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

Hi all,

This question is primarily for Eluo or RapidRoy, who are the only people which to the best of my understanding have programmed the FULL functionality (= start engine, lock unlock by FOB, smart functionality) of a key FOB on their own. But if anybody else knows the answer, please let me know.

Here is the question:

There are multiple posts claiming that the ONLY way to get the smart key functionality is to use a professional scan tool. And it is unclear to me what is going on. Specifically, the instructions have two parts:

- first part is to make the FOB start the engine. pretty much everybody is successful on this part

- second part is to make the FOB lock/unlcok the doors. it appears that everybody who is using a NEW, previously unused FOB (as well as those lucky ones with used FOBs that have been sparingly used by the previous owner - less than 128 times) is successful on this part.

- there is no third part in the instructions for the smart key functionality. It has been reported by many that used keys require professional programming (actually, they require advanced professional programming, by a good mechanic who knows how to do a master rest, and contact Toyota's database). It has also been reported that shops in the bay area do this job for about $100, whereas they only ask for $50 for new FOBs, as the associated programming is a lot faster/easier (no master reset needed, just add a new key).

What is not clear is the following: Doing part one and part two of the well known famous instructions, on a ***NEW*** key, somehow also programs the key to perform the smart key functionality as well? Can Eluo and/or RapidRoy, or somebody else confirm this in a definitive manner to bring some closure to this issue?

Thanks!

This thread was very helpful. My daughter bought a used 2005 Prius that came with only one fob. It is a silver-logo key with the smart key functionality. Before I found this thread I had already ordered a used silver-logo fob on eBay for $56. At first when I started reading this thread I thought I had wasted my money, but in the end I am pretty happy with the solution. This is despite the fact that the spare key does NOT have the "smart" functionality and is NOT capable of opening the doors. But the real goal was to not lose all ability to lock/unlock/start the car if the original fob is lost, and for $56 + $1.78 (for a metal-key duplicate at Home Depot) that has been accomplished.

• Plan A: Don't lose the original
• Plan B: Use the metal key to lock/unlock the doors; use the fob inserted in the slot to start the car

Like everyone else, I was able to program the used fob to start the car (in slot), but failed to program the buttons to lock/unlock the doors. If anyone has trouble programming a silver-logo fob to start the car I would suggest disabling the smart key function by pressing the "Key" button below the steering wheel while doing the programming sequence. My first programming attempt failed. Then I tried again with the button pushed and it worked. But I really don't know if that was necessary - I may have just done it wrong the first time.

Note that the metal key replacement is just a standard Home Depot key, and not one that fits in the fob. But this is actually better, since "Plan B" requires using the metal key every time you need to get into the car and it's really much more convenient to just have a separate full-sized key for that on your keychain.

All, this is to confirm that a BRAND NEW FOB with a silver logo will get FULL functionality (INCLUDING the SMART KEY functionality) if one follows the well known steps outlines in numerous posts in this thread. Since there is one thing that is not clear in these numerous posts which is probably specific to the the FOBs with a silver logo and the smart key functionality, I will repeat the steps here:

Start/stop engine (NO CHANGES over previous posts)
-------------------
1. Insert old fob into slot and remove it 4 times in a row, and insert it a fifth time but leave it in there!
2. Open and close driver door 6 times.
3. Remove old fob from slot. Car is in fob programming mode at this point. Red anti-theft light remains on.
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.

Lock/unlock doors remotely + SMART KEY functionality
--------------------
1. Open the driver door with no fob in slot and the driver door unlocked and opened. Other doors can be locked or unlocked, it doesn't matter.
2. Insert old fob into slot and remove it twice within 5 seconds.
3. Close and open driver door twice.
4. Insert and remove old fob once.
5. Close and open driver door twice again.
6. Insert old fob in slot and close door.
7. Without pressing the brake, press power button, wait a second, press it again, wait a second, press it a third time to turn car back off.
8. Remove old fob from slot. You'll be in "add mode" at this point. Car should lock and unlock doors to verify it is in add mode. (the precise number of times the car locks/unlocks the door is model specific - but it should do it at least once)
9. ***the next step is the critical one***
9(i) Older posts instruct people to do this with the new fob only for a varying number of seconds, e.g. 1,2, or 3. This probably works with the black logo FOB but not with the silver logo FOB.
9(ii) The most recent post in this thread reads: Press both buttons on old/new fob simultaneously for 4 flashes of the red LED on the fob. There are two changes over older posts here.
9(iii) NOW, For the silver logo FOBs, it turns out the precise time is not the issue, that is, 1,2, or 3 seconds, or till you get 4 flashes, doesn't matter. The issue is to do this for BOTH the old and the new FOB. One should simultaneously hold down the lock and unlock buttons of a FOB but not simultaneously do it for both FOBs holding down all 4 buttons at the same time. I did this only once so I am not 100% certain about the sequence, but this is what I think worked for me:
- first press down both buttons of the NEW FOB simultaneously, car responds with locking/unlocking TWICE (not sure this step is even needed as car responding with locking/unlocking TWICE implies this is not a programmed FOB yet for this car)
- then, say 1 second after the car stops locking/unlocking due to step above, press down both buttons of the OLD FOB simultaneously,
- then, say after 1 second, press the LOCK button of the NEW FOB. Now, IF SUCCESSFUL car responds with locking/unlocking ONCE implying this new fob is now programmed/paired with this car.
(iv) As already mentioned in previous posts, you have 40 seconds to play around with the steps in (iii) above. I had to play around a bit since it was not clear to me if one should first use the NEW FOB or the OLD FOB in the sequence of simultaneously pressing both keys. What is clear is that one needs to use BOTH FOBs
10. To end this programming, open a door or put the fob in the slot.
11. Even though I don't think it matters, I actually tried the smart key features after I drove the car for a minute while having the new fob in the slot. The smart key functionality worked fine.

Bottom-line: with a NEW key at hand there is NO NEED to pay ANYBODY to program the FOB as one can get FULL functionality by performing the steps above at home.

PS I have a 2006 SKS prius.

Thanks

Has anyone found a door/fob song and dance for removing a key? Unfortunately in the past, I programmed some Ebay keys to the slot of my 06 and 04, and now that I have the directions to program the SKS on the brand new fobs (that were bought 3 years ago), the 06 already has 5 fobs on it, and the 04 had 4, so when I try to program one to the slot, rather than flashing steadily, it flashes twice, pause, thrice, pause, repeat. This is Code 2-3, which means that the fob registry is full. I was able to program one of the new ones to my 04, but at the 2nd one, I got the Code 2-3 again. I had to buy the brand new fobs, as when the 06 came out, the SKS was different than the 04-05, so the early 06 fobs only work on 06-09, orig 04-05 only work on 04-05 (at least for SKS - you can program them to an 06-09 slot), while later 06-later fobs (at least ordered through parts) work with both the newer and older SKS (not sure if the later 06 fobs would work with both types, but I would think Toyota would be that efficient).

I know I can go to the dealer, but I simply CANNOT afford that any time soon, especially since it would involve taking both cars in.

I'm trying to get both new, unused fobs programmed to both, so my wife and I can control either car, but out of the 8 fobs I currently have (2 orig for each, 2 used Ebay, 2 new dealer), none work both cars in both the slot and SKS (4-5 work the 04 incl SKS, but only the 2 06 orig work w/SKS in the 06). If I can get the 2 Ebay fobs removed from the 04 and 06 registries manually myself, I can program the new ones to both. If there is a dance that removes all but the Master, it will at least let me re-add the 2 new ones to each car along with their Master.

If not, does anyone near Pensacola, FL have access to a THHT? ;-)

That's right. If a used fob has been used too many times on the Prius that it was originally programmed to (200 times? ... 300? ... more? I can't remember now), the SKS function can not be done without the dealer's programming tool.

Guys, here is the conclusion,If the smart keys was new & never programmed then can be done using the chicken dance way, if it was previously programmed to another vehicle then you need the dealer tool + some kind of unlock code(Pass-Code) obtained from Toyota TIS subscriber or owner of an expensive software, I did more than 25 Priuses so far,here is the link for the software I use.
Toyota / Lexus Techstream Pass-Code Calculator | eBay

My head light goes off and on. What do I check for this?

try replacing the fob battery first, if that's not it, it proly needs reprogramming.

2005 Prius Silver SKS Fob programmed!

I had to press all four buttons simultaneously on my 2005 fobs to get it to take. I tried your improvement instructions but when I pressed just the new fob lock button at the end, nothing happened.

After trying your step 9 about five times, I finally tried just pressing the lock and unlock buttons on the old fob at the same time doing it to the lock and unlock buttons on the new. Then the new fob red light flashed and the new fob works 100%.

Anyway, the local Toyota dealer sold me a new silver SKS one for $200, and would program it for me for another $100.

The parts lady gave me some grief about how it's impossible to do it, and that no one would cut my key without proof of registration. Screw them, how come $200 is not enough for those bastards?

Anyway the new SKS fob for my 2005 Prius works great! Thanks!:rockon:

I just wanted to thank the users here for posting the original directions. I followed the set from the very first post with a key I bought from Ebay "new" (black, of course, for the non-SKS '05 prius we bought with only one key). First try, and it worked like a charm. The only think I noticed that went differently was that the doors locked + unlocked only once before I held down both buttons on the new remote. When I pressed lock, it locked+unlocked once more. I stepped outside and locked it with the new fob!

This whole process took hours... hours of reading this thread, then about 2 minutes of futzing with the car.

I have just bought a used 07 Prius with just the one SKS key. Thinking of programming my own to save on paying the dealer for the privilege- maybe I didn't read the thread right (or am just being paranoid) but is there a danger of 'un-programming' the working SKS key I already have by trying to set up a new one?

I'm a first-time poster, but have utilized this forum to read-up on many questions I had prior to my Prius purchase on Dec 19th, 2011. Thanks to those that put this step-by-step together, because it worked like a charm.

Just like jqmello, I own a 2005 and purchased my fob on Ebay (however, mine was slightly used - Black Logo). Took me about 5 minutes to complete the programming and had no issue except the doors locked + unlocked only once before I held down both buttons on the new remote.

Toyota had quoted me $250 for a new fob and $150 to program it! I paid $52.50 for my Ebay fob and programmed it myself for $0, a savings of $347.50!!

Re: 2005 Prius Silver SKS Fob programmed!

Thanks to everyone who posted in this thread. I just bought a new silver fob from parts.com (they charge $20 to ship it so it cost $160 FYI) and programmed it today (to a 2007 Prius) following the instructions posted here!

I did try the amended method (below) first and it didn't work- tried again following the original instructions and it finally worked. Not sure if I was doing it wrong or what caused the problem first time around. Anyway I now have a spare key at last, thank goodness- and for less than $300!

Re: 2005 Prius Silver SKS Fob programmed!

Would you please provide the part number that you bought at parts.com?

Also Does everything work?
1-Open/Close door with your bare hand SKS KEY FOB in your pocket
2-Drive your car with SKS KEY FOB in your pocket

Thanks

Re: 2005 Prius Silver SKS Fob programmed!

Can't remember the part number offhand but it was the one listed in this thread a couple of pages back.

And yes it now does 1 & 2 (plus the remote lock/unlock).

I still need to get the metal key cut for manually opening the door.

Re: 2005 Prius Silver SKS Fob programmed!

Hi everyone,

I have an insight that might reconcile both the "NEW" instructions and other peoples experiences.

My "step 9", ie, immediately after removing the master key from the ignition, press the lock button on the master key AND WITHIN 3 SECONDS press and hold the lock and unlock key on the new key. And you're done, although it wasn't immediately obvious the new key was programmed (I had to wait a few before the car responded to the new key).

It is this short 3 second time tolerance that might be throwing people off. Other steps allow 40 seconds between them, but it appears only 3 seconds are acceptable to program the new key after hitting the master key.

Touching the new fob key's before using the master fob's lock button was NOT used, contrary to the "new" instructions.

So the new instructions might work if you're doing this fast enough, otherwise you might need to hit all 4 buttons simultaneously and this might be a substitute being fast in the interval between hitting the buttons master and the new key.

*UPDATE* - After several calls to the dealer today, they provided an additional fob. But I have to wait until next week to get it programmed. I hope we don't lose the only one we have before then!*/UPDATE*

wow - what a thread! I have just returned home with a new (used) 2008 Prius (the fifth! in my family) - and the first one with keyless entry. We bought from a recommended Toyota dealer in Ontario, Canada, and all of the Prius' I've purchased before (new and used) naturally came with 2 key fobs. We got home, celebrated!, and couldn't find the second set of keys!!

I called the Toyota dealer where I bought the car and they said we were SOL - it came with only one key fob. I have owned 5 Prius' (all on the road today!) since 2001 and this is the first disappointment. It is an amazing car.

I have read through this thread and I really don't think I understand -or should need to understand if/how I can get a functioning SKS fob for my car without out paying the dealer anything more than I just paid for the car today.

I lived in Japan for 20 years, had amazing 'first class' service from Toyota, and before the Prius, Honda, over the years. I can't believe a Toyota dealer in North America would screw a customer over over a second set of - really necessary - and expected keys to extract a few more dollars from a sale at the risk of sacrificing customer loyalty...

I will visit the dealer tomorrow - show them this thread - and hopefully this will solve the problem. If not, I am willing to go as far as I can with Toyota Canada to try and set this straight. Right now I feel like SKS = scam and I've been had.

Hi, I just got an 07 non SKS Prius a couple weeks ago. I only came with one fob and I was able to program a 2nd one bought off Ebay using the instructions on this thread. I've been reading through the posts trying to find out if it's possible to program an SKS remote (with silver logo) to work in the ignition and operate the door locks on a non-SKS car. The silver logo remotes go for a lot less on Ebay and I thought it would be nice to pick up another fob if even to only use it as an emergency ignition key.

Just like user mybluegt who posted way back on August 12, 2008, I tried to program a used silver fob using all the different methods posted on this thread and was able to get the immobilizer feature to work (I can start the car with the key in the slot) but was unable to get the door lock/unlock feature to work. Not only did I fail to get the lock/unlock buttons to work on the new fob, I also somehow managed to mess up the original SKS key, so now the smart feature on the original key doesn't work, and whenever I try to start the car while pressing the brake, I get an orange warning light that blinks (it's a key with an exclamation point). Does anybody have any idea what it could be?