How to Program a Toyota Transponder Chip Key

by Editorial Team

If you want to save about 75% on the price of a Toyota transponder chip key, you can buy the key and program it yourself. A Toyota dealership will charge you 3 times what it will cost you to program a key yourself. Most people don't realize that you can't just make copies of keys anymore. Technology these days means computer chips in car keys so that vehicles are much harder to steal. Well you may not have your car stolen, but you may feel like you had your wallet stolen after paying $100 to have a key programmed. Follow these steps to program a Toyota transponder chip key yourself.

Step 1

First you will need to purchase a blank Toyota transponder key. You can do this from the dealership, a locksmith, or an online source such as eBay. Once you have the key, take the blank key and the master key to a locksmith that he or she can duplicate the key. This will be much cheaper than the dealership.

Step 2

Now that you have the newly cut key and the master key, you can program the Toyota transponder key. Sit in the driver's side of the Toyota vehicle. Press and release the brake and gas pedal simultaneously.

Step 3

Insert the master transponder key. Do not turn it. Push and release the gas pedal 5 times within at least 15 seconds of inserting the master key.

Step 4

Press and release the brake pedal 6 times within 20 seconds of completing step 3, then remove the master transponder key.

Step 5

Insert the newly cut transponder key into the ignition, but do not turn. Press the gas pedal once.

Step 6

Wait up to 2 minutes or whenever the security light on the dashboard turns off. Once the light goes off, remove the new transponder key and press the brake pedal once. The new transponder key should now be programmed. Test the key by attempting to start the engine. If the engine does not start, repeat the steps above.

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