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Finally! How to program a non-SKS key/fob. Detailed!

Discussion in 'Knowledge Base Articles Discussion' started by amethystjw, Mar 1, 2008.

  1. aminorjourney

    aminorjourney Mum to two prius!

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    I am really interested to know if this will enable you program one fob for use in two different Prius.

    I was told by the local dealer that this wasn't possible. I'd be very pleased if there was a way to use one fob to start two different cars. This is because I'm always putting the wrong fob in the slot and then wondering why the car won't work! Both key fobs are identical. If there was a way of just carrying one fob around I'd be very happy.


    Any thoughts?

    Nikki.
     
  2. Fraser

    Fraser New Member

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    Nikki, why are you putting the fob in the slot? Just carrying it should be sufficient.

    As to your question, I'm thinking the circuitry in the fob isn't capabale of reading two sets of instructions that would apply to two different cars. Second thought: Might it be possible to program the cars to accept a single fob? Again, security becomes an issue; and if you sell one car, there's the problem of re-programming it.
     
  3. aminorjourney

    aminorjourney Mum to two prius!

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    Hi Fraser,
    I'm in the UK. We don't have the SKS offered on the UK spec Prius.

    It causes a bit of bother whenever we've been driving stateside though as our family one there does have SKS. We have to rely on actually pushing the fob into the slot otherwise nothing happens! The idea of carrying one key to start two cars was tempting, that's all :)

    Reprogramming wouldn't be an issue. We'd keep two normal sets of keys and use a third set to reprogram. I think though that the ECU is probably going to have to be blanked to accept the same key for both cars. Which is a shame...

    Nikki.
     
  4. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    You should be able to use a single fob in the dash of two different cars. The metal key obviously is only going to work on one car. The remote buttons (and SKS system) probably cannot be made to work on two cars.

    First, label each fob. A sticky label or a piece of colored tape will do. Next take a car 1 fob, and add it to car 2. Use the 5 step sequence described at the beginning of this thread. Assuming it works (and it probably will), you now have a fob that works in the dash of both cars. The buttons only work on car 1, as does the metal key. Have a copy of the car 2 metal key made (a standard Toyota blank will do, it does not have to be the little keyfob key), and attach it to the keychain of car 1 fob. The car supports a maximum of 5 different fobs.

    You now have a fob that has full function on car 1. You can use the copied metal key to get in the door of car 2. The fob also will work plugged into the dash of either car.
     
  5. Fraser

    Fraser New Member

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    Sorry for being confused. I'm still adjusting to different procedures in different countries, as well as the unique culture that is Prius Chat. HMPH! I'm still adjusting to text messaging, which I don't even do.
     
  6. mybluegt

    mybluegt New Member

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    :confused: I tried to program a second FOB (silver logo), I got it to be able to start the vehicle, but unable to program it to unlock the doors. I know that it would not be able to use as SKS, but I had allready bought it. But, now my master fob will not work as SKS unit. It will unlock the doors and start the car. It works like the black one would work. Is there anything I can do, by self programing or am I going to have go to the dealer and pay to have it programed?
     
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  7. jelloslug

    jelloslug It buffed right out!

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    Push the SKS button under the steering column a few times and see if that helps. I have read a few times here when people have had the dealer work on SKS stuff that they had to cycle the SKS button a few times for everything to work properly.
     
  8. eddie27970

    eddie27970 Junior Member

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    I've got extra silver logo fob from an 05 that summer-salted. Bought another 05, smart key silver logo. Was trying to program spare silver logo to simply lock/unlock and start, not to concerned if has to come out of my wife's pocketbook and be plugged. (It'd be spare for wife to use.) But got worried I'd somehow cause my original to stop working, like in above post.

    Also have an 04 Prius, basic, black logo fob, wife's car. Would be great if I could program her black logo fob to lock/unlock and start my 05 smart entry and start silver logo Prius. Anyone successful at this?:smash:]

    Anyone able to get silver logo to lock/unlock and start, as if it is black logo? I see where start seems to work. And anyone screw up the smart function by all this in/out open/close, touch your nose and wiggle your ears? :help:

    I was using a vague set of instructions for about an hour today, and tried many variables. at one point when I pressed both lock and unlock buttons, door locks went nutts! :eek: the new fob I was trying to program (silver) was causing the doors to lock/unlock over and over, again and again. Scared me. :confused: Was glad when original still worked. Gave up, and decided to read some more in here. :)
     
  9. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    Back before this file was posted I did a lot of fiddling with adding a keyfob. I managed to add a used keyfob for the keyslot function, but couldn't get the remote stuff to work.

    When I tried to add another keyfob, I couldn't do it. I obviously didn't really know which of my random wing flapping had worked. But I did manage to delete all of my keys except 1. The ADD function seems blocked for silver logo keyfobs, but the DELETE function works fine. There is a sequence where you do something twice, and I tried something like five or six times.

    Cost me $46 at Art's Automotive to get it all straightened out. The original two keyfobs have full function, and the two used ones only work when plugged into the dash.
     
  10. eddie27970

    eddie27970 Junior Member

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    Thanks RobH. I tend to believe the silver logo fob system must be different, and I stand a good chance of deleting the one good one that works. My spare silver logo fob (left over from wrecked 05 sks) may not be able to be programmed to my new 05. Toyota said a spare has to be "new" as in never programmed before, in order for them to add it to a car. And I've seen that in here also. I just hate to throw it away. but....
     
  11. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    I think it's safe to program the keyslot function with the 5 step procedure described as "The Fob (for operating the car)". The 13 step function, or at least a modified version of it, is where I ran into trouble.

    It's nice to have an extra keyfob as a backup, even if it doesn't have the remote functions.

    Part of the sequence that the keyfob sends is a counter of how many times a button has been pressed. The security computer in the car keeps track of that counter, and refuses to accept anything that has been used before. Apparently the ADD function requires that counter to be a very low number, such as would be the case with a new keyfob.

    Nobody has reported back on what happens if you try to add a used keyfob using the immobilizer reset. This is the function that a dealer can use to handle the situation of all keyfobs being lost. My guess is that it might work, both with new and used keyfobs.

    There have been several reports of a technician having trouble programming the car to accept a new/used keyfob. After much cursing, and a call to the Toyota technical help line, something magic happens and the keyfobs are made to work. So there's the standard function which sometimes fails, and the magic one that works if the technician jumps through enough hoops. It's much easier to just reject a keyfob that doesn't work and get another new one from the parts department.
     
  12. puckplayer

    puckplayer New Member

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    Hi all, I've read through this and other threads and am still looking for some help as I'm not the brightest. :)
    So, I have an 08 SKS. I've lost one of the fobs, have the other. What I'm curious about is:
    Can I get a non-SKS fob (from eBay or elsewhere) and use the programing steps above to have it work as a unlock/lock doors (by pressing the buttons, aka non-SKS mode) and when put into the key holder start the car?

    So, if that works I would have one SKS key doing it's SKS thing and one non-SKS key which would still lock/unlock doors and allow me to start the car when it's put into the key holder.

    Thanks all for your responses in advance.
     
  13. eddie27970

    eddie27970 Junior Member

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    Well, it's the weekend now. And I'll be out in my 05 Smart Key Prius, flapping doors, inserting & removing, probably a million times, trying to 1. get my old silver logo from an earlier smart Prius to work with my current one, and/or 2. getting my wife's 04 non-smart black logo fob lock/unlock start my car. Wish me luck.

    It's a good thing I live in country, no neighbors to laugh at me. Just my dog, looking at my like i'm nutts. ha ha

    by the way, what does "fob" stand for?
     
  14. puckplayer

    puckplayer New Member

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    Hey Eddie, let us know how it goes. Particularly interested in if you can get the non-smart black ones working on your car. Again your car is a smart key one right?
     
  15. eddie27970

    eddie27970 Junior Member

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    PuckPlayer, I just came back in from flapping car doors, and Jammin key fobs till I have tennis elbow. Only part I am able to get is the insert fob start function. I am working with both prius-es, the 04 non-smart, and the 05 smart. I came back in to see if there is some other instructions for the lock/unlock.

    No problem taking one key fob and inserting it to starting both cars. My 05 smart fob will now start my wife's 04 non-smart. when inserted. And her non-smart (black logo) will start my 05, when inserted . But I cannot get none of the lock/unlock's to work. And I have altered the steps several different ways. At the last step, I can only get the response of the car, itself, cycling the door locks one-time. (not the two cycles, to indicate it is in the add mode.) At this point, if I proceed, and press both buttons on the adding fob, the car responds with two-cycles of lock/unlock, indicating it did not work.

    as to a spare for my 05 smart prius, looks like i will get the metal key cut for the door locks, and have it with one of the extras that will start when inserted.

    Anyone know some other steps (variations) to try? ....for the remote door lock? It would seem these instructions are "close" because the car does go into some sort of function (cycle one time), just not the right one for adding another fob to the door lock computer.
     
  16. eddie27970

    eddie27970 Junior Member

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    E L 009-07 PROGRAMMING OEM WIRELESS DOOR LOCK REMOTE TRANSMITTERS ?00 ? ?08 Applicable Models Technical Service BULLETIN

    Don't know if you-all can copy and paste this link, but it is the Toyota T.S.B. for programing door locks--very similar--to what is in this thread, but it is only good for up to 2003 Prius. ...nothing on 04 and newer. I am still looking and trying. Here is someone's rewrite of this same TSB

    Remote Transmitters

    Here again, it refers to ignition "lock" and "unlock" ...conventional metal key in conventional turn key starter cars....not these plastic fob inserted into slots.

    My Prius is reacting to these instructions. ...all except the add another transmitter part. That is still in the cycle 1-time, not the needed 2-times for add another.
     
  17. Jeremy

    Jeremy New Member

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    Thank you so much for posting this. When my wife and I bought our Prius (used) it only came with one fob, and buying one from Toyota for $250 total was not appealing. The new key from ebay came in Friday, and using these instructions it took all of 5 minutes to get it totally programmed and working both the ignition and door locks.

    Thanks!
     
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  18. snengnr

    snengnr New Member

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    sorry if this is not the right thread to ask my question under, but i'm new to this stuff

    Ok, so I just bought an 08 Prius that was actually used (I know, unbelievable) yesterday. My key is a regular fob, with locking and unlocking mechanism. that's great, except they didn't have a spare key at the Toyota dealership. So....does anybody know where I can by a spare key. I would LOVE to keep the fob key i have now, and get a cheap smart key that can be programmed to my prius, that way I could make the new smart key my primary key, and the current fob key my backup just in case i lose the smart key (which i'm especially proned to doing)
     
  19. Nords

    Nords Member

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    $52 "dumb" 2007 Prius key fob off eBay from Scottsmen1.

    After much searching, $8.20 blank key from Servco Toyota Honolulu. These don't appear to be available from retail key cutters/locksmiths, but I hope I'm wrong. Servco wasn't very easy to deal with but hopefully they are not the typical blank-key experience. Our kid was driving the car at the time I was getting the blank, so I didn't have the original registration in my hot little hands. It took me two photo IDs, a copy of the registration, my best innocent smiley-face demeanor, and some faceless manager's command decision to get them to give it up.

    Then Servco they insisted that they couldn't cut it because they couldn't determine the key number (mentioned in the owner's manual but lost by our previous owner). Apparently that was the best excuse they could come up with, because the key guy in the basement of Pearlridge Sears smirked at the story and cut the key in about two minutes for $2.60. Works fine.

    I tried the fob-in-the-dashboard programming about five times. On the fifth attempt, I rolled up all windows and fastened my seatbelt. I don't know if that made the difference but it completed after 70 seconds with an audible dashboard "click".

    The fob programmed for the door locks on the first try, but I didn't understand the indication. Our 2006 Prius door locks make one "ka-chunk-a" sound when locking and the same sound when unlocking. So for the first half-dozen attempts (as I was looking at fobs, directions, and everything except the actual door lock) I kept hearing "ka-chunk-a, ka-chunk-a" and thinking that the door locks were cycling twice. It turns out that's just one cycle.

    So now the third fob is ready for the day that one of the other fobs goes surfing...
     
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  20. snengnr

    snengnr New Member

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    Thanks Nords!

    Okay, so one more question...if you buy a sks fob (silver Toyota logo on back that doesn't have to be in ignition dock) as a spare...can you program it with a car that has only been programmed with a regular fob (black Toyota logo on back that must be in the ignition dock)??

    if so, is the reverse also true? would these same instructions apply

    08 Prius Package 2 (i think)