So you're saying if the key won't recognize it might be the key. I've tried the manual process and I figured it's because my motors in the door locks were bad.
Unfortunately for y'all, other than the suggestions about the motors themselves, the information I'm passing along is largely anecdotal. I'm just passing along observations about what has happened to me / what has worked for me. Granted, a lot of the information on MUD is of similar provenance, but I wish I could say that what I'm suggesting is based on an electrical diagram or first-hand knowledge of the systems themselves or something substantive.
In E's situation, the only trucks that I've had to press the open or lock multiple times to get them to work were when I had ordered aftermarket keys (e.g.,
eBay keys with transmitters) They work, but you sometimes just have to keep pushing the buttons to get the vehicle to respond. Personally, I've never had that happen with an OEM transmitter (I'm pretty sure the key shell/shaft have no involvement in that process, just the transmitter.....Rob?)
Regarding the programming of a new key, (a) Like you, I've never had Toyota's manual programming system work. I've tried and tried, but I've never had it succeed, and (b) I've never had a locksmith-programmed new key fail to work as it should. Unfortunately, that's the extent of my knowledge on that, but that's why I thought it might be the locksmith himself.........for MANY years, I had always read that if you ever lost both of your factory transmitter keys, you were screwed and had to buy a new ignition computer that came with replacement keys. Obviously, I found out that was not true (by accident. I took in a valet key and a replacement transmitter key and asked this locksmith if he could make the new one work. He said yes, and he did.) Since then, I'll bet I've had a half dozen Toyotas that were purchased without a transmitter key, and all were later converted.......not sure why yours didn't work, but I might try another reputable locksmith. (By the way, I don't believe there is any connection between any of this and the door actuator motors. But I could be wrong

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