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Can an SKS prius use a non-SKS keyfob?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by tmorrowus, Nov 6, 2005.

  1. tmorrowus

    tmorrowus Member

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    I've decided to hide a keyfob inside my Prius with battery removed, so that if I somehow lose the keyfob I carry, I will still be able to drive my car home. I've tried this out and it works... I can get into the Prius with an old fashioned mechanical key that I carry in my bag, and then find the batteryless fob, put it in the dash slot, and start the Prius.

    Since non-SKS keyfobs are cheaper, and because I don't really need SKS for this emergency fob, I was wondering if it would be possible to have a dealer program my SKS Prius to work with a non-SKS fob. Anyone tried this?
     
    #1 tmorrowus, Nov 6, 2005
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Yes, it should work fine.
     
    #2 efusco, Nov 6, 2005
  3. tmorrowus

    tmorrowus Member

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    Thanks Evan for your thoughts. What leads you to this conclusion? Anyone actually tried this?

    It seems likely that the Prius itself wouldn't be able to tell the difference between an SKS and non-SKS keys when operating in non-SKS mode. It also seems likely that the fob programming tools that Toyota dealers use would use the non-SKS mode while reading the id of the fob, since it's simpler and more universal.

    The part that concerns me most is whether there might be some validation logic that prevents the programming of a non-SKS fob on an SKS prius.
     
    #3 tmorrowus, Nov 7, 2005
  4. MadHungarian

    MadHungarian Member

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    My dealer's service dept. said there are no incompatibility problems and that it it could use my sks unit to cut and program a non-sks back-up unit in a new york minute. BUT, the price differential between the two is inconsequential (between $20 andd $30, as I recall), especially when we are talking about a $25,000+ car and one can just remove the battery if/when it is hidden under/in the car.
     
    #4 MadHungarian, Nov 8, 2005
  5. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    You could take the battery out of the SKS unit and it should work. That would be the same thing would it not?
     
    #5 hdrygas, Nov 8, 2005
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