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Can you use SKS keyfob on non-SKS prius?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Baconmon, Apr 6, 2014.

  1. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    I just bought a 2005 prius from a tiny dealership who seems very clueless about toyotas..
    The prius is non-SKS because it doesn't have the black-squares on the handles..
    The guy gave me 2 keyfobs, and they both start the engine, but neither of them can unlock/lock the doors using the buttons on the keyfob..

    However, I noticed *both* of the keyfobs I have are silver toyota logo.. That means they are SKS versions, right?.. And should have 3 programmable things in it (engine, remote-doors, SKS) instead of 2 like the non-SKS keyfob (engine, remote-doors)..

    So I am wondering, is the keyfob lock/unlock button not working because I have an SKS version of the keyfob?.. Or do I have to buy a non-SKS keyfob from some where?..

    And if SKS keyfob *will* work with non-SKS prius, will doing the chicken dance make the lock/unlock buttons be able to work? even though the keyfobs aren't they ones that came with the car originally?..
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    The keys you have are not original keys, I don't think you can get the door lock features to work. The keys will only be able to start the car.

    SM-N900P ?
     
  3. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    Okay, so if that is the case, do I have to buy a *new* (completely unused) non-SKS keyfob from a dealership or some thing and then do the chicken dance?..
    Or can the chicken dance also register/link with used keyfobs that used to be linked to a different car in the past?
    I would like to buy a used non-SKS keyfob from some where for cheap if I can and try to avoid having to buy brand-new unlinked keyfob..

    Or does the chicken dance have to have a master keyfob to work from first?.. (in which case I don't have one, because my keyfobs can't unlock the doors except with metal key)..
    Would that mean I have to buy a new keyfob from the dealer AND have them program it to work with my car? (that sounds really expensive)..
     
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Or does the chicken dance have to have a master keyfob to work from first?.. (in which case I don't have one, because my keyfobs can't unlock the doors except with metal key)..
    Would that mean I have to buy a new keyfob from the dealer AND have them program it to work with my car? (that sounds really expensive)..

    You should not have bought the car without a working keyfob. You would need a master working keyfob in order to duplicate it. Since you don't have a master working keyfob, I don't believe you have any "cheap" options in getting it to work. I don't know what the part is called but it's like the brain that connects the keyfob and the car. That would need to be changed with a new set of keys to get it to work properly. Another possibility is if you buy a "used" brain and keys and install onto your car. But even the used option isn't cheap.

    You can call Steve at autobeyours.com and ask him what your options are. He refurbishes used Prius cars so he knows exactly what you need, he even sells the used parts.
     
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  5. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Baconmon,

    I do believe that if you truly want the key fobs to work correctly you will need the black logo fob and also a trip to Toyota to get it programmed to the car. The above is based on Toyota standards. It might be possible to use silver logo fobs on a base model, but I am unsure of this at this time. I suggest you check the batteries in your existing fobs. That might explain why the doors wont lock and unlock for you.

    how to replace prius fob battery - YouTube

    I do have a question. How are you locking the car up for security? Also do you have the metal key that is cut to fit the door lock on the drivers door? That key is VERY important in the event of a 12 volt battery failure to prevent you from being locked out of your Prius. In your second post you mention the key, but I am not positive you actually possess the key, therefore my concern. On the topic of the metal key, if this is your only source of unlocking the door, I strongly suggest you get a working fob ASAP. The key is really meant for emergency use only. IMO it would be better to refrain from using it on a daily purpose. Also it would be a very good idea to have a duplicate metal key made if you do not have one. Toyota can help you with all of this, for a fee of course. Three years ago I purchased a new fob for our Gen II, and the guy at the parts counter cut the key for free while I waited. The new metal key worked perfectly.

    As stated above, the "chickendance" will not work for you as you must have at least ONE fully functional keyfob to start with.

    Best of luck to you,
    Ron (dorunron)
     
  6. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You might want to check the batteries in the fob first, I find it strange you have the metal key because when a keyfob is lost, usually the metal key is lost too.

    SM-N900P ?
     
  7. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    On both of them, the red light comes on when you push the buttons, so I am assuming the batteries aren't dead yet.. Probably has more to do with SKS keyfob with non-SKS car compatibility I guess..

    Yes actually I do.. So I never leave it unlocked when I leave it..


    That is what I thought earlier! The dealer place I bought it from isn't an official big toyota place or any thing, it is just some tiny place.. The dealer guy said he had to have a locksmith get a new keyfob for the car.. But even then, neither of the keyfobs work perfectly.. I'm not sure if the locksmith person put the metal key in a different (SKS) fob, or if he cut a new key, or what...I'm not really sure.. But *both* of the keyfobs are silver logo, however, only *one* of the metal keys work.....the other metal key is cut completely differently and doesn't fit my car at all..

    I wouldn't have if I had a choice.. My circumstances are long and complicated to explain.. And the dealer guy kept saying he would have the key issue fixed (I kept calling him every day for about a week before I picked up the car).. With the first keyfob he used, the red car/key icon light blinked on the car dash the entire time you drove it.. With the newer keyfob that he got from the locksmith, the car/key icon doesn't come on any more, but that keyfob still doesn't have effective lock/unlock buttons..
    Basically my situation was that some one (family member) was loaning me this money for the car, and it was a big ordeal to even get the loan in the first place.... 99% of other priuses that were in this good of condition were way more expensive, this car was actually very cheap for a 2005 in pretty good condition, so even with the key problem that it still has, it was a good deal.. AND the family member was worn-out from getting the loan from the credit-union for me, and they were tired of me looking for a car, so they told me "If this prius deal doesn't work out, and for some reason you can't get it, then I'm not going to loan you the money, you will have to continue to drive your own car."
    My current car was/is an old 1991 toyota with crappy gas mileage (compared to a prius).. It has many other problems like exhaust leak, and power-steering-fluid leak, and the shocks are in bad condition, et cetera.. I drive around town constantly for my job, and so gas really eats in to the income that I make, so I really felt like I had no choice but to get this particular prius.. If I didn't get it, I would have to continue driving my ancient car and breathing carbon-monoxide from exhaust leak etc.. So I still think getting the prius was a good deal, even with the key problem..

    (for some reason priuschat won't let me post a post with a URL in it..weird)
    Oh thanks.. I will definitely try to email him or call him and see what information I can glean from him..

    Thanks for all of your help you guys.. One of the things I like about owning a prius now is I thought "Now I can be a part of priuschat community".. That made me happy..
     
  8. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    Okay forget him.. I contacted him and he told me it would be $15 just to TALK to him......What a rip-off, how high and mighty must this guy think he is?!?..
     
  9. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    He's not, he just gets tons of calls. He's a good guy to have on your side. Here's what I suggest you try. Use the fob that has a key "cut" to actually fit your door as the "master". With that in mind, try to execute procedure C on the Chicken dance thread. Report the results here.
     
  10. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    Okay, I will as soon as I can get a brand-new non-SKS keyfob from one of the dealerships around here, so might be a while before I can buy one.. The main dealership that I just called said they wanted $174 JUST for the keyfob and then $100 to program it to my car..o_o I don't even have that much money at the moment..
     
  11. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    No, use your other fob as if it were a brand new non sks. Report the results
     
  12. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    I'm just trying to help you. I don't know if it will work but, if we don't try, we won't know.
     
  13. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    The fob with the metal key that is completely different is from another car, just programed to start yours. The used keyfobs can be used to start the car and nothing more.

    I think your only cheap option is to get the dealership you purchased the car from to get you a working key fob.

    SM-N900P ?
     
  14. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    I don't think there is a cheap option. If it were my car, I'd likely have a full size Toyota key cut to fit my door locks and just use everything like an old style car that you have to lock/unlock with a key. After all, why do you "need" the remote lock/unlock functions to work?
     
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  15. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    Step 9 which says "9. Car should lock and unlock doors twice to verify it is in add mode.", my car actually only locks and unlocks once (meaning: Mine goes: "lock, unlock" instead of "lock, unlock, lock, unlock")..

    Also, #10 is a bit ambiguous, it says: "10. Press and hold both buttons on new fob simultaneously for a second and a half.", but there are actually 3 buttons on the keyfob.. I assume "both" means the lock and unlock buttons, right?..

    Every time, the car toggled the locks to verify that it was in add mode supposedly, but when I would hold the lock and unlock buttons on the other keyfob for about 2 seconds, and then push just the lock button on it, the car never responded.. I tried dancing about 3 or 4 times, and every time the car locks would cycle once (lock, unlock) to confirm I did it correctly, but every time I would try the steps to register the other keyfob, the car never responded again, even to tell me I failed.. So not sure why.. Both keyfobs have the red light working.. I even tried it to other way (use other keyfob as master, and other one as "new" one), but the car still didn't respond on the part where I push buttons on the keyfob..

    On a slightly different note: Can you take a look at this PDF file?.. I can't post links on priuschat (it won't let me for some reason), but if you search in google for: "05-2266 - VFAQ Prius Site", it will give you 1 result (a PDF).. Look at that PDF, it is very interesting.. It describes the chicken dance in scientific detail..
    What interests me on that PDF is the different modes you can put the car in (add mode, rewrite mode, confirmation mode, prohibition mode).....And it says that the car will lock/unlock *one* time when it is in add mode (which my car did)..
    In the PDF it says: "The rewrite mode is used to erase all the previously registered recognition codes in order to register new recognition codes. This mode is used when the transmitter or the door control receiver is exchanged for a new one."
    Is rewrite mode some thing that could possible help me I wonder?..
     
  16. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    For some reason it is buggy when I try to edit my post, but I just wanted to add: In the PDF file, the section that says "1. REGISTER RECOGNITION CODE" is actually for techstream, the part that says "2. REGISTER RECOGNITION CODE" is for the chicken dance version with out having to have techstream..
     
  17. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    Okay I went out and tried confirmation mode, which told me that there are 3 keyfobs registered to this car (none of which I have unfortunately)..
    I tried rewrite mode also, but just like add mode, the car acts like it can't detect either of the keyfobs when I press the lock/unlock buttons together and then the lock button.... The car doesn't even tell me I failed..

    So my conclusion is that these SKS keyfobs are incompatible with a non-SKS car.. The car acts like it can't sense any signals from the keyfobs at all..

    I know you seem to maintain good instructions for the chicken dance, and this is picky but, one thing you should change is
    "13. To end this programming, close then open the driver's door or put fob in the slot."
    , it should be changed to say just open the door, because the door is already closed to begin with when you reach that instruction..

    Any way, thank you for all of your help guys.. I've learned a lot about priuses just with in the few days that I have had my car..
    I called an other dealership to find out about getting a non-SKS keyfob, I think it was about the same price as the other dealership (around $150 just for the keyfob, NOT including a metal key), but they wanted *$120* to program it to work with my car! Holy crap.. I told him "Can I buy the keyfob with out paying to program it? I can program it my self" and he said yes.. So I am planning to buy that when I have the money, and then link it using chicken dance.. It would anger me if I paid $120 just to program it and then find out the service technicians just use the chicken dance to register it to the car..−_−

    Again, thanks for all of your help..
     
  18. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    To program a new key to your car (as you've lost all your keys), it's not as easy as buying a new non sks key and programming it. There's a step where you have to obtain a special code to enter before you can program, something dealers have or you can buy it on the internet black market.

    SM-N900P ?
     
  19. Baconmon

    Baconmon New Member

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    Oh, are you talking about the hand-held tester thing? and seed-codes or some thing? or miniVCI/mangoose thing? Which of those do they use to do it?..
     
  20. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You need some type of seed code

    SM-N900P ?