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Prius C-3...affordable spare key options?

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by soberups, Jul 18, 2012.

  1. soberups

    soberups Junior Member

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    We bought our first Prius, a new C-3, yestersday. It has the keyless ignition, and came with two fobs. I like having a 3rd key for all of my vehicles to keep in my safe as a spare, but when I called the dealership to ask about having a 3rd key and fob made, they quoted me $489.:eek: Any suggestions for more affordable options?
     
    #1 soberups, Jul 18, 2012
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Maybe if you tell them that you want to return the car and get your money back because Prius' have always come with three sets of keys and if they can't provide that you'll find a dealer who will?
     
    #2 PriusCamper, Jul 18, 2012
  3. SILVERCwSUN

    SILVERCwSUN Member

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    None that I am aware of. The other question I have is do you get any warning before the battery in the FOB gives up the ghost?
     
    #3 SILVERCwSUN, Jul 18, 2012
  4. soberups

    soberups Junior Member

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    I dont know. This is our first ever Prius and it is only one day old. The fob does have a small key inside of it that will allow the lock to be opened manually, and there is some sort of magnetic transponder in the fob that will allow the keyless ignition to operate even if the battery is dead. You just have to hold the fob right up against the power button.

    How many keys and fobs did you get when you bought your car?
     
    #4 soberups, Jul 19, 2012
  5. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Never read on Prius chat about people getting less than 3 keys when buying new... And all us used Prius buyers by default have expensive Prius spare key replacement problems. (we do lots of reading on the subject). I could be wrong, but, this isn't the first time I noticed a new Prius buyer didn't get three sets of keys...
     
    #5 PriusCamper, Jul 19, 2012
  6. GruveeGuru

    GruveeGuru Moonstone

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    I only rec'd 2 sets for my C4, and I'll bet that's all you get with the C models with smart key functions.
     
    #6 GruveeGuru, Jul 19, 2012
  7. WaspE

    WaspE New Member

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    Congrats on the new car, I got a C3 as well. Out here in Cali, I too only received 2 keys. My last car only had 1 key, so I was pleased with 2.
     
    #7 WaspE, Jul 19, 2012
  8. SILVERCwSUN

    SILVERCwSUN Member

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    Two is all you get. If you want a third....payola :D
     
    #8 SILVERCwSUN, Jul 19, 2012
  9. Mr Incredible

    Mr Incredible Chance favors the prepared mind.

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    I got three with mine. C4.
     
    #9 Mr Incredible, Jul 19, 2012
  10. BlackPC2

    BlackPC2 New Member

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    I only got 2 keys with my C2
     
    #10 BlackPC2, Jul 19, 2012
  11. TC400

    TC400 Active Member

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    I only got 2 smart keys with my C3.
     
    #11 TC400, Jul 19, 2012
  12. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Mine came with two...but it's a plain old G3.

    Yeah, it's a bummer, huh?
    All that money that you're about to save in Gas?
    Toyota wants some of it back!!!

    I think I'd pop a flare over my dealer over this if the car is only one day old...find out who the owner is and fuss at them a little. No....I don't think that they should give you another fob for free...but $500???
    You know what P.T. Barnum says? ;)

    OK....so maybe things aren't as bad as you may think.
    Fobs are re-programmable for the G2's and the G3's. No...you don't need to replace the ECU, you just have to find the right locksmith, and buy a used fob. I'm thinking that if you're out there on the left coast, there might be one or both near you. I'm also thinking that there isn't a huge difference between the keyless systems for a G3 and the trial-size Prius, although I'd be looking into this before I spent a new i-thing's worth of money only to find out that a little research would have saved me 80-percent of that money.

    A few years ago, there were (and today there still may be) Toyota dealerships that charged people hundreds of dollars for a fob and told them that this is the only way on the planet that you can get one for "this new car."
    I have no problem with the first part. I'm reluctant to become a Toyota owner because of things like the second. ;)

    Good luck with the new car!!!
     
    #12 ETC(SS), Jul 19, 2012
  13. cornflakes

    cornflakes Junior Member

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    2 with my C3 also.
     
    #13 cornflakes, Jul 19, 2012
  14. rioe

    rioe Junior Member

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    Yeah you will get a warning on the info display. Refer to the thread below.

    Key battery low on info display?!? | PriusChat
     
    #14 rioe, Jul 19, 2012
  15. SquallLHeart

    SquallLHeart The Techie Guy

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    if you have smart keys (i.e. C3 or C4).. you should only get two of them.

    for the C1 and C2.. two masters with the remote.. and a plain valet key.
     
    #15 SquallLHeart, Jul 19, 2012
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