Key Programming

[Superduner]

I've just bought a 2007 UK RX400H which only came with one key.

 

I bought a complete key/fob from Carkeys online (recommended).  I then took it to a locksmith here in France who cut the blank and half programmed the chip so the car will at least drive.

 

He says he cannot programme the lock/unlock/tailgate buttons to work.  Is this normal?  Does it have to be done by Lexus (it's a Chinese key - I'm not rich enough to fork out for an OEM)?

Edited September 13, 2020 by Superduner
spelling

[Herbie]

If you search for a post by Sorcerer, he goes through the process of doing this. I'll post it if I can find it.

EDIT - here you go:

 

[m4rkw]

24 minutes ago, Superduner said:

He says he cannot programme the lock/unlock/tailgate buttons to work.  Is this normal?

No, it's a simple process you can easily do yourself. I'm surprised a professional auto locksmith wouldn't jump on this chance to make some easy money!

See Herbie's post for the sequence

[Superduner]

Alas no.  It did not work.

Over to YouTube, I guess.

[Herbie]

2 minutes ago, Superduner said:

Alas no.  It did not work.

Over to YouTube, I guess.

Stick at it, it will work.

I tried about a dozen times before it worked but it did in the end. Or are you saying that it's failing at a certain point in the sequence? Usually it's just a matter of getting timings right.

[m4rkw]

Which step didn't work?  There are subtle differences indicated for some models, here is a more complete guide, try the alternate sequence indicated for the other models.

-------------------------------------------------

Procedure To Program Toyota Wireless Remote Transmitters: 

Begin with: The driver's door open and unlocked. Key out of the ignition. 

1. Insert and remove the key from the ignition switch 2 times within 5 seconds. 

NOTE: Steps 2 and 3 should be performed within 40 seconds. 

2. Close and open driver's door TWICE. 

3. Insert the key into the ignition and remove it. 

NOTE: Steps 4 - 6 should be performed within 40 seconds. 

4. Close and open the driver's door twice. 

5. Insert the key into the ignition. 

6. Close the door. 

NOTE: Steps 5 and 6 should be reversed for the following models ONLY (close door first, then insert key into ignition): 

2000 - 2005 Celica 

2001 - 2003 Prius 

2001 - 2005 ECHO 

2001 - 2005 RAV4 

2003 - 2004 Avalon 

7. Turn the ignition switch from "Lock" to "On" and back to "Lock" at about 1 second intervals to select the desired mode: 

1 time for ADD mode. 

2 times for REWRITE mode. 

3 times for CONFIRMATION mode. 

5 times for PROHIBITION mode. 

8. Remove the key from the ignition. 

9. To confirm your mode selection, the power locks will now cycle "lock" to "unlock" a number of times corresponding to your key cycles in step 7. 

NOTE: If Confirmation or Prohibition modes have been selected, opening the door will complete the procedure. 

10. For Add or Rewrite modes do the following within 40 seconds of Door 

Procedure Lock confirmation: 

A. Press both car transmitter Lock and Unlock buttons simultaneously between 1 and 1.5 seconds and release. 

B. Within 3 seconds of step A, press the transmitter Lock button for more than 1 second and release. 

If the keyless entry remote transmitter has been successfully programmed, the power locks will cycle "lock" to "unlock" once at this time. 

If there are problems with the remote transmitter or the procedure up to this point, the locks will cycle twice. If this occurs, verify that you have received the correct transmitter, and then repeat the above procedure. 

C. If multiple remotes are to be reprogrammed, repeat steps A and B. 

11. Open the driver's door to conclude programming mode. 
 

[Superduner]

No joy with anything so far.  The lock cycle in step 9 does not happen. I tried 5 or 6 times.

It's back to the locksmith on Tuesday to see if his magic machine can do it.  Last time I couldn't get the car outside his shop as it was market day.  Tuesday should be quieter. 

Maybe it needs another type of transponder chip.  I know he has a stock of those.

Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions.

[m4rkw]

2 minutes ago, Superduner said:

Maybe it needs another type of transponder chip.  I know he has a stock of those.

Nope, those are for the security system that allows you to start the car. If the remote unit is the wrong frequency for the car then that might stop it from working.

You can possibly order a new one (from car keys online) and swap it out into the shell you have, if it's the TOY48 style. The transponder chip will be in a little section of the remote fob that you can remove and swap into a new one.

[m4rkw]

Just to add that I bought a remote from car keys online and was able to program it with the sequence mentioned above, and my car is a JDM import so had to get a remote with a different frequency. Yours should probably be fairly standard if it's european spec so I'd be surprised if carkeysonline had got it wrong.

When doing step 7 you need to turn the key all the way to position 2 where all the electrics come on, not position 1. Could that be where it's going wrong?

[Superduner]

I've made a bit more sense of this now.

The locksmith changed the chip, apparently, to one he thought he could programme out of the car (as I couldn't get the car physically to him on Saturday because it was market day in his street)

As I said, the one he made started the car-mostly- but a couple of times set off the alarm.  Me trying to programme the buttons in the car later did not work because it is now a cloned key and not a reprogrammed key (from the car itself)  That useful information came from Vicky at Car Keys Online (on a Sunday - she is very helpful).

So now it will be back into town tomorrow for an attempt at reprogramming in the car, with the CKO chip replaced.

[m4rkw]

8 minutes ago, Superduner said:

I've made a bit more sense of this now.

The locksmith changed the chip, apparently, to one he thought he could programme out of the car (as I couldn't get the car physically to him on Saturday because it was market day in his street)

As I said, the one he made started the car-mostly- but a couple of times set off the alarm.  Me trying to programme the buttons in the car later did not work because it is now a cloned key and not a reprogrammed key (from the car itself)  That useful information came from Vicky at Car Keys Online (on a Sunday - she is very helpful).

So now it will be back into town tomorrow for an attempt at reprogramming in the car, with the CKO chip replaced.

I can't make sense of this to be honest but I'm glad you're making progress. The transponder chip is normally separate from the remote unit, the transponder being the bit that needs to be correct in order for the car to start. The remote unit should be generic and as long as it's the right frequency you should be able to add it to the car using the procedure described above. When cloning a key it's my understanding that the transponder chip is cloned, that shouldn't have anything to do with the remote unit.

I'm sure CKO know this stuff much better than I do though..

[Herbie]

And I'm with Mark on this.

The two functions of the key are entirely separate - one for immobiliser and one for central locking.

If the car started then the immobiliser was obviously being deactivated which means that part of the equation is working alright.

The central locking is the part that isn't working and as Mark says, as long as the frequency is correct then Robert should be your mother's brother.

[Superduner]

Ah, well there's the answer.  George is my mother's brother!

[m4rkw]

Actually if step 9 isn't happening then this is actually before the remote is even used.

The dance you're doing with the key and the door is telling the car to go into programming mode, the authentication of this process is the key in the ignition (using the transponder chip). Until you execute step 10 the remote unit isn't involved at all.

So I think either there is some very weird glitch with your transponder chip and somehow it can start the car but can't enter programming mode, or you're doing the sequence slightly wrong.

[m4rkw]

Oh - if you have another key that was working before you got the new one, you should be able to run through the sequence using that key and just do the remote bit with the other key. So steps 1-9 with the original key, and then step 10 (buttons on the remote) with the new key.

[Delphius1]

I found that timing is everything. The point at which the car locaks and unlocks can have a bit of a dely. I wrote about it when I programmed my own keys. 

Here's the sequence I found worked:

"Sit in car with drivers door closed

Open drivers door.

Key in ignition, key out of ignition, key in ignition, key out of ignition (don't turn the key, just insert it)

Close drivers door, open drivers door, close drivers door, open drivers door,

Key in ignition, key out of ignition, (again, just insert it, don't turn it)

Close drivers door, open drivers door, close drivers door, open drivers door,

Key in ignition, close drivers door, turn ignition to on (lights on dash), turn ignition off and remove key

Central locking locks doors... wait for doors to unlock,

Then Press lock & unlock buttons on key fob for a second, release, then press lock button

Central locking should lock/unlock.

Key is now programmed: open drivers door to cancel programming mode".

The thing I missed was the timing of the lock/unlock after switching the ignition off. The doors locked, but I kept jumping the gun and pressed the fob keys before the doors had unlocked, which ruined the programming.

Your car should at the very least get to the stage of locking/unlocking the doors even if the radio frequency of the remote locking part of the key fob is wrong. If it doesn't do that, you're not doing the first part right. 

 

 

[Superduner]

I've now had a new sequence of steps suggested by Colin at CKO.  I'll give it a go later.

1.    Insert the key into the ignition and remove it, do not turn.
2.    LOCK and UNLOCK 5 times using the door control switch within 40 seconds.
3.    CLOSE the drivers door and OPEN it.
4.    LOCK and UNLOCK 5 times using the door control switch within 40 seconds again.
5.    Insert the key into the ignition.
6.    Turn the ignition switch from LOCK to ON and back to LOCK at about 1 second intervalsto select the desired mode :
NOTE : 1 time for ADD.

NOTE : 2 times for REWRITE.

NOTE : 3 times for CONFIRMATION.

NOTE : 5 times for PROHIBITION.

7.    Remove the key from the ignition.
8.    To confirm your selection of all modes except CONFIRMATION, the power locks will now cycle LOCK to UNLOCK a number of times corresponding to your key cycles in step 6.

NOTE : If CONFIRMATION mode has been selected, the power door locks will now cycle(in 2 seconds intervals) a number of times corresponding to the number of transmitters currently
registered.
NOTE : Closing the door will complete the procedure.
NOTE : If PROHIBITION mode has been selected, closing the door will complete the procedure.
9. For ADD or REWRITE modes, within 20 seconds of Door Lock confirmation:
(a) Press both transmitter LOCK and LOCK buttons simultaneously between 1 and 1.5 seconds and release.
(b) Within 3 seconds of step (a), press the transmitter LOCK button for more than 1 second and release.
(c) If the transmitter has been successfully programmed, the power locks will cycle LOCK to UNLOCK once at this time. If there are problems with the procedure used up to this point, the locks
will cycle twice, in which case you must go back and repeat the above steps (a) and (b).(d) If multiple transmitters are to be programmed, repeat the above steps (a) to (c).

10. Close the drivers door to complete the procedure.
 

 

[rich1068]

Makes my head spin. Similar issue with my LS400 so over there I go...

[Herbie]

I'm sure this sequence has already appeared above but, for the avoidance of all doubt, the following screenshots have been taken directly from the RX400h workshop manual and so they should be the definitive guide. If this doesn't work then it's either (most likely) a timing issue or there's something wrong somewhere.

Just a thought - we know that local interference can play havoc with the operation of the key fobs so it may be worth giving it a try in a different street.

 

 

 

 

[Superduner]

What is wrong with my car?!?!

None of the above procedures work for me.  I never get the confirmation lock/unlock after step 9.  I must have tried 20 or 30 times by now.

I've just asked CKO for a phone number so I can actually have a chat with them.

 

Failing that, I'm going to get up early tomorrow and sacrifice a black cockerel at sunrise while reciting the first page of the manual backwards.  It's got about as much chance as anything else I've tried.

[royoftherovers]

And if the Sun does not rise, David ?

[m4rkw]

"7. Turn the ignition switch from "Lock" to "On" and back to "Lock" at about 1 second intervals "

For this step I think the key should be at position 2 every 1 second, as opposed to taking 1 second to move it between off and 2. Is that possibly your issue?

Also if you open your driver door does the light show on the instrument cluster to indicate that the door is open?  (Long shot but the door open switch being broken would probably stop the sequence working)

[Superduner]

24 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

And if the Sun does not rise, David ?

I guess we are all stuffed and I won't ever need to lock the car again!

I'm off to Toyota tomorrow to book it in for a timing belt change and Battery check, and I'll ask very nicely if they can fire up Techstream and do it for me.

[Superduner]

20 minutes ago, m4rkw said:

"7. Turn the ignition switch from "Lock" to "On" and back to "Lock" at about 1 second intervals "

For this step I think the key should be at position 2 every 1 second, as opposed to taking 1 second to move it between off and 2. Is that possibly your issue?

Also if you open your driver door does the light show on the instrument cluster to indicate that the door is open?  (Long shot but the door open switch being broken would probably stop the sequence working)

I'm pretty sure that I'm getting the timing right, having tried a quick in and out and a more relaxed version.  The door switches work - thought of that.

Anyway, as just posted I'm off to Toyota tomorrow and will ask them nicely if they can do it.  Hopefully it's possible for them just to programme the fob without affecting the chip (which seems to work ok)

[royoftherovers]

20 minutes ago, Superduner said:

I guess we are all stuffed and I won't ever need to lock the car again!

I'm off to Toyota tomorrow to book it in for a timing belt change and battery check, and I'll ask very nicely if they can fire up Techstream and do it for me.

Good luck at Toyota David.

Seeing as you are non-UK.do Toyota also service Lexus where you are ?