How to make one key start 3 cars. Sorta. My story.

[bolink654]

Sorry, no pictures, as I was too excited while doing this, not to mention I work part time as a mechanic on all makes and models at an indy shop, and run my own used car dealership so alot of this was done in the driveway/back yard and in the dark.

So I bought a hydro locked 2013 Scion FRS from a IAAI Auction. It said it came with a key. Figured I'd buy a salvage yard engine and I'd be good to go. However, when I picked it up, it had no key. I asked, and they said "we dont remove the keys"... about a year ago I bought a 2009 Camry XLE from one of these auctions and went through this key issue already and knew they were no help.

I also knew I was able to sort the issue myself last time, so I figured I could do it this time too.

I already had Techstream working on a older laptop, and a cable. I used techstream 13.xx or whatever. I Had previously tried (on the 09 Camry) to used the newest version, but it did not play nice with my PC.

For anyone that is attempting to do this, I've heard techstream wont work on windows 8. I've also heard it wont work on a 64 bit system. I already had the laptop with windows XP and it wasnt 64 bit, so you'll have to figure those out for yourself.

So anyway, we know there is essentially 3 parts to the key. The buttons and guts that push button unlock/lock/open the trunk. The transponder chip. And the actual key blade itself.

I suppose I should note, this doesn't apply to the push button start cars.

For starters, I simply needed to unlock the wheel, so I could get the stupid thing off my trailer. IAAI loads them with a big forklift/front end loader thing. Like this:


So I went to the local hardware store that cuts keys and bought 5 keys that fit the ignition. TR47 or whatever. Of course they had no transponders.



I also had a picture of the key



There is plenty of youtube videos on cutting a key off a image. I tried twice, unsuccessfully.

So instead, I remove the door lock cylinder, I was able to, sorta impression a key with that. Meaning I put the key in it, examined it, filed, repeat, until it was right. I was now able to unlock the steering wheel and get it off the trailer.

I can post that picture because it no longer uses that key, but I'm getting to that.

I also ordered 5 transponder keys and 2 keys with buttons.

I should note I have my own key duplicator like this https://www.amazon.com/ZTPOWER-Dupli...0329225&sr=8-2

I still needed an engine, remember? Well, searching all over the internet, engines were about $2500. A new long block from Toyota was $2000. Then I stumbled upon a wrecked car about 3 hours away. Dude was parting it out. He had bought it at a abandon vehicle auction for $950, sold $400 worth of parts. I asked him how much for the engine. He said $900 for the whole car. I loaded up and headed that way.

Guess what? it also did not come with a key. It was a gamble for sure, not being able to hear it run. It's wheels were also turned, with the steering wheel locked. And it was in a very bad neighborhood. (It had all proper documents) My trailer has a winch but that wasnt going to work with the wheels cut almost all the way. So a hammer and large screwdriver made short work of the ignition lock cylinder.

I had also received my keys in the mail now, and went to trying to program the transponders to the hydro locked 2013. They didn't work. I tried "dot" keys. I tried G chip keys. I tried Subaru keys. I found a guy selling blanks on eBay for a ridiculous price who said the FRS uses a special chip. I was afraid something was wrong in the car. Perhaps that the internet was telling the truth when they said "If you lose all the keys, you gotta replace 3 parts in the car" But my mechanic knowledge won out and I figured "no way"

Meanwhile, this was to be the wifes car. I wanted one too, we want to eventually go to autocross and finally see who is actually the better driver, with like for like cars. So I bought a 3rd, also at an IAAI auction. A 2016. It too said it had a key. Thankfully, when I went to pick it up, it did!!!! It even started! I knew now I would be able to figure this out, I had a known working key.

So when I got it home, I tried programming the transponder to the hydro locked 2013. And it worked. So now it was time to program it to the wrecked abandoned car, though I had busted the little antenna ring thingy that picks up the transponder. No matter, I pulled the one outta the hydro car. And yes, I was able to program the key to it as well. So with the help of the wife pushing on the little button (its a button that tells the car when a key is in it, but it was all busted up) and I held the key inside the transponder ring, and turned the switch with a screwdriver, it started! Sounded good, too.

So now I have one transponder chip, programmed to three cars. I had (have) 2 more issues. One of course is that it wont turn in the ignition of the hydro locked car.

But I have 3 more lock cylinders. So I removed all 3 locks from the hydro car, and all 3 locks from the donor car, dumped out all the tumblers, and re-keyed the hydro car.

The 2nd problem is, I need more keys, of course. Mainly more transponders. And all the info on the internet on which transponder they take varies.

Some say a 4D72 works. It did not. Some say a 4D60 works. It did not. Some say a 4D68 works. I don't know, I just got those in the mail today. Some say a 4D67 works, I also just got those in the mail. Worst case scenario I have to buy an actual Scion key, either way. I will find out today or this weekend if the 4D68 or 67 works.

Now for the things I used during this whole ordeal.

Techstream 13.xx from here: http://blog.obdii365.com/?s=techstream

This Cable: https://www.ebay.com/itm/14402570161...gAAOSwbPtgjNLd

This is the site I used to get the seed codes to delete all keys in the cars: https://www.weboctopus.nl/lexus-scio...calculator.php

If you've lost all keys, once you have techstream, a cable, and all that's working, you need "body control module" or maybe its "body main" then "utility" on the left, then it says something like "erase all keys" You'll click it. Then you need the seed code, put all that info in the site above and it'll give you a passcode, put that into techstream and then it'll make you wait 16 minutes.

If you hadn't lost all keys, you could go pretty much do the same thing, but without erasing all keys, without the seed code, ect.

And that's the transponder part. You can also use techstream to program the key fob part, which oddly enough worked on the first try, zero issues for me.

Lastly, if you wanted to re-key your own lock, you'll need "tumblers" or "wafers" or whatever they call em. You could go to a u-pull-it and grab a buncha lock cylinders out of anything your key fits in, mimicking what I did, or you can order them online from lock smithing places.

This video was a lot of help:

For example: https://www.clksupplies.com/products...pr_seq=uniform

I will reply or update this again when I try the new transponders I have. I will eventually get this 100% sorted and hopefully save someone the time later. And NOT pay the dealer or locksmith $350.

[gkubed]

Thanks a bunch for sharing all of this. One of my keys died (no, not just the key battery, unfortunately) to my FR-S a couple years ago and I did a ton of research into how I might be able to resolve it myself, and there just wasn't enough information out there so I ended up shelling out big bucks with the dealer (still less than if I had lost both keys). The more information is out there, the better the chances are that we'll be able to keep these cars running in 20-30 years when the techs at Daddy Toyota have long since forgotten how to do this sort of procedure.

[bolink654]

Well for the record, those didn't work either. After spending another 2 hours scouring the internet, I found another possibility. 4D61.

99% of the locksmithing places just say "Special Scion G chip", and want crazy money for the whole key. Some list it incorrectly as taking a 4D67, 4D68, 4D72 or a 4D60. I know those are incorrect, because I've tried them all.

Though at one point, way down the internet rabbit hole on a locksmithing forum I seen a reference to them using a "Mitsubishi chip". That may (or may not) be correct, here is a 2nd refrence to that: https://www.uhs-hardware.com/product...=93526-K-TOY49

And when you ebay 4D61 chip, most results are Mitsubishi: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...+chip&_sacat=0

So it looks like I'm buying some 4D61 chips or keys with chips.

[MCTuning]

First of all, thank you so much for this detailed post. I am in almost the exact same situation (had to perform some shenanigans to get an auction car with turned wheels and no key off of the trailer).

The car came with a key fob (Push button start) but the car does not recognize the fob. Just gives me a blinky orange key light.

So I've been through this same whole process. Dealership is telling me they have to remove the BCM and ship it off to subaru for unlocking and then put it all back together with two new keys for $1200. So I'm trying to work around that.

I have a replacement USB cable for my Tactrix in the mail so I can try out Techstream, however the only bit I'm worried about is whether I can get techstream to connect without a working key.

Does the ignition have to be in the on position for Techstream? Additionally, since you have a few of these and have messed quite a bit with them, if I swap the BCM with one that has a known working key, would that allow me to start the car and then try to marry the ECM and Cluster to it?