Reprogramming fob for 2006 Prius - revisiting the chicken dance

I thought I would share my experience of programming a new key fob. There are still quite a few people out there with old models for whom this might be useful.

I have a 2006 Prius and I recently lost my everyday set of keys. I have a backup master key. The key for my Prius is all black – non smart.

I then bought a refurbished fob off eBay but noted that it was a Japanese import.

I followed the programming procedure described in Prius chat by usnavystgc in 2011.

PROCEDURE A
This procedure (steps 1. through 5.) is to be used for both the black and chrome logo key fob. This will program the fob to Start/stop engine while it is inserted into the key port. All new fobs should be programmed for this regardless of logo or SKS functionality
-------------------
1. Get into the car, close and unlock all doors and ensure the car is off
2. Insert old fob (your fob that currently works) into slot and remove it 4 times in a row, and insert it a fifth time but leave it in there!
2. Open and close driver door 6 times.
3. Remove old fob from slot. Car is in fob programming mode at this point. Red anti-theft light remains on.
4. Insert new fob and leave in the slot for a full minute. Watch the blinking red anti-theft light on the dashboard. When it stops flashing and goes dark, your new fob is all set.
5. Remove the new fob and you're done with the START/STOP portion of programming

After several attempts I was successful. I should also mention that it took more like 2 minutes for the flashing light to stop (see step 4).

I then went on to procedure C for the central locking. This did not work. The reason being, I later found out, was that I should have bought a fob with a 433hz transmitter. The Japanese fobs transmit on a different frequency and it is impossible to programme them for central locking on a UK Prius model, unless you change the internal circuit board. However, a manual key will lock the driver’s door and all the other doors, so I had a car door made up from the manual key on my spare master FOB, with a decent sized handle on it.

After a while, I rather missed being able to unlock the docks electronically using the fob, so I bought another fob off eBay, this time with a UK compatible transmitter.

Procedure A worked fine.

I then went on to procedure C which I shall quote.


PROCEDURE C
This procedure (steps 1. through 13.) is for black logo key fobs and vehicles without SKS functionality
1. Open the driver door with no fob in slot and the doors unlocked.
2. Insert old fob into slot and remove it twice within 5 seconds.
3. Close and open driver door twice.
4. Insert and remove old fob once.
5. Close and open driver door twice again.
6. Insert old fob in slot and close door.
7. Without pressing the brake, press power button, wait a second, press it again, wait a second, press it a third time to turn car back off.
8. Remove old fob from slot. You'll be in "add mode" at this point.
9. Car should lock and unlock doors twice to verify it is in add mode.
10. Press and hold both buttons on new fob simultaneously for a second and a half.
11. Within 3 seconds, press just the lock button on new fob.
12. Car should respond with one quick lock/unlock to verify that the new fob is all set. If the car responds with two lock/unlocks, that means it didn't work. Either try again, your fob is bad or, you have too many fobs assigned to the car.
13. To end this programming, open then close the driver's door or put fob in the slot.

This did not work. However, I had a look at another YouTube video which gave me the solution. What I then did was repeated procedure C, but added in another step after 9: Press and hold both buttons on old fob simultaneously for a second and a half. Then go on to step 10 and hold both buttons on new fob simultaneously for a second and a half. Continue with steps 11 to 13.

My latest fob is now fully functional and I have not had any problems with it. The above also disproves the notion that it is not possible to programme a previously used fob.