Before leaving for home from a distant spot this Saturday, it was hot and I started my 2005 Prius with key in my pocket and turned on the AC to cool it down. I then decided to change clothes and got back into my "on" car and drove away. About 200 miles later, I stopped at a store. When I got back in the car would not start indicating there was no key! I searched the car and luggage and even put all my luggage in the front seat hoping it would sense the key. No luck. My key was 200 miles behind me. I called the place I had been staying but they could not find it. Dealers were closed until this morning and I really needed to be at work today. The only solution I could come up with (FedEx and UPS don't seem to deliver on Sunday and Greyhound and Amtrak did not answer) was to call my wife and have her take our other key to an airport and have it flown to me for $80, plus food and hotel while I waited. I now need to get another key and would like to have a third one to hide in the car (after disabling the battery in the FOB.) Local dealer wants $250 per key. I've seen some on ebay for much less ($100) and have read some older threads on this. I believe I need to buy an uncut with a silver logo. Any warnings or wisdom? Will my old and new FOBs be able to all work?
Wow! That Really Sucks.... Only once in my life (many, many years ago) have I ever had a key problem. (That was locking a key inside the car and having somebody bring me a spare key from home (which was only 10 miles away).) With a smart key, there are only a couple of solutions. The first is as you mentioned - having a key hidden in your car. Second, having a smart key turned into an ear ring and have it attached to your left ear (or right ear depending upon your sexual orientation). Third, wear your smart key around your neck attached to your military dog tags, and never remove it. Fourth, implant your smart key under your skin. Good Luck, Keith
Oops. Here's hoping you'll never do that again. Even at $250 per key, it's cheaper than getting stranded. A key from ebay may be less, but will still have to be programmed to your car, meaning a charge at the dealer. Things were so much easier when you could just rub the wires together. Easier for the thieves, too, so I guess this is progress.
I thought a new key was only that expensive if you didnt have a key to use as a copy. You still have one at home. get that key and a dealer should be able to just port it across (not sure of the process) but isnt it cheaper by a lot this way?
If you can buy an previously unprogramed silver medallion smart key on ebay that's the way to go. It must be unused and unprogramed. You must then take it to a toyota dealer to use their scangage to program the new key to your car. That's what I did and the total cost was around $130. If you buy a used key it is almost impossible to reprogram it to your car. I tried that too. Hope this helps. Ron :flypig:
There was some talk awhile ago of a "smart key watch". Does anybody know if that was just unfounded rumour or is it a "real thing"?
This doesn't seem quite right to me. The car is programmed to the key, not the other way around. Whether the key has been used before should not enter into the equation. I may have missed something here, and I willing to be convinced, but I need some hard evidence before I will believe this. Tom
I know for a fact non SKS keys can be used second hand, it isn't that hard to program THE CAR to the key fob. http://priuschat.com/forums/knowled...lly-how-program-non-sks-key-fob-detailed.html I don't know if it works with SKS but as a spare key it should work as the inserted key wouldn't need to be SKS. This means no need to remove a battery or wrap the fob in foil.
They're only available in Japan (and they go for about $400 U.S.). I let a friend use our car and forgot to get the fob back years ago. suggestion: I keep a fob (as do many) hidden in the car, and a spare metal key hidden underneith in a magnetic box (to gain entry). You have to wrap the fob in tin foil, to stop the R.F. signal, but our hidden fob is defective as a smart key anyway - but still works as a hidden spare by plugging in into the dash.
FWIW, if you ever need it in the future, the Postal Service delivers Express Mail on Sundays and Holidays. There is an additional cost but it's less than the cost of a plane ticket.
How did you disable "the key is not inside the car" beep? Express Mail only works if you can find a post office that is open. In a major city this shouldn't be a problem but everywhere else the post office is open a half day (at best) Saturday and closed Sunday.
