'07 Is250 Remote (help Please)

[Dominic3464]

Hi, well, I purchased a remote with an "uncut" ket for my '07 IS250 from eBay...in the listing it stated, "this remote must be taken to a Lexus Dealer for programming"...ok, fair enough I thought, it's still cheaper than the $310 the Dealer wants...so, I took delivery of the eBay remote, brought it to the Lexus Dealer to be programmed for a $65 charge & after about an hour of waiting, the rep tells me my eBay remote cannot be programmed to my IS250, beacuse it's already been programmed to another vehicle. I'm totally surprised and so I go back & contact the eBay seller, explain the problem & he agrees to send me a replacement remote that's "new". The replacement remote does arrive & I take it back to the Dealer for programming & guess what? Yep, same story, it cannot be programmed because it's already been programmed to another Lexus. I'm embarrassed & ticked & now, I'm wondering, who's telling the truth, the Dealer or eBay dude? Can some knowledgeable person respond to this situation? Oh thank you very much in advance...

[tex2670]

I would tend to doubt the eBay seller--where is he getting these cheap remotes?

But--why can't a remote be re-programmed??

[terry993]

I would be interested to know where the ebay seller is getting so many remotes and cheaper than the dealer. At $310, the dealer has an incentive to say it can't be programmed. I don't know which one to believe.

[rishithen7]

I would be interested to know where the ebay seller is getting so many remotes and cheaper than the dealer. At $310, the dealer has an incentive to say it can't be programmed. I don't know which one to believe.

Is there another dealer close by you can try?

[ksJoe]

Just signed up so I can comment...

A week ago I bought a 06 IS350 with one key. So I've been looking into getting more. I've bought two used keys on Ebay, but haven't gotten them yet.

What my local dealer said, is its $53 to program car if they can "just do it". And when they're doing it, it doesn't matter how many, so programming several is the same cost as programming one.

He said sometimes when people get keys on the internet they have some issues (possibly if its been programmed to another car? he didn't give the cause). But then they have to call lexus and get a new seed value and reseed something (on the car I assume?). That cost $135.

So I'm hopeful that my ebay remotes will be programmed for $53 or $135.

But based on what he told me, a used remote should at worst mean it takes a little more work.

Please update us with what happens.

[Dominic3464]

Hello all...well, I was able to return both of the Smartkey Remotes for my IS250 to the eBay sellers for a full refund...They both were actually quite helpful and almost apologetic...So, here's the scoop and this pertains to the 2007 IS250 ONLY....I don't know about other years or models....You cannot and I repeat CANNOT purchase a Smartkey Remote outside of a Lexus Dealer and expect to be able to get it programmed at the Dealer....I attempted this with two different Dealers and two different eBay remotes & got the same results..."We cannot program this remote to your IS250, because its already been programmed to another Lexus and cannot be re-programmed." Additionally, no locksmiths at all are able to program the '07 IS250...Only the Dealer has the correct software, at least for now (10/08) ...Soooo, bottom line....be prepared to shell out around three hundred bucks at a Dealer for an additonal Smartkey remote...Lots of wasted energy and effort on this, but, I did uncover the truth...take care ya'll...

[BaddBoi70]

Hello all...well, I was able to return both of the Smartkey Remotes for my IS250 to the eBay sellers for a full refund...They both were actually quite helpful and almost apologetic...So, here's the scoop and this pertains to the 2007 IS250 ONLY....I don't know about other years or models....You cannot and I repeat CANNOT purchase a Smartkey Remote outside of a Lexus Dealer and expect to be able to get it programmed at the Dealer....I attempted this with two different Dealers and two different eBay remotes & got the same results..."We cannot program this remote to your IS250, because its already been programmed to another Lexus and cannot be re-programmed." Additionally, no locksmiths at all are able to program the '07 IS250...Only the Dealer has the correct software, at least for now (10/08) ...Soooo, bottom line....be prepared to shell out around three hundred bucks at a Dealer for an additonal Smartkey remote...Lots of wasted energy and effort on this, but, I did uncover the truth...take care ya'll...

Unless you purchase from Sewell Lexus. '07 IS250 Key Fob: http://www.sewellpartsonline.com/parts_detail.asp?id=61666 Lexus Key: http://www.sewellpartsonline.com/parts_detail.asp?id=78615

[ksJoe]

I took my used (previously programmed and cut) key fobs to my dealer today.

When I called before they said if they can program them easily it would be around 53. But sometimes when people buy them online they have to reset more stuff, and then its 135. I was assuming I'd be paying $135 to get it done.

When I brought it in today, they didn't ask where I got them, so I didn't mention it. After about a half hour they came and asked where I got them because they were having problems. So I told them I got them off ebay, and they said ok the probably need to unprogram them for the previous car, then try to program them for my car. I asked if he know if that would work and he said "I don't know, I'll just have to try it and see".

Another half hour and they came back and said they couldn't get it to work.

Then he said they could reset the entire ECU - just like if I lost all the keys. That would run around $230, and they thought that would probably do it, but wouldn't make any promises. So if it didn't, I'd be out $230, and still not have accomplished anything.

So instead I ordered a new key ($190) and it should be here in a couple days. He said that their time for messing around today should have been 72, but since they didn't accomplish anything, he marked it down to 48. And that guy was probably working on it a full hour.

From what I had read here I was a bit suspicious about dealers trying to push people to buy new fobs from them just because they can. But it was obvious these guys were really trying to get them work, and felt bad about charging me when it didn't.