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Alright, I have made a huge error and mailed a fob to someone who will be using my car later this summer. It has disappeared from the Pahoa PO (tracking begins and ends there). I've already called the dealer and there were a half dozen steps they had to go through to get a new key-fob, including ordering from mainland, cutting key in HNL and programming locally. Two weeks minimum. Additionally I have to wait to find out from PO whether package is actually lost or slow??? Eventually, I'll need a new one, and maybe even another spare, spare. on PrisChats there is talk of buying the fob on line and programming the car to accept it. Has anyone done this and can explain the difficulty or ease in DIY (Y=not Toyota dealer) or bringing eBay fob to dealer and having them do it.
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Search for your make/ model first regarding subject. Some models are easy to program.. others not so much.dealer should be a last resort.. as they are all in its for the money.
Most of the time it's jumping a connector ..and pushing buttons in a sequence.
..What would King Kamehameha do..
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Type Google search "Toyota Prius keyfob programming". Generation 2 Prius programming must be engineering nerd payback to the public.
Community begins with Aloha
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Assuming your Prius is 2010 or newer, which is why there is more hassle than one would expect, you would need the Toyota Techstream software, a vehicle interface cable, and a new fob. The car has to be programmed through the Techstream interface to authorize the fob. Then, the fob will 'imprint' to the car's transponder upon the first use, which is why you cannot easily reuse a fob which was previously used with another Prius. Through the same software interface, the old fob can be removed from the car's authorized fob list. The key cutting can be done by any competent locksmith with an internally cutting key duplicator machine, if you have another key to copy from. I don't know if there is one here (the machine, or the competent locksmith.) However, in a pinch, the key can also be done on a milling machine. But again, you need one to make the copy from. Or, for $360 or so, the dealer can take care of all of this for you. The ebay fob route will not bring much savings. Most of them are actually used, and the dealer literally can't program the car to authorize a used fob. Or, the fobs are new, but cost the same as the new fob from the dealership. The majority of the dealer cost is the labor and Techstream subscription cost, not that of the the actual fob purchase.
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quote:
Originally posted by eigoya
PrisChats there is talk of buying the fob on line and programming the car to accept it. Has anyone done this and can explain the difficulty or ease in DIY (Y=not Toyota dealer) or bringing eBay fob to dealer and having them do it.
Yup. I bought a brand new un-programed key off epay. I followed the instructions on priuschat, (the hat dance) and it worked perfectly.
I did have a slight problem getting the metal key cut as some people said it wasn't possible. Yet while at a Lowe's store, I challenged the hardware guy and he cut it in 1 stroke.
No need to pay dealers, not specialists, nobody, except them there smart keys aint cheap. Or that is, epay is the lowest price, providing you've conducted a good search there, you'll pay anywhere.
However, this trick only works providing you do have a least 1 original or spare smart key you'd gotten with your car. You've got to have a pre-programed key to initiate the computer's settings.
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Make sure auto insurance allows for this.
Did you have your package insured at the post office? I found if you get the insurance, delivery is way more reliable.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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Thanks. I did check out that software, Techstream and the accoutrements. If I had more time or attention, I might continue, but I have neither this summer. I still have my one fob....yes, ..insurance.....Actually, this is the first time ( I recall) losing mail.....and the only time I was ever asked whether " I had a receipt" for an estimate (which turns out was low!)....."I bought the car and the key was included!" So many red flags as I look Back on that PO exchange.......
Thanks again for feedback.
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quote:
Originally posted by eigoya
Actually, this is the first time ( I recall) losing mail..... So many red flags as I look Back on that PO exchange.......
Thanks again for feedback.
It is possible that, the package is still in transit. I use the internet to purchase items all of the time. And in every case, these days, they're sent with tracking numbers. I'd guess in 20% of the time, tracking fails to show where its at for a while, and about 10% it says it's still at the origination point until the day it's delivered. I presume the main reason it fails to up-date is because my item is inside of a large shipping container heading to my distribution center and so individual packages are not being monitored or updated until it gets to the final destination office where my carrier is.
I monitor my packages daily because in the past 2 years, down here in SW Florida the packages that are up-dated regularly, get to my local distribution center and I've seen 4 times they'll fail to continue to my sub post office. Rather, I see them go 30 miles south, then 80 miles north and actually 'out for delivery' and then stop and head another 60 miles north. At which time I call and catch them before they're lost, and actually get them sent to the right office. And or, they'll go north first and do the bounce thing until I call and catch em.
I.E. the percentage or error is high. And I can not say 'for sure' if my interception caused the erroneous movement to get to me, except for a few times when my package actually got to my local PO and the dope part time guy or girl is on duty and attempts to return the dang thing. My local office has or had a temp who I haven't seen since I caught him, not once, not twice, but 3 times. And the worse case scenario which I have not a problem with, yet, but also why I am on top of it, temp Is on duty and dumps it off at the wrong house.
I.E. In my experience with USPO, the temps did it.
Regardless, if you sent it using the lowest shipping price, and because, it means it could move on water or air from Hawaii, including from big island to Oahu and from there too, the USPO may not up-date its location until it gets to the destination office.
Yet if you sent it priority and it's past 10 days, yeah, I'd be worried. I'd be on their 800 line because, although most of the people at the USPO 800 site say they can't get through to discover where it's at, with some humor and understanding; 'their job is tough, they are listening to people who are mad, threatening, cursing etc. every day'. with the right persuasion, after being denied by 1 rep. I've managed to call back and get people to find it.
And by now, regardless of what choice you've sent it, you should have had somebody at the USPS send a tracer. If it's not simply inside a shipping container with a large group or whatever the heck the USPO uses as an excuse to not report, or continuously up-date, their tracer should find it. So,, considering the variables the USPO can use to move mail and packages from Hawaii, from the big island too, there is the possibility it's in transit, in a container of the type they don't report or up-date until it's delivered.
And if you end up doing 'the hat dance' that priuschat has, it's not very tough, it just looks and sounds so. So, if it's confusing, just print out the instructions, take a few moments while your car is off and practice the routine a couple of times. by the third or fourth, when you're programming the new key, it'll be a piece of cake.
It seemed tricky and confusing to me too at first. However, my 'practice' was trying to go the cheapest route 1st. I bought the key type with a chip inside of the end of it, don't recall but, like $7-10 bucks delivered. . It doesn't do all of the smart programming features, but it's suppose to enable you to stick the plastic end in, program that chip, and you can stick it in backwards, keep it in to drive etc. The apay seller listed the wrong type which didn't work. So, I just bought a whole new smart fob, and, by then, I'd practiced. [grin]
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by the third or fourth, when you're programming the new key, it'll be a piece of cake.
I'd hope by that time you stop having USPS lose the keys...
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quote:
Originally posted by kalakoa
by the third or fourth, when you're programming the new key, it'll be a piece of cake.
I'd hope by that time you stop having USPS lose the keys...
{grin} I've never lost a key, but, when I bought my Prius, it only had 1. I'm no dummy as, the possibility exists, and that's a scary concept anyway you look at it. Dealers will charge anywhere from 350-800 bucks, after you get your car towed to them, to make a new smart key fob.
Plus, it is strange that you can do the hat trick and program one because, the reason it cost so much to make it is that, they are burned in, 'Flashed'. I've flashed my computer's bios system a time or two, back in the day, early 1990's. It's a bit dangerous and will waste your whole mother board if it's done wrong. When you flash a chip, you're burning in psychical, permanent memory. Yet, I don't think 'the hat trick' actually flashes the smart key. However, I've tested the programming. If you remove the battery from the smart key fob it would erase its memory, It should require reprogramming to work again. It doesn't so, I presume that, the car's computer writes the new chip's info into its memory. Plus, I've also had both of the car's 12 volt battery, and the hybrid battery removed. Which means; if those sources were maintaining the computer's memory systems, it would require re-programming too. But nope. And I'm certain, a 'hat trick, is not going to flash your car's memory systems, no way, that's way to dangerous. I suspect the motherboard is protected with some type of capacitor and as long as it retains power, unless both of the batteries are disconnected for a long, extended period, 'the hat trick' is somewhat permanent.
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