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Smart Key Woes

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by excuseMeButt, Dec 17, 2007.

  1. excuseMeButt

    excuseMeButt Member

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    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
     
  2. toyotechwv

    toyotechwv Toyota Technician

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

    excuseMeButt Member

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    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
     
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    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
     
  5. djelsewhere

    djelsewhere New Member

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    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.
     
  6. excuseMeButt

    excuseMeButt Member

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    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
     
  7. excuseMeButt

    excuseMeButt Member

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    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
     
  8. excuseMeButt

    excuseMeButt Member

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    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
     
  9. Bear68

    Bear68 Member

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    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.
     
  10. excuseMeButt

    excuseMeButt Member

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    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
     
  11. Bear68

    Bear68 Member

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    Hmmmm.... You can always ask the dealer who programs your new smart key to erase all the old codes and allow only the keys you bring them. With the TechStream it is a simple matter and they should have no reason to charge any more. At my dealership we charge 1 hour labor to program a new smart key since there are actully two parts to the procedure, 1: program the transponder portion 2: program the smart entry portion (which also covers the smart start portion)

    Just be sure to bring ALL the keys you have for the car with you!
     
  12. excuseMeButt

    excuseMeButt Member

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    I only had the original key, the eBay key and then the dealer purchased key. Hopefully, my wife will find the key she lost and it will work.

    Thanks for your advice.

    ~buttster
     
  13. excuseMeButt

    excuseMeButt Member

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  14. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Errrr ~ Don't know where you heard that. I bought a PREVIOUSLY USED & PROGRAMMED SKS fob (now have a total of four) on Ebay. The Toyota dealer reprogrammed the SKS function to our '04 just fine. On the other hand, used fobs MAY have dead features, and thus, as you mentioned, only some functions will reprogram (ignition, remote lock/unlock).
     
  15. eddie27970

    eddie27970 Junior Member

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    Bought my extra Smart Key off Ebay, and had it programed ...for free, when mechanic did some other work on my 05 Prius.

    But what I did was ask Parts Dept. what their part number was for an extra key for my car. And then searched Ebay for that part number. They said if the part numbers match, then it can be programed. Mine, off Ebay was sealed, new in package, with original Toyota part number on plastic bag, unopenned, never before programed, for something like $90.00's, total of less than $100.00 with shipping.

    At time I did this, seller had several new, never programed, same part numbers. That was about 7-months ago. Do not know if still listing them? Let me know if you need part number, and I wil search my Ebay history, and hope it is still there. Good Luck.

    BTW, I keep extra in car, but had to wrap it in aluminum foil in order to lock car with one I keep in pocket. Extra is for Wife's use when we travel together, like weekends only.
     
  16. northw

    northw New Member

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    I had the same results as the first poster today, I bought a used fob off of Ebay, had it programmed by the dealer, who told me they couldn't get the smart key or the remote buttons to work. They seemed to know what they were doing, and basically blamed the problem on the used fob. I was in autozone later in the day, and surprised to see an rf tester for key remotes, basically a battery check. I checked it and pushing the buttons , the tester light lit for both remotes so....
    I had read up on threads on reprogramming used remotes and was aware of the different opinions on the subject, it seems too variable, I'd blame my dealer, but they, (two different service advisers), told me they regularly do it. Cost was $37 after complaining, would have been $55 had it worked.
    I did call back to check, and yes I do need a fully functioning fob for programming another on, or spend $200 plus wiping out the computer , and totally reprogramming that function for my car ( assuming I have my partial functioning fob in the ignition slot to get it there).
    With one functioning smart fob I'm shopping again. [​IMG]
     
  17. Priusfan1

    Priusfan1 New Member

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    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bear68 [​IMG]
    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.

    Errrr ~ Don't know where you heard that. I bought a PREVIOUSLY USED & PROGRAMMED SKS fob (now have a total of four) on Ebay. The Toyota dealer reprogrammed the SKS function to our '04 just fine. On the other hand, used fobs MAY have dead features, and thus, as you mentioned, only some functions will reprogram (ignition, remote lock/unlock). __________________
    I Heart My Prius Chat



    Are you sure this is possible? You are the first and only person who has ever said this. If so please let me know which dealership you went to.

    Thanks
     
  18. Shelah

    Shelah New Member

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    ----USA----
    I have a similar problem. I have a 2008 Prius. My smart key works fine. My husband's smart key physically broke; I ordered a new fob for him on Amazon, switched in the chip from the old key, and brought it to a dealership to have it programmed. They said they didn't do anything and it works. It doesn't work if you insert the fob into the dash but it did start the car as a smart key. I brought it to another dealership and they also said it was fine but you could only start the car without plugging in the fob. For a few weeks the new fob would start the car if and only if you didn't try to plug it in. Now, remember, it's my car and my own fob has always worked. At one time or another I pushed the key button under the steering column so you had to insert the key to start the car because that's how I prefer to drive. I've since pushed it again so you can start it without inserting the key and it works for my own key, but we can no longer start the car with my husband's fob. Any ideas?
     
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!

    and if you push it again, does his work?
     
  20. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    When you say:
    do you mean the little black RFID chip, or the printed circuit board (PCB)? If you didn't move the RFID chip over as well, it will not start the car in the slot. Also, please note, when you transfer the contents of a key fob over from an old case to a new case (both parts), you do not need programming of any kind. It will just work if done correctly.


    This is the RFID chip:

    Prius Key Fob RFID Chip 2.png