Key upgrade

[the great him]

so i found a new upgrade for those pesky black dealer keys that keep braking... idk if any of you have been having this issue, but i have gone through like 5 of these things sense i bought the truck, and two just this year... now they arent the most expesive key at like $11.33 -$10.20 my cost but still no sense i spending $20 a year on keys for your vehicle. -i know i know, i could just do what everyone else does and just use the metal key.... I DONT WANT TO lol its that simple, its easy for me to pick out my key in my pocket without having to look at it, i can just feel it. and the plastic cover has the nice embossed toyota logo, and it doesnt rattle or jingle as much as a solid metal key would. so the other day i was thinking "boy i wish my 4runner key was as nice as my wifes yaris keys..." i mean that thing is softer, bendable but yet ridged enough to hold a key ring easily.




anyhow off to the dealer today to get another new key, i have my key code of my vin number so they can look it up and just cut me a new key from that and im good to go. i get the new key and again look at it and think "wonder how long this one will ask?" and go out to my truck and just as im sitting there i see my wifes spare keys in my console and i get an idea... i grab her key and put them side by side, they look the same so i put her key in the ignition. it fits! it slides in perfectly, so i pull it out and inspect them even closer, they are the same thickness, the groves are in the same place and have the same gap, the width of the key is the same, the length of the key is the same... the only thing that i can see to be different is the head. so i grab her key and head back inside.

back at the counter the guy who just made my key has this look of oh no... he asks if there is something wrong with the key. i say no but i want to see if we can do something. i proceed to show him the two keys, and explain my issues with the standard 4runner key. then i ask if i can have my 4runner key pattern cut into a blank yaris key with the better nicer fob/handle/backing. he and a couple other guys look at it and figure "i dont see why not" and so he double checks what i want and confirm with me everything and goes back and 2 min later i have a new upgraded/dated key. i pay for this one as well list price of $14.97 -$13.47 my cost and im out the door. it works perfectly and looks great.

bottom line here is i have a new key that has a newer better handle on it that wont brake like all my others have.
part numbers for the blank keys are as fallows;
stock 97 4runner bank key: 90999-00185 (left)
stock 07 yaris blank key:90999-00199 (right)


i dont know why toyota has not superseded to this new key as again the key shaft is identical in every way. so if you like me have been having issues with your keys breaking you might want to ask for the 00199 key over the 00185 next time you go get a key

 

[GhostRing]

My '98 is just one solid hunk of metal. Nothing breaking here. :tongue1:

Glad you figured that out though - my SO has a Lexus key that does
the exact same thing - wonder if a different blank would work as well.

 

[4Runner4TW]

My 4runner came with 3 keys and one fob. I use the all metal one, my gf gets one with plastic top but doesn't say Toyota, and the third is the broken Toyota one like in the picture.

 

[TheDurk]

My 4runner came with 3 keys and one fob. I use the all metal one, my gf gets one with plastic top but doesn't say Toyota, and the third is the broken Toyota one like in the picture.

New, my '99 came with two fobs, two master keys (one metal and one plastic), and a metal valet key. They all say Toyota. I have one with plastic top that doesn't say Toyota, but I got that at a hardware store.

 

[T4R2014]

Thanks for sharing the part numbers. I'm wanting to make a new key.

Mine came with 4 keys. 2 plastic ones, one with a Toyota logo and another in the EXACT same shape with the only difference being that it says "Curtis" (a key maker) on it. These 2 plastic ones were paired with my key fobs. The two metal ones are differently shaped. I guess one is the master and the other is a valet.

I think the metal keys are given at the factory and the plastic ones are cut at dealer or port.

 

[Jason B]

I wonder if this would work for my no chip 1997 4Runner key?

Euro ALIN1 Flip Key Remote for Toyota Chip Transponder Keyless Entry Fob 4WBX D2 | eBay

 

[Scramble]

Great idea on the Yaris key but I'm still using the same key I received from the dealer on Feb 6th of 1999.

 

[jleatherman]

Why not just drill a small hole in the broken one after grinding off the broken part? It would hold up better, but possibly have less maneuverability in your pocket. Yeah, I said maneuverability.