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Techstream Key Fob Programming – Step by Step with pics

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Prius_Gnome, Apr 18, 2020.

  1. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I didn't buy any but that's what several locksmiths locally have said they buy their parts through some dealer network of the car they're working on usually they don't usually mess with too much of the aftermarket stuff unless it's known to really work
     
  2. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    I took the fob from our old gs450h that didn't get included when it was traded in, and coded it to my car without issues.

    you know when you take a sick animal to the vet and next thing you know you've spent thousands on medicines and tests? I feel all of those locksmiths are worst than the vet trying to get folks to pay new OEM prices...
     
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I haven't tried the programming steps in tech to fit any new remotes I got two with my car One has died still works if you plug it into the key slot It starts the car but the green board is failed and won't unlock or do anything else no SKS My other remote was in perfect condition for the same car and was never used and was in the drawer I'm using it now and it should hold up to 600K I hope.. it's like new
     
  4. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    well, next time I'm in NC.. will let you know. I carry a mongoose, open port and now trying to find a Bluetooth techstream compatible device. If you come across a used key, get it. hold it and ill add it for you.
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Will do I generally have a few here and pick up more all the time when I'm at LKQ various jobs what have you I used to have practically a yard full of these things I've got ones that open the van door side door four buttons on them etc etc I just throw them all in a drawer but luckily now all three of my prii I'll have perfectly working remotes if people just leave them out of the wash and whatnot they should last till all these cars are going One would think.
     
  6. mattinnc

    mattinnc New Member

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    Is it possible to use Techstream on Gen2 to add a new fob, using similar steps?
     
  7. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    i plan to find out!
     
  8. mattinnc

    mattinnc New Member

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    I was able to get the new fob configured using Techstream v12!
     
  9. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    newer versions didnt work?
     
  10. mattinnc

    mattinnc New Member

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    That was the version I found online, I didn't try any others because it did what I needed.
     
  11. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    ah. curious if you ever get to it, if it works to bleed the brakes. I've yet to find anyone using higher than that 12.3 I believe version and it was with a minivci... ill be doing that song and dance in a week or so after swapping a used part thinking it would work when all says just go new... just go new and do both is what I'll tell folks.

    other advice for folks reading... just get a USB 3.0 or newer 128gb flash drive, install windows 7 or whatever you want to it to run only techstream, and you can boot to it like a normal computer on your current computer... no need for all the VM stuff.
     
    tianmaire likes this.
  12. Jack Maniaci

    Jack Maniaci Junior Member

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    I also ran into this problem yesterday. I had issues getting a Virtual Machine with guest access to the host computer's USB port to work on my regular 64 bit computer (HyperV made enabling USB guest access very difficult without making potentially dangerous changes to the registry; VirtualBox kept freezing up during installation) so my backup solution was to try a 32-bit junker laptop with a cracked screen (still running Windows Vista in 2024!).

    I can't prove it, but my hunch is that many of the more recent bootleg versions of Techstream out there (specifically those bundled with a Mini VCI cable and sold on eBay) have been modified to play nicer with a 64-bit OS than previous versions; this may cause issues in a 32-bit OS. I infer this because after installing Techstream 18.00.008 on the 32-bit Vista laptop from an obviously-bootlegged eBay disc, I had the exact same experience where neither "Health Check" nor "Utility" buttons would show up. Techstream must have successfully connected to my Prius, as I could see a log of past troublecodes when I double-clicked on one of the various yellow car system buttons. But the two buttons I needed to clone my key just never materialized.

    I just wanted to share my own solution - in the end, I wound up uninstalling Techstream V 18.00.008 from the 32-bit Vista laptop, and then reinstalling a much older version, namely V 9.10.037 (sourced from torrents). I then copied and pasted the same "TSLoader" file that had come packaged with V 18.00.008 into the /bin subfolder of the Techstream installation files for V 9.10.037 and ran TSLoader instead of directly opening the actual Techstream executable file. Somehow, this worked - suddenly the Health Check and Utility buttons appeared, and I was able to clone two key fobs pretty quickly.

    I can't say for certain that the OS architecture was the deciding factor, but at the very least it paid to try starting over with a substantially older version of the software. I think at least some, if not all of the YouTube videos where people get garden-variety bootleg Techstream V. 18 to function properly are working with a 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 virtual machine. The fact that it worked for them but not for me when using my 32-bit Vista leads me to believe that if you're using a 32-bit clunker, older versions of software are the way to go.
     
  13. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    They have that makes really good sense I have the dealer version of tech on the dealer's computer and still haven't cloned any keys Don't know where to get the special keys or the numbers or all that nonsense from luckily thank God I haven't needed any of that I'm generally very lucky I get a good fob with every car and it pretty much just stays in the car forever once in a blue moon I have to go to an area where I have to lock the car and it goes in my pocket and SKS is activated then I have to remember to take it out of my pocket put it back in the car and turn the SKS off because where I live in the town I live in car stealing is really not a thing borrowing stealing whatever just really doesn't happen
     
  14. Jack Maniaci

    Jack Maniaci Junior Member

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    The OP in this thread has a link to buy tokens for reseeding, I think. But I'm also grateful I didn't have to resort to these. It sounds like they work, but I think that if I absolutely had to virginize an old fob, I would use an unlocking service (assuming all original keys aren't lost). Depends on how urgently you need new keys made, I suppose.
     
  15. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    So far we haven't then we're going to try and keep it that way If I get too fobs one gets marked and put in the drawer with no battery in it just sits there The ones I get a single fob with batteries are in them SKS is off and they're generally in the car and not to be taken out unless you're going into a high crime area or you can't see the car from where you're getting your coffee or whatever but all the crazy stories make me not want to have to deal with it I wish the car had a real key slot credit card slot something that could bypass all the wirelessness of everything I guess that's what the slot is for but you're not careful in your fob doesn't match the transponder chip or what have you then you're in a mess