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Smart Key acting Dumb

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Loki2x, Sep 5, 2010.

  1. Loki2x

    Loki2x Junior Member

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    So I recently bought my wife a 2007 Prius. When I bought the car it only came with 1 dumb key. I went to the Toyota dealer to get a 2nd key made and when they looked up my VIN, they told me that this car is supposed to have a smart key. They said that they didn't know why it had a dumb key with it but that they could only make smart key replacements for me so they made 2 smart keys. The problem is that the smart keys they gave me don't unlock the doors automatically and they need to be in the ignission to start the car. The dumb key I had will no longer unlock the doors but will still start the car. Now they say I will need to drop the car off for a day and pay $100 for them to diegnose the problem (but not fix it).

    Does anyone know what would cause this or anything I could do about it other than going back to the dealer to get juiced for hundreds of dollars.

    I don't know if it helps, but this vehicle was previously a Zipcar.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    Make sure the button (marked KEY) under the steering column is in the OUT position. When it is pushed in, the SKS functions are disabled.
     
  3. Loki2x

    Loki2x Junior Member

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    Yes, it is in the out position.
     
  4. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Did they reseed the whole car? On your doors (driver and passenger front, and hatch) do you see black squares?
     
  5. Loki2x

    Loki2x Junior Member

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    Yes it has black squares.
     
  6. Nannyanette

    Nannyanette New Member

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    How i replace the smart key battery
     
  7. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    If the dealer made 2 smart keys for you and programmed the car to recognize the new fobs, the dealer should be responsible for making sure that the fobs work. I would take the car back and tell the dealer to prove that they actually provided you with two new smart keys. If there was a problem with the car before, the dealer should have spotted that when the car was programmed. You would think that the dealer would try the new smart keys before turning the car back to you.
     
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  8. Loki2x

    Loki2x Junior Member

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    The dealer told me they couldn't get the smart keys to work properly and didn't charge me to program them, but then told me that for $100 they would diagnose the problem.


    I assume they are going to charge me at least another hundred to actually fix the problem as well.
     
  9. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    Uhh... find a more competent dealer that knows how to program a smartkey into the prius computers?
     
  10. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    The smartkey is not programmed. The car is programmed to accept the new fobs.
     
  11. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    Ok look, there are two types of fobs - both of which can start the car:
    "Dumb fob": "Traditional remote door locking/unlocking with the buttons on the fob"
    Smartkeys: "The magical feature where the door unlocks when you approach it and car starts without you even touching the fob"

    In order for the smartkey feature to be programmed, you need the toyota diagnostic laptop. The dealer probably did the open/close door programming to make those keys into dumb fobs.

    Sources:
    http://priuschat.com/forums/knowled...lly-how-program-non-sks-key-fob-detailed.html

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-new-smart-key-fob-need-help.html#post1174451