Last year, my aunt in Queensland left Australia for good to go back to our family in New Caledonia. She gave us her 2002 Toyota RAV4 and we drove it back from Queensland to New South Wales.
This year my wife got her driving license and got to drive the car. The car is rather old but had less than 100, 000 Km on the counter and was very well maintained. However, we had only one key with door remote, if we lose it then we're done.
So I went to Erina Fair, a nearby shopping centre, go ask for a quote to get a duplicate and the locksmith said it was AUD200+ that includes a generic car key with remote controller and they would have to code the key themselves to upload the Toyota firmware. Having programmed a Lexus car key before, I didn't take the offer and went back home. I then searched on eBay and found a compatible Toyota blank key for just AUD35!
A few days later, the key arrived in the mailbox and that night I spent over 30 minutes trying to program the bloody key. The instructions that came with it was a generic procedure and it didn't fully work on my car.
There are two steps:
- Programming the remote to open the doors
- Programming the internal transponder chip to disable the car security system and allow ignition with the key
You are actually not programming the key but programming the car's ECU (computer) to register the key's signal and add it in the authorized key list. The first step of programming the remote controller worked a treat but I couldn't program the transponder chip at all and spent a lot of time trying various methods and timing. Timing is important, for example, some steps have to be done under 10 seconds, others under 20 seconds etc... If your timing is off, you need to start from the beginning.
Today, I've finally found the instructions for programming my 2002 Toyota RAV4 for a new key transponder. I thought I would share it here in case it is useful to someone.
Authorizing a new Toyota car remote (key or keyless access)
- Enter the car and leave the driver's door open and all other doors closed. No key should be inserted for now.
- Insert the master key into the ignition and remove it twice (DO NOT TURN the key): in/out, in/out
- Shut and open the driver's door twice: close/open, close/open.
- Insert the master key into the ignition and take it out once.
- Shut and open the driver's door twice: close/open, close/open.
- Shut the driver's door
- Insert the master key into the ignition and turn the key to on (accessory position, no need to start the engine).
- Turn the key back to off and remove it
- You should now hear the door locks cycling by themselves. This means the car has entered programming mode. If you can't hear the door locks cycling then repeat from the beginning.
- With all remotes: press lock and unlock together for 1 second, then release them and press the lock button alone. The door's locks will cycle to confirm registration of the new remote.
- When done with all remotes, put the master key into the ignition, turn it to on and then to off.
- Remove the master key, close the door and test the remote.
Authorizing a new Toyota key transponder - Method 1
- Enter the car and shut all doors but leave them unlocked
- Insert the master key and remove it 4 times (in/out, in/out, in/out, in/out). Finish by inserting the master key again
- Open and shut the driver's door 6 times: open/close, open/close, open/close, open/close, open/close, open/close.
- Remove the master key. The security light should light up solid. This means the car has entered programming mode. Else repeat the process.
- Insert the new key (DO NOT TURN the key). The security light should start blinking.
- Wait until the light stops blinking (up to 60 seconds).
- Remove the key.
- Open and shut the door.
- Test your new key.
Authorizing a new Toyota key transponder - Method 2
This is the one that worked for my 2002 Toyota RAV4. You don't need to have the new key cut in order to authorize it, this is great as if you can't program it you can probably still decide to return it to the seller.
- Enter the car and close the doors left unlocked.
- Press the gas and brake pedals together.
- Insert the master key (DO NOT TURN it). The security light should turn off.
- You now have 15 seconds to push and then release the gas pedal 5 times.
- You now have 20 seconds to push and then release the brake pedal 6 times.
- Take your master key out. The security light should stay off. This means the car has entered programming mode. Else repeat the process.
- Insert your new key (DO NOT TURN it).
- Push down on the gas pedal once. The security light should start blinking.
- Wait until the security light turns off (up to two minutes). Your new key should now be authorized.
- You can go and get your key cut.
Total cost
The new key cost me AUD35 including shipping. Cutting the key at the local locksmith cost me AUD19. Total cost: AUD54, I saved at least $146!
Tip before buying a new key
To save time and effort, you could try to use the procedures described above just to enter the programming mode and see if it would work for your car.
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