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

This would be the Discordian Ritual for programming a fob.

 

Ok folks THIS is really how you do this, and yes it really does work. I bought three old keys on ebay anywhere from $23.52 to $50 even. Make sure you have on your original key and have looked on the back for a black toyota logo. This WILL NOT work for the smart keys with the SILVER toyota logo. To get started go to ebay and find an auction for a black logo key. Bid and win and when it gets there, follow these instructions carefully. The parts in red are the difference from above.

The Fob (for operating the car)
This isn't hard, as long as your new fob is not broken and you are able to follow simple directions. The whole process will take less than two minutes.

1. Insert old fob 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.
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. You should test both fobs to be sure they work properly.


Now for the door lock functions.


The Fob (for remotely unlocking/locking the doors)
This is similar to the previous directions except it has to be done without a full moon and you Must be wearing matching socks. (kidding)

1. Open the driver door with no fob in slot and the driver door unlocked and opened. Other doors can be locked or unlocked, it doesn't matter.
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 both buttons on new fob simultaneously for a second and a half!.
11 Within 3 seconds, press only the lock symbol button. yes it does matter which!
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. I don't know how to troubleshoot that problem. Maybe just try again.
13. To end this programming, open a door or put fob in the slot.
14. Enjoy the savings from NOT buying a fob from the dealership!!!!!
15. If you want metal keys, DO not buy them from ebay, they quoted me $7.92 CUT by them from dealer.

 

Good news for Aussies.
I have been told that a lot of the things an owner can do to their car in the US couldn't be done to the Australian cars including adding extra key fobs. Well I just used the above information and now have the ebay secondhand key-fob I have been meaning to take to the dealer for programing set up to my 2004 base model Prius!!

Thanks to amethystjw & 05 Solar Prius for the information. Most likely saved me $70 and some messing around going to the dealer.

It took a few tries but that was my fault trying to read and do at the same time. I was messing up the sequence. If you mess up I think you need to put the car in ready mode then shut down and go again. I also found sitting in the car on an evening without a full moon and no socks with white leather New Balance 621s on worked best, this may vary with shoe size. I tried to do it with the window down while standing outside the car but it did not work. Again most likely because I'm stupid.
Thanks tons people.

OK, so all you Aussies who need an extra fob for your standard Prius, you can save on the fob and program you own car to accept it. Now I just need a manual key cut.

Should this thread be stickied?

 

I was lucky maybe that the serial numbers on my old fob and ebay second hand fob were close together.

By patsparks at 2008-03-28
But it may not have mattered.
Original on left, ebay fob on right. I concealed last 3 digits of number just in case.
May be it matters more that the fobs are the same model, again I don't really know.

 

Source?
.
_H*

 

Of?

 

Me! I'm the source! I did this and it works great.
If you try it you will find it works too!
Hey hobbit? Why are you so pissy with everybody?:baby:

 

Why do you consider a simple request for where you got the
information as "pissy"? Some of us like having full references
and traceability, because we're curious types and like to
see the big picture. Sorry if it sounds like I'm not entirely
trusting someone who just pops up and says "I tried this and
it works", but I would have a hard time believing that you
derived all of this entirely on your own by brute-force trial
and error.
.
_H*

 

Hey Hobbit, I have 3000+ posts so I haven't just popped up. I did it and it worked. I thought my post explained I had repeated the process described by 05 Solar Prius and I was saying information confirmed.
I try not to tell too many lies.

I also confirm the information you gave about the MFD, my MFD died a few days after reading about your fixing one and I dismantled mine and had an expert solder the connections. He saw that about 10 of the solder joints from 60 down to about 40 were cracked on my board (I seemed to have much less of that clear stuff on mine than the one you fixed up) so he re-soldered all the connections on that side of the plug for $25AU. I don't know if it's just me thinking this but the display seemed washed out before it stopped displaying information but now looks much sharper. Thanks heaps for your information, it saved me a lot of money.

Does it matter where the information came from as long as it works?

I might add, I tried programming the car to accept this same key fob once before from information on PC but failed, but following this thread I managed to do it.

 

Tony, I did it just to see if it was true or myth. When I found that it works, I giggled as if to say "bite me you gouging toyota dealer!"

I love a challenge! It was like a puzzle. Do it in the right order and have fun doing it. It was fun!:bounce:

 

It's like the Prius game from Toyota. Rather than just a MPG race against yourself there are side challenges. I pulled this card from the pile, "Lost your keyfob, pay Toyota $400 or buy a fob from ebay for $50 and program yourself if you dare saving $350!"

 

Right ON!:amen:

 

Kudos for dogged persistence in trying all the permutations. It
would have shortcut a lot of this back-and-forth if the OPs had
simply mentioned that, i.e. a simple "this is original work" like
in any academic paper. There is some info from Toyota, in TSBs
and the like, about key programming, that many people have had
trouble with over time [not meeting particular timeouts, etc]
so my first thought was that all this was a rework of some of
that to clarify an existing procedure that wasn't clear enough.
.
It's great to know lots of info about the car and its systems,
and it's also great to know the derivations thereof because the
background research is usually interesting and a good read.
.
_H*

 

I don't think anyone was attacking Tony just saying it works.
I have seen similar stuff but this worked!

I'm going on holiday on the savings.

 

Wow! This actually works! I researched the web for days to find this exact info. Thank you! You saved me $100.....

 

And wasn't it FUN too!

 

Not to rude, but... If any of you believe that this procedure was discovered through trial and error,... well,....