Losing or needing to replace your Toyota Prius key fob can be a frustrating experience, often accompanied by the looming expense of dealership programming. But what if you could program your new key fob yourself, right in your driveway? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the exact steps to program a new Toyota Prius key fob, saving you time and money.
This guide is specifically designed for GEN II Prius vehicles and focuses on programming brand new, genuine Toyota key fobs purchased from authorized dealers. It’s crucial to understand that aftermarket or used fobs may not be compatible with these procedures, especially for full Smart Key System (SKS) functionality. Let’s dive into the process, often referred to as the “chicken dance” due to its series of specific actions.
Procedure A: Programming for Start/Stop Functionality (All Fobs)
This initial procedure is essential for all new Toyota Prius key fobs, regardless of whether they have a black or chrome logo or SKS functionality. It programs the basic start/stop engine function when the fob is inserted into the key port.
Follow these steps for PROCEDURE A:
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Enter Your Prius and Prepare: Get inside your Toyota Prius, ensuring all doors are closed and unlocked. Turn off the vehicle completely.
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Insert and Remove Old Fob (Multiple Times): Take your existing, working key fob and insert it into the key slot, then remove it. Repeat this process four times in quick succession. On the fifth insertion, leave the old fob inserted in the slot.
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Driver Door Cycling: Open and close the driver’s side door six times.
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Remove Old Fob: Take out the old key fob from the slot. At this point, your Prius is in key fob programming mode. You’ll notice the red anti-theft light remaining illuminated on the dashboard.
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Program New Fob: Insert your new key fob into the slot and leave it there for a full minute. Observe the red anti-theft light on the dashboard. It will be blinking. When the light stops flashing and turns off completely, your new key fob is programmed for the start/stop function.
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Start/Stop Programming Complete: Remove the new key fob from the slot. The START/STOP engine function programming is now complete.
- If your Prius has Smart Key System (SKS) and your new fob has a chrome logo, proceed to PROCEDURE B.
- If your Prius does NOT have SKS and your new fob has a black logo, proceed to PROCEDURE C.
Procedure B: Programming for Remote Lock/Unlock & Smart Key System (SKS) Functionality (Chrome Logo Fobs)
This procedure is specifically for Toyota Prius vehicles equipped with the Smart Key System (SKS) and new key fobs with a chrome logo. It will program the remote lock/unlock functions and the convenient Smart Key functionality, allowing for keyless entry and start.
Follow these steps for PROCEDURE B:
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Open Driver Door (No Fob): Open the driver’s side door and leave it open. Ensure no key fob is in the slot, and the driver’s door is unlocked. The other doors can be either locked or unlocked.
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Insert and Remove Old Fob (Twice): Within 5 seconds, insert your old, working key fob into the slot and remove it twice.
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Door Close/Open Cycle (Twice): Within 40 seconds of step 2, close and then open the driver’s side door two times.
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Insert and Remove Old Fob (Once): Within 40 seconds of step 3, insert and remove your old key fob from the slot one time.
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Door Close/Open Cycle (Twice Again): Within 40 seconds of step 4, close and open the driver’s door two more times.
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Insert Old Fob and Close Door: Insert your old key fob into the slot and close the driver’s door.
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Enter Accessory Mode (No Brake): Without pressing the brake pedal, press the power button on your Prius. Wait for a second, press it again, wait another second, and then press it a third time to turn the car back off. This puts the car in accessory mode and then back off, crucial for programming.
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Remove Old Fob (Add Mode): Remove the old key fob from the slot. Your Prius should now be in “add mode” for key fob programming.
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Verification and Fob Programming Sequence: Within 3 seconds of step 8, the car should automatically lock and unlock the doors to confirm it’s in add mode. The number of lock/unlock cycles may vary slightly depending on your specific Prius model, but it should cycle at least once. If the doors do not cycle, return to step 1 and repeat the procedure. If the doors cycle, proceed with the following steps within 40 seconds of completing step 8:
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9a: Old Fob Button Press: Press and hold both the Lock and Unlock buttons simultaneously on your OLD/MASTER key fob for a couple of seconds. The door locks should cycle once again. If this doesn’t happen, it might be due to a weak CR 2032 battery in your old fob. Try replacing the battery and repeating from step 9a.
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9b: New Fob Button Press: Immediately press and hold both the Lock and Unlock buttons simultaneously on your NEW key fob for about 1.5 seconds. Some users have reported needing to repeat this step twice for success. If the first attempt doesn’t seem to work, try executing this step twice.
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9c: New Fob Lock Button Press: Within three seconds of step 9b, press the Lock button on your NEW key fob. If the programming is successful, the door locks will cycle once to indicate confirmation. Note that the lock/unlock cycle might take a moment to occur. Be patient, and wait for at least a minute before assuming it hasn’t worked. If you wait for a significant time (over a minute) and there’s no lock/unlock cycle, proceed to step 10 and test the SKS functions of your new fob to see if they are working.
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9d: Program Additional Fobs (Optional): If you need to program another new key fob, repeat steps 9a, 9b, and 9c for each additional fob. Once you have programmed all desired fobs, proceed to step 10.
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End Programming: To finalize the key fob programming process, simply open and then close the driver’s door, or insert any key fob into the key slot. This action will exit the programming mode.
Procedure C: Programming for Remote Lock/Unlock Functionality (Black Logo Fobs, No SKS)
This procedure is designed for Toyota Prius models without the Smart Key System (SKS) and for programming new key fobs that have a black logo. This will enable the remote lock and unlock functions.
Follow these steps for PROCEDURE C:
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Open Driver Door (No Fob): Open the driver’s door, ensuring no key fob is in the ignition slot and all doors are unlocked.
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Insert and Remove Old Fob (Twice): Within 5 seconds, insert your old, working key fob into the slot and remove it two times.
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Door Close/Open Cycle (Twice): Close and open the driver’s door two times.
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Insert and Remove Old Fob (Once): Insert and remove your old key fob from the slot one time.
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Door Close/Open Cycle (Twice Again): Close and open the driver’s door two more times.
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Insert Old Fob and Close Door: Insert your old key fob into the slot and then close the driver’s door.
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Enter Accessory Mode (No Brake): Without pressing the brake pedal, press the power button, wait a second, press it again, wait another second, and press it a third time to turn the car off.
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Remove Old Fob (Add Mode): Remove the old key fob from the slot. Your Prius should now be in “add mode” for programming.
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Verification of Add Mode: The car should automatically lock and unlock the doors twice to verify that it is in add mode. If it doesn’t perform this cycle, restart from step 1.
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New Fob Button Press (Both): Press and hold both buttons (Lock and Unlock) on the new key fob simultaneously for about 1.5 seconds.
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New Fob Lock Button Press: Within 3 seconds, press only the Lock button on the new key fob.
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Verification of Programming: The car should respond with one quick lock/unlock cycle to confirm that the new key fob is successfully programmed. If the car responds with two lock/unlock cycles, it indicates that the programming was unsuccessful. In this case, try the procedure again, ensure your new fob is not defective, or consider if you have reached the maximum number of key fobs that can be programmed to your vehicle.
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End Programming: To exit the programming mode, open and then close the driver’s door, or insert any key fob into the slot.
Important Notes:
- Genuine Toyota Fobs: These procedures are confirmed to work with genuine Toyota key fobs purchased from a Toyota dealer. Part numbers for reference:
- OEM Fob Part # for smart access (SKS): 89994-47061
- OEM Fob Part # for non-smart access: 89070-47180
- Practice Run: It’s highly recommended to practice these steps (a “dry run”) before actually programming your new fob to familiarize yourself with the sequence and timing.
- Battery Condition: Ensure the batteries in both your old and new key fobs are in good condition (CR 2032 battery). A weak battery can cause programming failures.
By following these detailed procedures, you can confidently program your new Toyota Prius key fob at home, restoring your keyless entry and vehicle functionality without a trip to the dealership.
(Note: While the original article mentioned a video, it was not directly provided. If a relevant and helpful video is available, consider embedding it here for enhanced user experience.)
This guide is based on community-sourced information and is intended for informational purposes. While we strive for accuracy, keyfobx.com is not responsible for any issues arising from following these instructions. If you are unsure or uncomfortable with these procedures, consulting a professional locksmith or Toyota dealership is always recommended.
