walmart transponder key?!?

[tacoduck]

was at the walmart buying beer and ammo and was checking out at the auto parts section... saw a sign saying "we can make duplicate transponder keys." Asked the gal behind the desk, and she said they can't do lexus. asked for a quote for my LC, and she quoted me 59 bucks for a standard 4 button key, cut and programmed.

I don't need a second key, but I thought it would be worthwhile to pass it on. 60 bucks for a cut and programmed key is damn good.

 

[nissanh]

I bought a transponder key without the buttons from walmart and yes, it works! I need to check about the 4 button key. When I was there last year, they had no button keys.
Thanks for the information.

 

[ScubaJon]

I think they are cheaper on ebay forgot the price its been a couple years ago

 

[bigredmachine]

ebay keys can be hit or miss, some time they work sometimes they dont. i love it when we quote a customer a key, they say its too much, get an ebay key, come back for us to cut and program it, and then we cant program it because its defective or the wrong one.

 

[blatant]

Help me understand. I paid 59 bucks from a local dealer for a new master key. They cut it and then had to hookup a laptop to the truck and perform a sequence to get it programmed to the truck/immobilizer.

What is it that Walmart does?

 

[J0seph]

ebay keys can be hit or miss, some time they work sometimes they dont. i love it when we quote a customer a key, they say its too much, get an ebay key, come back for us to cut and program it, and then we cant program it because its defective or the wrong one.

I recently did exactly that. I bought a (ebay or Amazon) key with the buttons and everything, took it to Home depot to get it cut and cloned with my original one. As I left home depot, the copied key worked! It turn the car on and drove home (the buttons didnt work because I had to program it yet.) I tried starting the Land Cruiser up again a week later and it wouldnt. It just stopped working.
Does anyone know what happened? Did my ECU found out about the cloned key? did the key is a faulty one? I'm clueless

 

[BullElk]

Perhaps it cranked with copied key due to your original programmed key was in your pocket close to ignition. ???

 

[bigredmachine]

I recently did exactly that. I bought a (ebay or Amazon) key with the buttons and everything, took it to Home depot to get it cut and cloned with my original one. As I left home depot, the copied key worked! It turn the car on and drove home (the buttons didnt work because I had to program it yet.) I tried starting the Land Cruiser up again a week later and it wouldnt. It just stopped working.
Does anyone know what happened? Did my ECU found out about the cloned key? did the key is a faulty one? I'm clueless

could just be a poor quality key transponder. you could try to have it reprogrammed and see if that makes a difference.

Perhaps it cranked with copied key due to your original programmed key was in your pocket close to ignition. ???

good thinking but no, the key would be too far from the transponder pick up if it was in a pocket or whatnot. its pretty much behind the ignition cylinder so maybe if both keys were on the same ring than thats a possibility

 

[ScubaJon]

guess I was just lucky then.

Purchased 3 blank transponder key blanks with the buttons from the huge thread on buying keys from ebay for dirt cheep. Took them to a key shop had them cut. Took them out to my LC and proceeded to follow the how to program by cycling the key steppin on the gas flicking the door locks and hitting the brake pedal. No need to have a computer anything done to the key.

It was on a 2K LC

 

[J0seph]

could just be a poor quality key transponder. you could try to have it reprogrammed and see if that makes a difference.



good thinking but no, the key would be too far from the transponder pick up if it was in a pocket or whatnot. its pretty much behind the ignition cylinder so maybe if both keys were on the same ring than thats a possibility

The keys were not in the same ring and the "copy" did start up the car. I just tried again today, and the only way I got it to work was by touching the "copy" with the one that works as in the picture. By itself just wouldnt :/

I still cant figure why it worked the first time on its own and not once more?

 

[6lug]

Just to be clear, do you have to have the functioning master key for this? If not, do I still have to send the key and ECU out to get a master key made?

 

[Live to Ski]

You can also get a "master" from some hardware stores.

Basically, when I looked into it, they electronically (needs a battery) simulate the Radio-frequency identification (RFID) code. If you take the battery out, it probably won't start the rig.

The factory rfid is a passive signal w/o need of a battery (battery is in factory key fob for door lock/unlock function). That is why one can place an rfid chip inside the steering column near the key slot, and use an unchipped key to start/run rig.

These RFID chips cost a penny or so in volume. They are in the process of taking over id functions of bar codes.

Always open to corrections to the above.

 

[lt1fire]

did all the 100's have transponder keys?

 

[r2m]

I recently did exactly that. I bought a (ebay or Amazon) key with the buttons and everything, took it to Home depot to get it cut and cloned with my original one. As I left home depot, the copied key worked! It turn the car on and drove home (the buttons didnt work because I had to program it yet.) I tried starting the Land Cruiser up again a week later and it wouldnt. It just stopped working.
Does anyone know what happened? Did my ECU found out about the cloned key? did the key is a faulty one? I'm clueless

This may sound stupid, but when you had your new key made and hopped back into your rig and it worked, did you have the old key next to it?
The reason I'm asking is that if the transponder is in proximity of the ignition, (read: your old key hanging next to your new key) yes, your rig will start. And it will start with even a plain metal stamped key with no electronics on it. Now once you take your old key with the transponder off the key ring or whatever and leave it on the kitchen table, then your new key will not work.

Just my two pennies worth...

 

[J0seph]

Makes sense although I dont think it's my situation and here's why: Last Thursday I went to the LC with 2 key and tried one more time the "copy" one (the original key was in the car nearby the ignition) It did not start up the car. I then made the metal of the original touch the metal of the copy(inserted in the ignition) and it did start up the car. Though it was due to physical contact not really proximity. So in light of the new information (to me) that these keys require battery for the chip to work, perhaps my "copy" key has a dead battery.... I'll check sometime today if there's a way of prying open the "copy" without breaking the case.
If anyone has already opened theirs, do these key have 2 batteries? one for the buttons and one for the transmitter? I'm asking this because the dealer gave me my original key in two parts, one that is just the buttons and one working key(no buttons)

 

[r2m]

Makes sense although I dont think it's my situation and here's why: Last Thursday I went to the LC with 2 key and tried one more time the "copy" one (the original key was in the car nearby the ignition) It did not start up the car. I then made the metal of the original touch the metal of the copy(inserted in the ignition) and it did start up the car. Though it was due to physical contact not really proximity. So in light of the new information (to me) that these keys require battery for the chip to work, perhaps my "copy" key has a dead battery.... I'll check sometime today if there's a way of prying open the "copy" without breaking the case.
If anyone has already opened theirs, do these key have 2 batteries? one for the buttons and one for the transmitter? I'm asking this because the dealer gave me my original key in two parts, one that is just the buttons and one working key(no buttons)

J0seph, With all due respect, if I'm not mistaken, the battery is only for the lock/unlock/alarm features of the key and does not involve the transponder.
My reasoning: First, do you have a "Valet" key? If so then you can validate my post (or shot it down ). If I remember correctly the valet key allows the car to be started and driven, but will not allow access to the glove box. Now, here's the kicker, again, if I remember correctly the valet key is a one piece over-molded key. There is not any way of opening that key. And it just needs to be in proximity of the ignition to start. Thus it should not be a key fob battery issue.