4runnerboi
New member
I want to make a spare key for my 2007 4th gen and need to know if it is a "chipped" key or not. It would be nice to just be able to go to walmart and get a cheap one cut. Thanks in advanced.
Jp.
Jp.
duplicating a key
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goldeneagle76
New member
Sadly the key in your 4runner which is newer than mine, mine is an 03 has a chipped key. They can make you a dummy key that will unlock the doors but will not start the engine at walmart or home depot.
SAR_Runner
New member
As far as I know all 4th gen keys are chipped and will require programming. There is a thread on here that will tell you how to program both your own key and fob. I have done the fob, just not the key yet. you can order blanks on Ebay, just be careful... some are total crap and dont actually have a "blank" chip in them. I think the last time I checked with the dealer around here it was 145 to get the key cut and programmed.
NinjaOne
New member
4th gen is chipped.
Programming both the key and the fob is super easy. There is a video on youtube for the key that makes it easy as you can just mimic the video
Blank chipped keys are available off both Amazon and ebay for cheap. Not all chipped keys will work
Interesting (and frustrating), my '98 Avalon was chipped. Key wore down where it wouldn't start and I had to have a new key cut from the dealer by my VIN for ~$150. Dealer swore over the phone that it was impossible I had a chipped key.
Programming both the key and the fob is super easy. There is a video on youtube for the key that makes it easy as you can just mimic the video
Blank chipped keys are available off both Amazon and ebay for cheap. Not all chipped keys will work
Interesting (and frustrating), my '98 Avalon was chipped. Key wore down where it wouldn't start and I had to have a new key cut from the dealer by my VIN for ~$150. Dealer swore over the phone that it was impossible I had a chipped key.
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4runnerboi
New member
key
Well worth a shot. There is a shop at the mall that has the actual keys and can program at a mall shop for $75. Still steep from a $2.99 walmart key. I guess I will have to bit the bullet.
I like having a spare key in a hidden box on the outside of my runner.
Well worth a shot. There is a shop at the mall that has the actual keys and can program at a mall shop for $75. Still steep from a $2.99 walmart key. I guess I will have to bit the bullet.
I like having a spare key in a hidden box on the outside of my runner.
4runnerboi
New member
Ninja - I might try your suggestion first before putting down the $75 cost. thanks!
I bought spare keys off Amazon last month for my 03 for a few bucks with ace hardware cutting them for free. There was a note from the seller that stated a dealer has to program the key but I just ignored it and did the lengthy procedure myself. Worked like a charm first try.
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Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
rattlesnake
New member
Yes, but will it set off the alarm?
I bought chipped keys on eBay ($7) and remote fobs ($15) on Amazon and programmed them both following the instructions I found on this forum. Same as Darkwolf, my keys had a note saying the dealer had to program them, but I ignored that and everything works great. The key and the fob both disable the alarm as well.
NinjaOne
New member
Unlocking the doors with a non-chipped key will not set off the alarm. Only the ignition checks for a chipped key. When you insert a non-chipped key into the ignition, the starter cranks but the engine actually doesn't turn on.
I don't actually have an alarm, just the engine immobilizer (chipped key) Based on this, looks like a true alarm was an optional feature (Std on the limited)
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/99777-2003-4runner-sport-alarm.html#post1086264
bob3dsf
New member
TRUE... dummy keys will not set off alarms. I have one I got from Lowes that I use to carry with my on a run. Its just for opening the doors. Funny though, once I forgot I had it and tried to start the truck... I was swearing something fierce! Luckily I realized it was the dummy key before I started trowing things across the parking lot... LOL
BlackWorksInc
New member
How many original keys do you have?
If you have only 1 original key for the vehicle, I highly encourage you to purchase at least 1 Toyota key and have it cut and programmed to the vehicle.
The reason I say this is because should you ever need to reset the immobilizer's learned keys for whatever reason you will need 2 Master Keys (this may have changed on some models and honestly I don't remember how true it is for every Toyota, but it's a good habit to have). That means 2 Master Keys with 2 separate IDs, not 2 Keys that share the same ID. If you do not have 2 Master Keys with individual IDs and you have to reset the immobilizer learned keys, you'll have to have it Re-Seeded; which is a much more expensive process and requires a licensed Toyota-Certified Locksmith and/or Dealership to do it for you.
I always encourage people to have 2 individual ID master keys, after that you can clone how ever many keys you want for the vehicle.
Post Note-
"Dummy Keys" will not set the alarm off because you need to stick them in the driver's door lock cylinder, the act of turning the key (which there's a safe assumption that the key is mechanically correct for the lock cylinder and vehicle otherwise it will not turn) will active the door lock cylinder switch and send a signal to the body control module to disarm the theft deterrent portion of the system (i.e. the alarm that goes off), this is why most factory and aftermarket alarms use this circuit to allow manual disarming of the system should your key fob not work.
But Dummy Keys will not start a vehicle the lack of a verified Immobilizer ID being detected in the ignition cylinder will cause the Immobilizer Module to not give authorization to the ECM to enable the fuel injectors (in some vehicles spark is also disabled) and thus the vehicle will crank but not fire.
If you have only 1 original key for the vehicle, I highly encourage you to purchase at least 1 Toyota key and have it cut and programmed to the vehicle.
The reason I say this is because should you ever need to reset the immobilizer's learned keys for whatever reason you will need 2 Master Keys (this may have changed on some models and honestly I don't remember how true it is for every Toyota, but it's a good habit to have). That means 2 Master Keys with 2 separate IDs, not 2 Keys that share the same ID. If you do not have 2 Master Keys with individual IDs and you have to reset the immobilizer learned keys, you'll have to have it Re-Seeded; which is a much more expensive process and requires a licensed Toyota-Certified Locksmith and/or Dealership to do it for you.
I always encourage people to have 2 individual ID master keys, after that you can clone how ever many keys you want for the vehicle.
Post Note-
"Dummy Keys" will not set the alarm off because you need to stick them in the driver's door lock cylinder, the act of turning the key (which there's a safe assumption that the key is mechanically correct for the lock cylinder and vehicle otherwise it will not turn) will active the door lock cylinder switch and send a signal to the body control module to disarm the theft deterrent portion of the system (i.e. the alarm that goes off), this is why most factory and aftermarket alarms use this circuit to allow manual disarming of the system should your key fob not work.
But Dummy Keys will not start a vehicle the lack of a verified Immobilizer ID being detected in the ignition cylinder will cause the Immobilizer Module to not give authorization to the ECM to enable the fuel injectors (in some vehicles spark is also disabled) and thus the vehicle will crank but not fire.
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bob3dsf
New member
Good to know.. Thanks. Hope I never need to worry about that. :/
NinjaOne
New member
Is there a way for me to know if I have a clone or two master's with UIDs?
Mine only came with one, I programmed a second chipped key using this. My understanding was this is a second master key
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/99215-how-make-spare-chipped-keys.html
Is that a second master or a "clone"?
BlackWorksInc
New member
That's the manual method for adding a key to the vehicle, so unless you had to go through some hoopla for your second key before you did that process it most likely has it's own ID.
Post Note-
Something else that occurred to me, usually you want to delete the learned keys because you lost one and do not want someone to use it to start the vehicle. In that case if all your keys are clones, then it will do no good as you'd be reprogramming the same ID of the Clone and thus the vehicle won't know the difference. Some food for thought.
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I'm pretty sure the manual method (opening and closing door N times in X seconds, etc.) results in unique keys, because the TSB that describes the process specifically states that only 5(?) keys can be added this way. Adding any more requires deleting one or more first. If all of the keys were clones, the system would have no idea how many were out there.
BlackWorksInc
New member
[MENTION=134884]RonJR[/MENTION]
Just to be clear, you do not "create" keys via registering the key to the vehicle; you're merely telling the Immobilizer Module that the key ID should be authorized to start the vehicle. The inherent Key ID is something that is generated and imprinted on the RFID chip inside the key from the factory when they are made and no where else.
But yes, cloned IDs would not really register because the ID is already validated in the Immobilizer.
Post Note-
Not sure if I am just mis-reading what you are saying but it seemed like you were implying that unique Key IDs were generated by that method rather than registered so I wanted to make sure it was clarified in case others got confused.
Just to be clear, you do not "create" keys via registering the key to the vehicle; you're merely telling the Immobilizer Module that the key ID should be authorized to start the vehicle. The inherent Key ID is something that is generated and imprinted on the RFID chip inside the key from the factory when they are made and no where else.
But yes, cloned IDs would not really register because the ID is already validated in the Immobilizer.
Post Note-
Not sure if I am just mis-reading what you are saying but it seemed like you were implying that unique Key IDs were generated by that method rather than registered so I wanted to make sure it was clarified in case others got confused.
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If you ate tech savy, you can add and remove keys with a cable like this and a laptop.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W97K7O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W97K7O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You are absolutely correct, of course. Somewhere in my mind I knew that but it didn't come out that way when I wrote my post. Thanks for the correction/clarification.
