online and discovered that without any working fobs we were doomed to $$$$$$pending lots of money.
After the sun came up we drove back to the spot (10 miles away) again and thank you, thank you, thank you, we found them.
That little experience screamed to us, get a back up fob NOW, not later.
So thanks to this site I learned that old fobs can be reprogrammed. I took the one that I still had from the old totalled car and using your instructions went to work on the old fob. I was able to get it to work for only starting the engine while placed in the dash. That's fine, no SKS, I can deal with that. But, I can't get the unlock/lock buttons to work though.
When I go through the routine, the locks only open and close once, NOT twice, like you say to be in the setup mode and after pressing both buttons at the same time, then the lock, it does the dredded double open and close, which mean I failed. over and over again!! Anyone have any idea what I am doing wrong? I don't mind having to push the buttons. But I really don't want to have to take the little key out to unlock every time. Pleeeeeeese help. not-so-happycamper (P.S.-thanks for letting me vent)

[RobH]

I've come to the conclusion that the car can only be programmed to use keyfobs that have not been used more than 128 times. It's all part of the design of the keyfob, and has nothing to do with the keyfob being defective. There is a counter in the keyfob, and once it reaches 128, the keyfob will no longer send the information required for the car to recognize it.

The keyfob in the dash function is an entirely different set of electronics. Just about any keyfob (black logo, silver logo, 2004, 2005+) can be made to work when plugged into the dash. The car can be programmed to accept up to 5 different keyfobs.

So a used keyfob is useful as a backup, but you generally can't make the smart/keypress functions work with anything but the original car.

For the technical hard core, I recommend reading the data sheet for a Microchip HCS362. It is used in the black logo (non-SKS) keyfob, and the silver logo keyfob may be similar.

[Rokeby]

Originally Posted by RobH

I've come to the conclusion that the car can only be programmed to use
keyfobs that have not been used more than 128 times. It's all part of the
design of the keyfob, and has nothing to do with the keyfob being defective.
There is a counter in the keyfob, and once it reaches 128, the keyfob will
no longer send the information required for the car to recognize it ...
[Underlining added]

RobH,

I'm not sure that I understand the possible implications of the underlined
above -- it is early, and I have had a first cuppa' joe, still...

Does this affect the usefulness of the fob for unlocking the door(s)?

I suppose in the normal run of things the 128-count would be reached in two
or three months of regular use. But in the year+ that I've had my '08, I have
used the fob buttons only a handful of times. Is this good, bad, not
meaningful?

[RobH]

The 128 limit applies to the ability to add a keyfob to the car's list of acceptable keyfobs. After that, the keyfob will continue to work with its original car, but assigning it to another car isn't going to work.

This understanding is dependent upon a number of things that are possible, but not verifiable with the public information currently available. So take it as an informed guess, nothing more...

The Microchip HCS362 chip in the black logo keyfob (non-SKS) has a mode called "Limited Seed". In the HCS362 datasheet, section 3.3.1, example B is the following statement:

Selecting SEEDC = 0 and SEED = 01: makes SEED transmission available only for a limited time (only up to 128 times). The combination of buttons S2 and S0 produces an immediate transmission of the SEED code.

The silver logo (SKS) keyfob uses a different chip, but may follow similar logic.

So, IF the keyfob is initialized at the factory to use the Limited Seed mode, AND the seed information that it transmits is required to add a keyfob to the car's list, THEN there is the 128 usage limit.

The implication of all this is very similar to what people have experienced. New from the parts department keyfobs generally work. New from aftermarket keyfob vendors sometimes work, used (eBay, etc.) keyfobs generally don't work.

But it's the usage count that is important, not the age. Since there are two keyfobs that come with each car, it is entirely possible that only one is used regularly. The other one could be stored unused for years, and eventually end up on eBay. As long as the old but unused keyfob has a counter value less than 128, it could be added to the car's list.

[Rokeby]

RobH,

Thanks for the comeback.

Executive summary:
* Brand spanking new fobs should be able to be reprogrammed.
* Used keys, such as off eBay, are a crap shoot... buyers beware!

[Scott121]

About two hours ago I was able to program a non-sks key fob (Black Logo) from Remotez4less.com for my 2007 Prius. Strongly recommend anyone attempting this read all of the following at least twice before starting. Timing and sequence are critical.

Programming to use the fob for starting the car was much easier than programming for the door locks, but I was able to do both. I may know why I had problems with the door locks (see below). Following are the directions that worked for me both for "Starting" and for "Door Locks".

Following are directions to program the fob for STARTING the car (only confirmed for Black Logo fob for non-smartkey operation, which means that you have to put the fob in the slot on the dash).

1. Insert old fob into slot and remove it 4 times in a row, then insert it a fifth time and leave it in.

2. Open and close driver door 6 times.

3. Remove old fob from slot. Car is in fob programming mode at this point.

4. Insert new fob and leave in the slot for a full minute. Watch the blinking red anti-theft light on the dashboard. When it stops flashing and goes dark, your new fob is all set.

5. Remove the new fob and you're done. You should test both fobs to be sure they work properly.

Now on to the tough one (Door Locks):

Following are Directions that worked for me for programming for DOOR LOCKS (it was only when I followed steps 1-4 that I was able to get the car in programming mode for the Door Locks; Steps 1-11 are for "putting the vehicle in programming mode" and you use your old (working fob) for those steps. New fob is not used until step 12):

1. Sitting in car with all doors locked I manually unlocked the driver side door (do not open door until step 3).

2. Put Original/Old fob (the one that works) in ignition slot (do not push start)

3. Open driver door

4. Remove fob from slot

5. Insert and remove the fob from the ignition switch twice within 5 seconds (door is still open).

6. Within 40 seconds: Close and open driver's door twice.

7. Insert and remove the fob from the ignition slot (let beep twice before removing).

8. Within 40 seconds: Close and open driver's door twice.

9. Insert the fob into the ignition slot and close the driver's door.

10. Push Power button 3 times (Do NOT depress brake pedal)

11. Remove fob from ignition slot.
NOTE: System should now lock and unlock vehicle once, twice or five times to confirm that the system is in "Programming Mode". If locks do not cycle (lock/unlock) at least once, you need to start over.

12. Within 40 seconds, Press and hold both the LOCK and UNLOCK buttons simultaneously on the NEW fob for 2 seconds.

13. Within 3 seconds: Press remote transmitter LOCK button.
NOTE: System should now lock and unlock vehicle once to confirm registration:
A. If it does, just sit tight for 40 seconds, or open the driver door.
B. If it does not, try pressing and holding the Lock and Unlock buttons simultaneously for approx 1 second and then pressing the Lock Button within 2 seconds. You have roughly 40 seconds to re-try this final step by holding the two buttons for different amounts of time, as long as you were successful at getting the system into Programming Mode (locks cycled at end of step 11).

My experience was that the most time sensitive part of the process was the amount of time I that held the Lock and Unlock buttons down. When I held the two buttons down for 2 seconds it did not program; However when I immediately tried holding the two buttons down for 1 second (or less) it worked fine and the locks cycled when I pushed the lock button.

To exit programming mode, open driver's door.

There are some good directions at the following:
forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=36249&postid+441745
Just pretend that the key shown in the pictures is the fob for the Prius.

Genvibe is having server problems at the moment, but it seems as though the programming is the same for a Pont Vibe (aka Toyota Matrix). Coincidentally, I was also just programmed a new fob for my Vibe and when I compared with the Prius directions for the Door Locks I found them to be almost identical. Not much of a surprise since the Vibe is really a Matrix in disguise. It was these directions that mentioned steps 2 and 3 above, which seemed to make all the difference for programming the locks (at least for me). Prior to following those steps I was unable to get the system into Programming Mode despite numerous (at least 15) attempts and despite the fact that the fob programmed for starting the car on the first try.

Advice is to be patient and read the directions several times before even starting. Also, if you don't get the lock cycling at the end of step 11 you should restart, but be sure the reset the system before restarting. Reset is done by starting the car and then stoping it and then removing the fob before starting with step 1 again.

Anyway, good luck to all.

[jackman]

Originally Posted by carlconsults

I have the same problem as Roadgoat. I've gotten the silver logo fob to be able to start the car when inserted in the dash, but I can't get the programming sequence to make the lock-0unlock buttons work on the new fob. Finishing step #12, it always responds with two loc/unlock sequences to indicate that it didn't work.

Anybody else have success and can share their secret?

I had the same result as you. Only ignition fuction - no doorlocks

[patsparks]

Never give up, it will work but it isn't easy to get it dead right.