Smart Key System

[JabboWiz]

Has anyone attempted to get 2 (two) extra smart keys programmed at the same time?

I just purchased a 2007 Lexus ES350 with the Smart Key keyless pushbutton start and entry system. I am a long time Toyota user and this is my first experience with a Lexus.

This being a used car, one of the most neglectful thing the previous owner/leasee did was loose the second smart key remote fob. Obtaining another smart key and programming it to this car has become much more stressful than I believe it should be.

I was quoted by the dealer a price of over $325 for a smart key with the mechanical backup blade key cut. I felt this was a little on the unreasonable side, and began researching options on the internet and with local locksmiths. There are lots of posts and ads for new key fobs for better than half the price quoted by the dealer. I am not one to believe all that I see on the internet so I elected to pursue a solution with a local locksmith. I received a quote from them to obtain two smart keys for the same price as the dealers one. Thinking since it is so difficult to get one, I will go ahead and get two extra keys just in case. I ordered up two keys and made an appointment for the locksmith to set up the car and cut the mechanical backup keys.

Well, I quickly determined that this turkey did not know much at all about what he had for tools and equipment. He obtained 2 keys (from an unknown source) that look exactly like the one I have and proceeded to use his terminal device to program the car to accept these two new keys. Well, the instructions included with the device and the prompts given did not agree and after several attempts he gave up and called the device rep. for assistance and was met with failure at every attempt. He then became somewhat frustrated because he claimed to have spent over $5000 on the programming unit! He gave up and offered to sell me the two Smart Key fobs and if I could get them programmed by the dealer, he would cut the mechanical key for free. I accepted the offer and purchased the two fobs for $300 which is competitive with what I had seen available from internet sources.

The Lexus dealer said he would do the programming of the two keys for $62.50. I let my wife take it to the dealer but he returned the car without successfully programming the two keys saying, "These keys must not be compatible, look here these keys are not even cut!" Since he said this to my wife and not to me, I was unable to counter, "Well Duh!! But what does that have to do with programming the keys?" The dealer did however discount his price somewhat since he was unable to program the key, he reduced the price to $50. Then too, he did not offer any alternatives! Hmmm, almost like he felt some responsibility for the failed attempt. But, I am happy for any break I get at this point.

Now, I have spent $350 and I am no better off. I do not suspect that both of the two additional smart keys are faulty. They look the same, they have the same chips inside, the LEDs light up when the buttons are pushed. I guess it is possible, but how can I positively determine this?

So, I am placed at the mercy of Lexus dealer and forced to pay their price for one additional key. I don't however have much confidence in this Lexus dealer, but what other choices might I have? Of course, if the initial quote had been reasonable for one extra key to my car, I would have done that in the first place.

1. Could the failed attempts be explained by the fact that the two extra keys were in very close proximity to the "Start Button" when the programming was attempted? Is it possible the car was confused and simply refused the new key(s)? Both Smart Keys were on one key ring and I am certian they were not seperated by the technician.
   
2. What could be my actual problem? It seems that there are no knowledgeable technicians or experts available that can, or are willing, to tell me what the actual problem is.
   
3. How can a Smart Key be tested? Is there a device that can independently activate the smart key or check its functionality?
   

[ridininmybenz44]

Has anyone attempted to get 2 (two) extra smart keys programmed at the same time?

I just purchased a 2007 Lexus ES350 with the Smart Key keyless pushbutton start and entry system. I am a long time Toyota user and this is my first experience with a Lexus.

This being a used car, one of the most neglectful thing the previous owner/leasee did was loose the second smart key remote fob. Obtaining another smart key and programming it to this car has become much more stressful than I believe it should be.

I was quoted by the dealer a price of over $325 for a smart key with the mechanical backup blade key cut. I felt this was a little on the unreasonable side, and began researching options on the internet and with local locksmiths. There are lots of posts and ads for new key fobs for better than half the price quoted by the dealer. I am not one to believe all that I see on the internet so I elected to pursue a solution with a local locksmith. I received a quote from them to obtain two smart keys for the same price as the dealers one. Thinking since it is so difficult to get one, I will go ahead and get two extra keys just in case. I ordered up two keys and made an appointment for the locksmith to set up the car and cut the mechanical backup keys.

Well, I quickly determined that this turkey did not know much at all about what he had for tools and equipment. He obtained 2 keys (from an unknown source) that look exactly like the one I have and proceeded to use his terminal device to program the car to accept these two new keys. Well, the instructions included with the device and the prompts given did not agree and after several attempts he gave up and called the device rep. for assistance and was met with failure at every attempt. He then became somewhat frustrated because he claimed to have spent over $5000 on the programming unit! He gave up and offered to sell me the two Smart Key fobs and if I could get them programmed by the dealer, he would cut the mechanical key for free. I accepted the offer and purchased the two fobs for $300 which is competitive with what I had seen available from internet sources.

The Lexus dealer said he would do the programming of the two keys for $62.50. I let my wife take it to the dealer but he returned the car without successfully programming the two keys saying, "These keys must not be compatible, look here these keys are not even cut!" Since he said this to my wife and not to me, I was unable to counter, "Well Duh!! But what does that have to do with programming the keys?" The dealer did however discount his price somewhat since he was unable to program the key, he reduced the price to $50. Then too, he did not offer any alternatives! Hmmm, almost like he felt some responsibility for the failed attempt. But, I am happy for any break I get at this point.

Now, I have spent $350 and I am no better off. I do not suspect that both of the two additional smart keys are faulty. They look the same, they have the same chips inside, the LEDs light up when the buttons are pushed. I guess it is possible, but how can I positively determine this?

So, I am placed at the mercy of Lexus dealer and forced to pay their price for one additional key. I don't however have much confidence in this Lexus dealer, but what other choices might I have? Of course, if the initial quote had been reasonable for one extra key to my car, I would have done that in the first place.

1. Could the failed attempts be explained by the fact that the two extra keys were in very close proximity to the "Start Button" when the programming was attempted? Is it possible the car was confused and simply refused the new key(s)? Both Smart Keys were on one key ring and I am certian they were not seperated by the technician.
   
2. What could be my actual problem? It seems that there are no knowledgeable technicians or experts available that can, or are willing, to tell me what the actual problem is.
   
3. How can a Smart Key be tested? Is there a device that can independently activate the smart key or check its functionality?
   

I don't know if you still care, but most likely the reason why the keys did not work is because they were used. I have a 2007 Toyota Avalon Limited that uses the same Smart Key system as the Lexus's do and I was also quoted a ridiculously high price for a single key. So, I ordered a key from ebay for about $60 and tried to get it programmed with no success by dealers and locksmiths. However, the locksmith just reset the system (Reset the ECU, I believe) and was able to add all of the keys needed. It was a fairly quick process about 10-15 mins. Just ask your locksmith to reset the ECU and then add the keys.

Hope that helps

[JabboWiz]

Thanks,

I had no confidence in the capabilities of the locksmith, so I was really hesitant to let him reset the ECU. I feared it might permanently disable the car. And then, I couldn't find another locksmith in this area that claimed they knew how to do it either. After some arguing, I was able to recover most of the costs of the seemingly defective FOBs. But this took a couple of weeks!

I ended up going to sewell.com and ordering the (only 1) FOB with a cut blade key for total of $185. It came in the mail within a week. I then took the FOB to the dealer and he had no problem programming the car to the key. He was then gracious enough to not charge me anything since he had failed on his first attempt and I had also paid other service fees ($50) to set up options (auto window, lighting, and door locking) which were very simple settings via the special programming terminal hooked up to the car.

Now I am a little irritated but somewhat satisfied with the dealer service. I still don't completely understand why it has to be so difficult and expensive to obtain extra activation devices for this car. They (Lexus) are only making it difficult and expensive for the legal owners. If I were a thief, I would use other methods and it wouldn't cost me much at all. This just seems wrong to me.

[SW03ES]

You have to be reasonable. You can't blame the dealer because they couldn't program bootlegged or used keys that you bought from what you admit was a shady source. Once you bought a legitimate genuine key then it programmed right up didn't it?

Its a $40,000 car with high end technology, it has a smart key system with sensors and computers with sophisticated code scrambling and anti-theft devices and yes, keys aren't cheap. Its not a 1990 Ford Aerostar you can just go to Sears and get keys for. You want the latest technology its not free.

It was only difficult for you because you tried to take the cheap route instead of making sure you were buying the right parts for the vehicle. Had you just ordered the right key online it would have been easy and done. Not the dealer's fault. I think it was very nice for them to program the key for you the second time without charging you.

[alckc]

You have to be reasonable. You can't blame the dealer because they couldn't program bootlegged or used keys that you bought from what you admit was a shady source. Once you bought a legitimate genuine key then it programmed right up didn't it?

Its a $40,000 car with high end technology, it has a smart key system with sensors and computers with sophisticated code scrambling and anti-theft devices and yes, keys aren't cheap. Its not a 1990 Ford Aerostar you can just go to Sears and get keys for. You want the latest technology its not free.

It was only difficult for you because you tried to take the cheap route instead of making sure you were buying the right parts for the vehicle. Had you just ordered the right key online it would have been easy and done. Not the dealer's fault. I think it was very nice for them to program the key for you the second time without charging you.

I went to a locksmith that was recommended by another member of the board to program 2 used remotes that I bought off of ebay. I previously went to 2 dealerships to have them program the used remotes. Both said that it couldn't be done, which was BS.

It took the locksmith 17 minutes to reset the ignition computer. When the locksmith's computer showed a full reset, he placed each of the remotes to the start button and the remotes took the new code. Now I have 3 remotes. The cost of the reset was $70. I bought the two remotes for $45 and $50. I bought 2 key blanks for $20, with $30 to have them cut by the same locksmith. Total cost... $215.00

During the time that we were waiting for the computer to reset, the locksmith let me look through the instruction book. There were two set of instructions, one for adding a remote and another for when u lose all your remotes. The instructions were straight forward and seemed easy to follow. Either the dealers wanted to rip-off their customers forcing them to pay out $350 for a new remote, are too lazy to do the hard reset, or don't know how to do it.

So, call around your area for a locksmith who has the right computer equipment.