Do these key programmers work for us?

B

BamBam

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I am thinking about buying one of these. Guy wants $75 to program 2 keys for me locally. I figured I'd buy this for the same price, and then if anybody on the board ever needed it for making spares I'd just send it out to them, and they could send it around to whoever needed it next as time passes (or send it back to me and I'd hold it for the next person in need). Any advice?

Toyota & Lexus Smart Key Programmer Keymaker all in 1 : eBay Motors (item 150420027032 end time Apr-02-10 10:33:41 PDT)
 
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I'm VERY interested to hear if this works. I've tried 3 different lock smiths here in town, all 3 said they could do Toyota transponder keys...but none were successful. 1 of them tried to simply "clone" the key (didn't work) and the other two plugged their device into the data port under the dash, and followed all of the prompts on their equipment, but none were successful. The key would crank, but it would not fire.

Looks like I'm destined for anal penetration at the dealership. :moping:
 
Don't do it Ebbsnflows. I am ok with taking the plunge on one of these if the community can use it. I only got one key with my vehicle. I would ideally like 2 more. So if anybody knows then I'll go for it, and I am happy to pony up the $2 to mail it on to the next guy if he promises to do the same to whoever else needs it. Once it makes the rounds it can come back to me, and I'll put a post up somewhere so when people search they know I have it and am happy to send it out to them.

I figure it is way worth it already for all of the great advice I've already gotten from this board and its members. If I can do something that will help out then I'm happy to do it. I would love to find a source for the keys as well at wholesale, then we can send those out for cost as well (I think they are like $10 from somewhere if you look in the right spot).

As far as I can tell... if you still have one key, you can get it cut at Walmart or Home Depot. Then you just need to use this device to make it match up. If I am going to spend $70 to get two keys made anyway, I might as well put that $70 towards the group and it could help out people for years to come if it actually works! :)
 
Ebbsnflows... I forgot to ask. Was the device they were using when failing to make your keys work identical (or at least very close) to what we are seeing in this auction? Maybe they figured the same thing as me. Buy a key programmer for $75 and then you can make hundreds of keys. Of course their motive is massive profit, and my motive is just to provide a service to the good folks here.

I mean... I guess I could try it out and if it doesn't work I could send it to somebody else and we could try it on a few vehicles and see if we could ever make it work. If it didn't I could file for a chargeback if it didn't work as advertised (as much as I hate doing such a thing). I would just be interested in hearing what the locksmiths are using. One here says $35 per key for programming, plus $35 for a generic 4d key. Seems pricey, but if nobody else can do it, then I guess it's a good deal. He was cool though and told me not to buy a remote from him because he had to charge way too much and eBay was the way to go. I appreciated that so I owe him something I guess. He also said he'd cut and program my own Toyota keys if I bought them from a dealer or off of eBay, but I have no way of knowing if the eBay 4D keys are knockoffs or what. They sure are cheaper than dealer key blanks and you never know what you're getting coming out of random foreign countries. Decisions decisions.
 
Bam
No.... the devices that the L-smiths were using, were far more sophisticated (looking) than what is shown on Ebay. The "Clone" device was contained in a silver Haliburton style suitcase/briefcase...approx 18"x12" in size, filling up the entire case. It simply had 2 key slots...one for the master and one for the new "clone", and various buttons on a keypad allowing the clone process to take place.

The other 2 L-smiths had what appeared to be high-tech Scan-master/Diagnostic tool, similar to what you'd see a Dealer tech use to diagnose/scan engine codes. I watched as they performed the step by step process and the "scan tool" prompted them through each step. It never errored out and with each try, appeared to be successful...however the new key failed to work after every try. I thought that I had read somewhere that the existing "master key" had to be erased, and both had to be programmed with a new code. However, I wasn't 100% sure in my recollection of that, and I didn't want to erase my only existing, functioning key and be stuck with nothing. Can anyone confirm/deny that bit of info?

As far as your plan to 'pay it forward' w/ the Ebay tool, I think that's very commendable. I'm crossing my fingers on this one.
 
Excellent info Ebbs. Any recollection about whether or not they were using Toyota keys, or were they the generics? I've heard that there is a max number of keys that can be tied to one ECU. Maybe it had already reached that number (did you have 2 keys plus a valet before? Perhaps a previous owner had a fourth key made and you were stuck).

If anybody gives me the go ahead here I'll try it and also order a Toyota key and a generic key and see what works (if I can find a source that somebody here has used and found to be reliable). I just don't want to throw money in the toilet, as I am actually hoping this will help a few folks out in the key department. I don't want to hurt locksmiths or anything, but I do want to prevent anybody here from having to go get raked over the coals at a dealership for something as simple as a key. That's just highway robbery and nobody should be subjected to that kind of a charge for a key ($300 plus is what the dealer quoted me AFTER I had already paid him for my vehicle, signed papers, and we were on our way out and he had "tried" to get a backup key... but the guy who traded it in only gave them one... yeah right).
 
I, too, am interested in how this turns out. I only got one key with my runner and need to have at least one more made. The stealership wants me to give them a kidney and a lung for a key with fob!
 
T4RSpectreSix said:
I, too, am interested in how this turns out. I only got one key with my runner and need to have at least one more made. The stealership wants me to give them a kidney and a lung for a key with fob!
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First off, if I were you I'd go ahead and get the Fob off of eBay for around $15-20 right away. Just make sure the FCC ID and other numbers off of the back match the fob you already have. Then there are steps here on how to program it (requires using your master key and doing steps like closing and opening the door and whatnot as you go). The locksmith actually told me not to get a fob from him or the dealership because there was no specialty equipment needed and they can't touch the ebay prices. Then he said I could program it all myself as long as I still had one original key, so I am going that route and am just waiting for the new fob to show up.

At least that way you have a backup remote ready to go in case you lock your keys in your car or something. Then hopefully we figure this key programmer thing out and if it works I'll just set up a schedule for who gets it when and we'll get it going around from person to person. Everybody will probably just need to buy their own key blanks in advance and get them cut at Home Depot, Lowe's, or Wal-Mart in advance to speed up moving it around to different guys. Then use the programmer and hopefully it works and you send it on to the next guy.

I wish there was a way to create the keys here and just send them out. That would make things so much simpler, but the security of it all wouldn't be so great, so this is probably for the best. Then I'd do it for everybody and just send them out at cost and have everybody all set with spare keys within a week or so and keep the equipment here for whenever anybody ran into a jam.

But if this thing works then it should be pretty easy and save everybody some dough and hassle, and that's a good thing and is worth it to me for sure.
 
I've had a few vehicles with transponders and have always just had the extra key in a drawer somewhere never using it. I can't imagine why someone would need 3 keys for the same vehicle.
 
Larry77 said:
I've had a few vehicles with transponders and have always just had the extra key in a drawer somewhere never using it. I can't imagine why someone would need 3 keys for the same vehicle.
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One for me. One for my backup key that I keep in a drawer in case another gets lost. One for my wife, who sometimes needs to come over and trade cars with me during the workday or get out a baby seat or something depending on who is driving who where or what is going on exactly.

You'd be surprised how many times we used the extra keys. I had one snap on my old Mitsubishi and I was glad I had a third one made early on so that I didn't have to get anything rekeyed or any of that business. I just had to pry the remainder of the key out of the trunk lock using a magnetic tool and tweezers. That was in the day of cheap keys. When you're paying $300 a key at the dealer, then it is probably wise to go with one more than you'd expect you need while you're making them just in case of an emergency situation or a broken key. 2 times my key disappeared (kids got a hold of them) and wife was already gone for work. Thank goodness for the third hidden key so I could get to work on time! :)
 
Update to my Locksmith programming failures...it wasn't a locksmith issue, it was the KEY I bought. After talking w/ a 4th locksmith, it was brought to my attention that my OEM Toyota key, was actually a Type 1 key (for 01-02' models), and NOT a Type 2 key (needed for '03+ models). The two types are mostly identical and can only be distinguished by a tiny "dot" stamped into the key (visible at the top of the blade, just below the black rubber body on Type 2's). Unfortunately none the local locksmiths had any Type 2's on hand. So I headed over the Dealership with my butt-cheeks clinched tightly. Shockingly enough, the damage wasn't that bad. They charged me $47 to cut and program a new key. That's only $12 more than the cheapest Locksmith quote and actually $13 less than the most expensive locksmith. Even with the service dept being overwhelmed with out-of-control Prius's, I was in and out in 15 minutes. I think the guy was just happy to be doing something other than dealing w/ terrified owners.

...so anyway, the point to this post is that if you purchase your key on Ebay (like I did), make certain that the key has the "dot" stamped into it. Otherwise you're SOL. Luckily my seller was a classy guy and has already refunded my $$$.
 
Weird,

So it was a 4D key, but they didn't tell you it was a type 1 instead of a 2? How can I tell the difference if I am just looking at auctions? Is there somebody in particular that I should avoid if I am going to pick up a couple of keys? Hmmmmm..... good info for sure.

If you see a key on eBay that is the right type let me know and I'll buy one and try the programmer. $47 isn't bad, but if we can get it done for the price of a key ($15 or so) from here on out then that would be great I think. Thanks for the continued info.
 
I lost a set of keys in a snowstorm fob and all. I refuse to pay the dealer replacement price. This solution is intriguing. If it works can I get on the waiting list?
 
Of course you'd be welcome to use it Dr. Gonzo. Everybody would! I guess I'll take the plunge on Monday and see what happens. I just need to order a couple of keys as well.

So... I used the advice above and asked about the keys and whether they were type 2 with the dot and would work and the seller on ebay responded with this... does anybody know if this makes sense?

First my question:

Thanks. Does the key have a small dot stamped in the metal directly below the black part on the neck of the key? That is the only type that will work with my vehicle as far as I know. I can send you a picture showing what I mean if you aren't aware of the "dot" (type 2) key type.

Their response:

Hi
No, it does not. That dot only available for original key but has nothing to do with programming process. It is refer to 4d-67 chip for that dot.

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They are saying the key they are selling is the 4d-67, but their language skills make me think this is a knockoff from China even though it has the Toyota logo, but they claim to be in Georgia. The local locksmith says that a genuine Toyota key costs $50 and so he only sells an aftermarket key for $35. The ebay seller also said that if I purchase them outside of ebay directly through them that they are $13 a piece shipped. So I could pick up a few keys and the key programmer and we could begin the experiment. I'd just make 2 keys for myself and then if they worked I'd send a couple of additionals on to the next person to try with the programmer if they'd reimburse me for the keys, and promise to ship the programmer on to the next guy along with any keys they didn't use in the box. Or whatever you guys think. I guess this is why car dealers run such a scam on the price. They know that we don't want to go through the hassle because it is confusing knowing what will and won't work. This is bugging me now. Must not pay dealer any more money! :)
 
Dr. Gonzo said:
Did this key thing ever work out?
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Could not get it done in time. Been in bed for almost 3 weeks. Had to have a 3 level spinal fusion and a bunch of other stuff. It didn't go well. It takes me 30 minutes to get out of bed to go get a drink. Blecccch. Life sucks. I'll try it if/when I ever get moving again.
 
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