2005 Prius, 28,000 miles, 11 months old Last month my electronic key broke a button. I was using the other electronic key and yesterday it stopped working. I put in new batteries, and they still can't open the doors. I can drive however. Toyota of Covina wants over $400 to replace one and reprogram two. They say the reprogamming takes 2 hours. They also say it isn't covered under warranty? Any ideas out there? This sounds unusual that both broke around the same time and that they are not covered under warranty.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dr Rocket @ Jul 21 2006, 01:05 PM) [snapback]290087[/snapback]</div> You don't have to buy the keys from the dealer, you can purchase them from 3rd parties, however right now the dealer is the only one who can program the computer to read the keys. Get an itimized estimate from the dealer and then go shopping online for replacement fobs and then go back with your reasearch from the Internet and see if the dealer will price match. A key that just stops working should be a warranty issue. That doesn't sound like wear and tear on the key, but a faulty key. The one with the broken button is a wear and tear issue and as such, in fairness, I can see why it would not be covered under warranty, but also, I see this as a customer service issue and Toyota should back you up on this. You dealer has put their flag in the ground on this issue. Try to talk them down, and if they do not budge call Toyota's national customer service line and get the problem taken care of there. Dealers are in business to make money. It seems to me that many do not want to do warranty work (or rather make warranty claims) either because it doesn't pay them as well as their direct-to-customer rates or they don't want to have to wait for Toyota to pay for the warranty claim. And I suppose there is always risk that the warranty claim will be denied by Toyota and then the dealer is left haning, however that is no excuse for the dealer not exploring the lowest cost option for you the customer.
I'd go to a different dealer. The broken button is inexcuseable for less than a year of use. And the reprogramming should be covered too. Complain higher up if no dealer in your area will fix them.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeromep @ Jul 21 2006, 01:17 PM) [snapback]290094[/snapback]</div> Thanks for the very quick response. Can you recommend a source for new FOB's?
If the keys stopped working, I wouldn't rest until Toyota gave me new ones. Escalate the problem to Toyota if you have to. If they're defective, they absolutely should be covered under the warranty, and I would want them to show me where it says in the warranty information included in the owners manual where it excludes keys and key fobs.
Try Bill G. at [email protected], Mike Calvert Toyota Customer, 1-800-527-5368 I bought a fob for $131.00 (List is $174), but it was NOT SKS and that was a year ago.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rancid13 @ Jul 21 2006, 04:33 PM) [snapback]290111[/snapback]</div> You can use the little key hidden in the FOB to open the doors, and then simply plug the FOB into the dash to power up.
Are you sure you didn't accidentally pushed the switch under the steering wheel? The one that disables the Smart Key Entry System?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sho-Bud @ Jul 21 2006, 03:56 PM) [snapback]290184[/snapback]</div> 1. I didn't know such a switch existed. My system requires that I push a button on the FOB to open the doors. On the first FOB, the button mechanically broke. The second FOB I used to lock the car in the morning, but couldn't unlock the car later that afternoon. I'll look for the switch later. 2. GOOD NEWS. Covina Toyota fixed and programmed both FOBs free of charge after some calm conversations with the service manager. He still maintains that these are considered wear items and not covered by the warranty. He says he was doing me a favor. Thank you everyone for the guidance.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dr Rocket @ Aug 2 2006, 03:56 PM) [snapback]296604[/snapback]</div> If you have the Smart Key System (aka SKS) there's a button under the steering wheel and the logo on the FOB is silver. I see you have a #3 package on your 2005, that should have the SKS.
