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I just bought a Gen 2 Prius with no keys

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by OptimumPrius, Aug 9, 2023.

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  1. OptimumPrius

    OptimumPrius Junior Member

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    Hello!

    tldr; I have just bought a car with zero keys, what's the cheapest way to get a fob to get the car please?

    long version:

    Because I enjoy a challenge, I just bought a 2009 Gen 2 Prius with no keys. I'm planning on picking up the car tomorrow(!)

    I've had a locksmith in Houston quote around $565 to give me a key that will start the car.

    I've seen some threads that say "you need to put in a new ECU" and the like, but I want to believe the locksmith who says it is possible. It's a bit steep though.

    Is there any way to buy a fob and program it to the car myself? I've seen some weird videos using Toyota Techstream and such. Any help appreciated.

    Oh, and I'm totally not a car thief, though I can see that what I'm doing sounds dodgy. I just bought the car at a public surplus auction.
     
    #1 OptimumPrius, Aug 9, 2023
  2. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    #2 jdenenberg, Aug 9, 2023
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  3. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Basically its harder than making a duplicate fob assuming you had one. A licensed locksmith or a dealer has to reinitialize the immobilizer/certification ecu to allow a new fob to be configured. Even if you had techstream you could not do it. Price it from a dealer, it might be close to the same cost.

    IMG_2543.jpeg

    IMG_2542.jpeg
     
    #3 rjparker, Aug 9, 2023
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I just bought a very nice condition 08 that I'm having trouble with the gateway communications business. So not far from me I found a red early 08 that is just been taken off the road I don't think anything is really been taken off the car worth talking about yet I can see what it'll take to get the two fobs and the computer but they work with I'll be taking the gateway the multiplexing computer maybe a few others but I don't need the security computer the fobs or any of that but can probably get them for very cheap The guy supposed to call me Sunday when he gets back in town from vacation The car is really nice looking car looks like it was well taken care of generally speaking I personally do not need the fobs or it's related computer.NC USA..
     
    #4 Tombukt2, Aug 10, 2023
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  5. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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    #5 alftoy, Aug 10, 2023
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  6. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Call a dealership and once you get their price, you won't think the locksmith is "a bit steep" at all.
    Likely a dealer will want twice or 3 times that price.

    And either of them probably will want to see a title in your name before doing it.
     
    #6 sam spade 2, Aug 10, 2023
  7. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    I hope it was really, really, really cheap, because that would mean you wouldn't have been able to check for existing problems, other than by visual inspection.
     
    #7 pasadena_commut, Aug 10, 2023
  8. OptimumPrius

    OptimumPrius Junior Member

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    Thanks for the lead Jeff
     
    #8 OptimumPrius, Aug 10, 2023
  9. OptimumPrius

    OptimumPrius Junior Member

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    Thanks @rjparker - very insightful. The man in the van with the special software and security clearances came out and made a fob that worked. Kind of. He brought the wrong fob, so it won’t unlock the doors (my model is base and needed a dumb fob, he bought the smart one)

    still, the car starts and runs and he cut a physical key to get me in and out.
     
    #9 OptimumPrius, Aug 10, 2023
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  10. OptimumPrius

    OptimumPrius Junior Member

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    the local dealership wouldn’t pick up the dang phone, so man in a van got my business.
     
    #10 OptimumPrius, Aug 10, 2023
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  11. OptimumPrius

    OptimumPrius Junior Member

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    Yeah, a smarter person would’ve got a car locally with more chance to inspect. I swear the car didn’t have a giant crack in the windshield in the auction photos. But it seems to run okay - fleet maintained by the city. Shame the climate control screen is blank - bit that’s how the cookie crumbles when you take chances!
     
    #11 OptimumPrius, Aug 10, 2023
  12. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    So why did the 'man in the van' not go and get the correct fob and do the job properly? I would not have accept that, personally.
     
    #12 dolj, Aug 11, 2023
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  13. JohnPrius3005

    JohnPrius3005 Active Member

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    Sometimes you just gotta take what you can get- paraphrasing Bruce Springsteen

    congrats on getting a car that runs!! How cheap was it?
     
    #13 JohnPrius3005, Aug 11, 2023
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  14. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Well I guess if going to a junkyard and getting the SKS computer and the for the non-SKS computer in the other bits in the car that run the door locks and the fob or two that usually I get they're laying in the junk car when I go so you got it done for cheaper than that I would assume but that's a great thing at least it's working but you have no MFD but you have no codes and communication errors in the system so I guess just a bad MFD they're pretty easy to round up too.
     
    #14 Tombukt2, Aug 11, 2023
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  15. OptimumPrius

    OptimumPrius Junior Member

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    I was out on a limb with a vehicle in a city asset disposal lock up. He said he’d have to order the right fob, and I didn’t have time to hang about. There’s a deadline to remove your auction purchase.

    Not the best outcome, but I did get a running car and can address at my leisure now for a second fob
     
    #15 OptimumPrius, Aug 11, 2023
  16. OptimumPrius

    OptimumPrius Junior Member

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    thanks to you and the, er, Boss.
    It wasn’t cheap enough, but it’s okay I think:

    108k miles, 2009 base model for $3900 + tax.


    Of course, I didn’t notice the cracked windshield and didn’t anticipate a burnt out climate control screen, but that’s the risk I guess of buying a car with no key
     
    #16 OptimumPrius, Aug 11, 2023
  17. JohnPrius3005

    JohnPrius3005 Active Member

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    Given the current car market that's not bad. Miles are reasonable, and it runs. I'd call it a win.
     
    #17 JohnPrius3005, Aug 11, 2023
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you got a great car with low miles. some investment here and there will be well worth it.

    start reading up on battery and brake actuator for the if and when, and track oil usage closely.

    all the best!
     
    #18 bisco, Aug 11, 2023
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