Smart Key Woes

[excuseMeButt]

My wife lost her Smart Key for our 2007 #2 Prius and hasn't been able to find it. So after several months I decided to get one off Ebay, have it programmed at the local dealership and get on with my life. I received the new key ($100 after S&H) in the mail and it is identical to my lone original key. Silver logo on the back and all.

I called my usual dealer, Greens, and they wanted $100 to program it. I called another dealer, "Reds", and they only wanted $45. Good price, so I made an appointment.

Reds had problems programmming the key (or car) and the service rep told me that it must be a different frequency key than my original, that maybe it is a Camry Hybrid key. They said they were able to get the key to start the car but not to open the doors, etc. The good news was: no charge!

I tried starting the car with the new key (in my pocket) but no such luck. I though maybe they had wiped out the programming when they saw that it wasn't going to work.

When I got home, I took the two keys apart and they have identical numbers inside.

Armed with this knowledge, I took a photo of both keys (available on request) and went back up to the dealer. No luck getting them to try again but they told me that the key would start the car but nothing else.

The only time I put the key in the ignition slot is when I drop the car off for service, so it is somewhat foreign to me. But I decided to try it. I took the original upstairs, a goodly distace away and went back to the car and put the new key in the slot. Voila, it fired up. Twice. But it still won't lock or unlock or beep the horn.

My question to the Prius gurus: Could it be the key is bad (no transmitter or receiver) or did Reds just not know how to program the key? Could it be that they used the procedure that they use to program keys without the silver logo?

I could go to Green's to find out, but they might want $100 just for trying to program the key and I'd be where I am now. Dealers probably don't want you to get your key on eBay and miss out on profits on the key. Green's wanted $225 for the key + 100 to program + $100 to laser cut the mechanical key. $425. Ouch!

Thanks for your help.

~buttster

[toyotechwv]

If you are ever in Southern WV I'd give it a try for you.

[excuseMeButt]

Originally Posted by toyotechwv

If you are ever in Southern WV I'd give it a try for you.

I'm in Lexington, KY so that would be 270 miles or about a tank of gas. Let me see what else I can get going but I might ask for your help. I wish I knew more about this thing.

Thanks

~buttster

[qbee42]

Since the fob starts the car when inserted, it is being recognized by the car. This implies that the key was successfully registered. The SKS function works with an active radio as opposed to when the fob is inserted. That radio is the one with the wrong or non-fuctioning frequency. It's likely you bought a bad fob.

Tom

[djelsewhere]

Have you tried switching the battery with the one in your working fob? From reading the manual, it looks like when the battery is dead, the proximity detection won't work, but inserting it into the key slot still will.

[excuseMeButt]

Originally Posted by djelsewhere

Have you tried switching the battery with the one in your working fob? From reading the manual, it looks like when the battery is dead, the proximity detection won't work, but inserting it into the key slot still will.

That's an idea I hadn't thought of...it makes sense and might work. When you push on any of the buttons, the red light on the fob lights up but that might not really mean that it has sufficient charge in the fob battery.

Thanks! I'll try it when the car comes home tonight.

~buttster

[excuseMeButt]

Originally Posted by djelsewhere

Have you tried switching the battery with the one in your working fob? From reading the manual, it looks like when the battery is dead, the proximity detection won't work, but inserting it into the key slot still will.

Sadly, the old battery does not work in the new fob and the new battery does work in the old fob. That's not it. But thanks for your suggestion.

~buttster

[excuseMeButt]

I bought a key from the dealer for $257 and the problem is solved. I contacted the eBay seller to request a refund. The dealer also said that once a key is programmed, it can't be reprogrammed and that may be my problem. I bought the key from someone who specializes in electronic keys and he said it was a new key.

~buttster

[Bear68]

Well, here is the bad news. Smart keys are a one shot deal. Once the key has been programmed to a car, it bond for life! It can never be Smart bonded to another car. Now the Somewhat good news, save that key. It can still be programmed to run the car by being placed in the slot. The transponder portion of the programming can be reset. It will make a nice backup to hide somewhere.

BTW Camry Smart keys look NOTHING like Prius Smart keys. They are completely silver and more of an oblong shape. There is not even a slot on the dash for the Camry SKS system. Only the power button. Avalon and Highlander are the same design as Camry. Prius remains in a class by itself.

[excuseMeButt]

Originally Posted by Bear68

Well, here is the bad news. Smart keys are a one shot deal. Once the key has been programmed to a car, it bond for life! It can never be Smart bonded to another car. Now the Somewhat good news, save that key. It can still be programmed to run the car by being placed in the slot. The transponder portion of the programming can be reset. It will make a nice backup to hide somewhere.

BTW Camry Smart keys look NOTHING like Prius Smart keys. They are completely silver and more of an oblong shape. There is not even a slot on the dash for the Camry SKS system. Only the power button. Avalon and Highlander are the same design as Camry. Prius remains in a class by itself.

I have sent the key back and the seller will give me a refund. It would be nice to have another key but I don't really want to spend the scratch right now. The bad thing is there is a guy in Texas who can start up my car...if he can get in.

~buttster