Wanted to offer up one other thought on this: I have a Lexus SC430 that had the same range problem. Like with my LC, I had an inexpensive aftermarket key made for the SC, and the transmitter range was about 1m compared to the OE key's ~10m. Unlike the LC, the SC's receiver is mounted in the rear view mirror, so I could not antenna-mod it. But the problem was really with the aftermarket key's transmitter. And I noticed that even with the LC's antenna mod, my original key still has almost twice the range the new aftermarket one.
So I ended up buying a Dorman-branded key for the SC. It was ~$140 for the blank - much more than the generic blanks, but less than from the Lexus dealership. The performance difference on the SC is night-and-day: the Dorman key has the same range as the OE. It has a FCC ID printed on the case, so I suspect it has a better chip. If I were doing it over on the LC, I'd start with a higher-quality key.
So, if you're considering this mod, first check your key. Its transmitter may be the part of the range problem.
So I ended up buying a Dorman-branded key for the SC. It was ~$140 for the blank - much more than the generic blanks, but less than from the Lexus dealership. The performance difference on the SC is night-and-day: the Dorman key has the same range as the OE. It has a FCC ID printed on the case, so I suspect it has a better chip. If I were doing it over on the LC, I'd start with a higher-quality key.
So, if you're considering this mod, first check your key. Its transmitter may be the part of the range problem.
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