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confirmation of FOB registration: 2011 Gen 3 Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by StephenFromCT, Jul 19, 2019.

  1. StephenFromCT

    StephenFromCT Junior Member

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    Good morning,

    I want to take a slightly different approach to asking a question similar to my first post. Sorry if you think I am taking up too much bandwidth.

    I recently purchased a 2011 Gen 3 Prius. I was given two FOBs, one which works and one which does not work. I am assuming the non-working FOB was one of the two original FOBs which were given to the original owner.

    The battery in the non-working FOB is new. When I press the buttons, with the normal amount of pressure, the small red LED blinks as expected.

    Unfortunately, the non-working FOB cannot unlock the door using SKS. The non-working FOB cannot start the hybrid system with the FOB in my pocket. The non-working FOB cannot start the hybrid system if the FOB is next to the Power button.

    The working FOB has all the above functions.

    I understand that it is the car's ECU (?) which is set to register the FOB.

    Who can tell me if the FOB was registered with the car's ECU? Or related, who can tell me how many FOBs are registered with the car's ECU, because I assume the car leaves the factory recognizing two FOBs?

    1) a credentialed/authorized/certified auto locksmith
    2) the Toyota dealer

    Yes, the Toyota dealer wants to sell me a new FOB. It would be nice to know, before I visit the dealer, if they have this ability.

    If the non-working FOB is registered with the car's ECU, or if there is only one FOB registered with the car's ECU, then is there an easy and inexpensive fix?

    Thanks!
     
  2. StephenFromCT

    StephenFromCT Junior Member

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    An update (I am the original poster).

    I went to the Toyota dealer, and I spoke to someone in the parts department.

    He told me it would cost $60 to attempt to register the non-working FOB with the car. If they did not succeed they still had to charge me.

    If I buy the Techstream software can I see how many SKS FOBs are registered with the car's ECU? If an analysis reveals there is only one SKS FOB registered, this would suggest it is possible the non-working FOB was forgotten or possibly deleted?

    I was reading some PDFs this weekend, and I learned that there are different ECUs in the car. It is not clear if they are simply sections of a larger "master ECU", or if they are separate circuits are the chips located in the same place or in different parts of the car.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you can do everything with tech stream, within the parameters set by toyota software engineers
     
  4. PosauneGuy

    PosauneGuy Member

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    Have you checked to see if the mechanical key from the fob works on your car? (That could verify whether or not the fob is original to the car.)
     
  5. StephenFromCT

    StephenFromCT Junior Member

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    Hello @PosauneGuy,

    Thanks for your interest.

    The seller has been very responsive to my questions. He said he was using the "non-working" FOB as his primary key, until the key chain loop broke off. Then he switched to the FOB which I am calling the "working" FOB.

    Somehow, after he stopped using the "non-working" FOB either something happened to the FOB or the car's ECU (which remembers which FOBs are registered) somehow "forgot" which key FOBs should be recognized.

    My plan is to visit the Toyota dealer, later this weekend. I will report what I learn.
     
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    ECU is just a generic term, electronic control unit. There are scads of them in your car, they're in different boxes, located in different places. One controls the engine, one the brakes, one the steering, you get the picture.

    They're not all involved in knowing what fobs are registered, just a couple. (Without refreshing my memory, I'm not sure if the info on what fobs to recognize pressed up against the power button and the info on what fobs to recognize remotely are kept in the same ECU.)

    Yes, Techstream will give you all the operations you want, how many fobs are registered, forget fobs, register new fobs, etc. As long as you have one registered working fob, you don't even need anything but the standard subscription level. The locksmith version is only needed if you've lost every fob.
     
  7. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    If you buy an ersatz Techstream cable and software off of Amazon or eBay, you must disable the wi-fi on your computer. Otherwise, it will ask you to sign in the Toyota Techstream corporate web site.
     
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  8. StephenFromCT

    StephenFromCT Junior Member

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    Hello @Georgina Rudkus,

    Thank you very much for sharing the tip about how to prevent the Techstream software from connecting with the Toyota server. I have been reading several threads about using Techstream, but your post was the first to mention shutting off (temporarily) the computer's internet connection. Makes perfect sense. Thumbs up!

    Hello @ChapmanF,

    Yes, I understand that ECU simply refers to an integrated circuit on a chip, and that they are distributed throughout the car.

    Your advice confirms (which is comforting and appreciated) what I have read elsewhere. The Techstream software can be used to delete FOBs (is this what you mean by "forget"), a useful ability if a FOB has been stolen and if you want to prevent the FOB thief from stealing your car. Plus, the emphasis from other threads is that a NEW (the word you used) VIRGIN FOB is easily registered using Techstream, but that if a FOB is used the registration becomes more complicated.

    It is still not clear to me if a used FOB which is not recognized can be registered with a car's ECU, if the process "reseeding", or if it is cheaper to buy a new virgin FOB. Yes, I am still wondering about the cost (and the different DIY requirements), because eventually I may decide that it is helpful to have three fully working FOBs.

    I did not know about a "locksmith" version of Techstream. You also mentioned that a fully working FOB is needed (which I have, but only one, so I am nervous). However, from what I have read, if all FOBs are lost then one, possibly two, of the ECUs needs to be replaced. If all working FOBs are lost the total repair is very expensive since the ECU is about $500 and each new FOB is over $200, so for for a working car and two FOBs costs almost $1000.
     
    Georgina Rudkus likes this.
  9. StephenFromCT

    StephenFromCT Junior Member

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    Hello @ChapmanF,

    When you were describing the benefits of the "locksmith" version of Techstream, did you mean the "security professional" version (which requires that the person trying to access the additional features also be a member of the NASTF Vehicle Security Professional Registry)?

    https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/appmanager/t3/ti?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=ti_home_page

    On the chart of "features", under the security category, it says the security professional version of Techstream can be used to "Immobilizer / Smart Key Reset". Is this the feature which is needed to clear a used FOB so it is recognized by car and Techstream software during the registration process as a new and virgin FOB?

    In other words, can I pay a credentialed automobile locksmith who has the security professional version to make a used FOB new and virgin? Then on my own I can try to register the FOB. This way the auto locksmith earns a few bucks, I can learn something, and I also save a few bucks.

    Or, am I still looking at the trees and not seeing the forest?
     
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    As far as I know, it isn't a different version of Techstream, just a different activation code that you can get for the same price ($65 for two days) as the normal professional/diagnostic subscription, but only if you are a locksmith.

    And there is no reason you need it, unless you are stuck with a car and no fob. It lets you re-seed the ECU(s) in the car, so it is like a newborn and trusts the first new fob it sees.

    A used, non-virgin fob can't be registered. But there are lots of sources for used, re-virginized fobs. They'll be happy to sell you one (around $80 last I looked), or some will let you send your used, non-virgin one and send it back virginized (around $20, last I looked). For efficiency, they probably send you an already-revirginized one, then re-virginize yours and send it to somebody else.