Transponder chip keys
Older Toyotas without remote locking use a plain blade with a chip in the head. The chip type depends on the age of the car, so I match the generation before cutting.
Toyota cars, hybrids and pick-ups · Open 24 hours, 7 days
Toyota Auto Locksmith: Smart Keys and Replacements in Hampshire
Has your Yaris stopped seeing its smart key, or has the only key to your RAV4 vanished? I am Shane, a mobile Toyota auto locksmith based in Eastleigh. I bring the cutting and programming equipment to your car, so a Corolla at home, a hybrid at the station or a Hilux on site can have a working key again without a trip to the dealer.
- Smart keys registered at the car
- Hybrids and pick-ups covered
- 12 month warranty
5.0 on Google100+ reviews
Toyota smart keysProgrammed and tested
- Transponder generationsFrom early chips to current keys
- Smart Entry and StartKeyless fobs registered
- Hybrid push startYaris, Corolla, C-HR, Prius
- 12 month warrantyOn keys I supply
Toyota keys explained
How Toyota Recognises Its Keys
Toyota has fitted transponder immobilisers for many years, and the chip inside the key has changed several times along the way. Older cars use earlier chip types, while later ones use newer and more secure generations, so a key for one Toyota will not necessarily suit another of a similar age. Whatever the generation, the principle stays the same: the car reads a code from the key, compares it with the keys it has registered, and only then allows the engine or hybrid system to start.
On cars with Smart Entry and Start, the fob talks to the car by radio. Smart entry works when the key is within about 0.7 metres of an outside door handle, and inside the car the same fob lets you start with the button. A hidden mechanical key inside the fob opens the door if the battery dies. I program plain transponder keys and smart keys with professional diagnostic equipment, and you can read more about my background before booking.
Hybrids and the push button
Many Toyota hybrids, including versions of the Yaris, Corolla, C-HR and Prius, start with a button rather than a turn of a key. When the car accepts the key, the READY light comes on and the car can be driven, often in near silence. If the fob battery is weak, touching the key, emblem side first, to the start button lets the car read it on smart key models. When even that fails, the fob itself or its registration may need attention.
Toyota key types
From Chip Keys to Smart Fobs
Toyota keys range from simple chip keys to smart fobs with a concealed blade. Your registration, plus a photo of the key if you have one, tells me which type to bring.
Remote head keys
Many Yaris, Corolla, Auris and Hilux models use a key with lock buttons built into the head. The blade, chip and remote are all set up to the car.
Flip keys
Some Toyotas, including later Hilux pick-ups, use a flip key whose blade folds into the remote. A worn hinge or a snapped blade can be dealt with on site.
Smart keys
Smart Entry and Start fobs let you unlock by touching the handle and start with the button. They are registered to the car’s smart key system at the vehicle.
Emergency blades
The mechanical key hidden inside a smart fob is cut to your door lock. On many recent models it uses a single sided profile, and I can cut a new one if it has gone astray.
Proace van keys
The Proace van is built with European partners, so its key is a different design from Toyota cars. I cut and program these alongside the rest of the range.
Toyota models
Toyota Models and Their Keys
Each Toyota range has been through several key designs. Use this as a rough guide only, since the exact key depends on year and trim, which your registration confirms.
Not listed? I also work on the iQ, Verso, Avensis, Land Cruiser, Yaris Cross and other Toyota models, depending on year and system.
| Model | Usual key types | What I can do |
|---|---|---|
| Yaris | Remote head key on many older cars, smart key on many later and hybrid versions | Key replacement, smart key programming and spares |
| Aygo | Remote or flip key depending on generation | Key cutting, coding and remote pairing |
| Corolla | Remote head key on older versions, smart key on many recent hybrids | Smart key replacement, spares and all keys lost |
| Auris | Remote head key or smart key depending on year and trim | Replacement keys and lockouts |
| C-HR | Smart key with push button start on most | Smart key supply, registration and spares |
| RAV4 | Remote key on older versions, smart key on many later ones | Smart key programming and all keys lost |
| Prius | Electronic key with push button start, smart entry on many | Fob replacement and registration |
| Hilux | Remote head key on older pick-ups, flip or smart key on many later ones | Pick-up key replacement, spares and lockouts |
| Proace | Remote key of a European van design, keyless on some later vans | Van key replacement and remote pairing |
Toyota services
Toyota Services at Your Vehicle
All of these are carried out at your Toyota, so there is no need to arrange recovery. Full details are on my services pages.
Car Key Replacement
A Toyota key matched to the right chip generation, cut to your locks and registered, or a smart key set up for keyless use.
Car key replacementLost Car Keys
No working Toyota key at all. I gain entry, create a new key and make sure the missing keys will no longer start the car where the system allows.
All keys lostCar Lockout
A smart key shut inside a locked Yaris or RAV4, or doors that refuse to open. Non-destructive entry, with no damage.
Vehicle entrySpare Car Keys
A second Toyota key added while one still works, which avoids the much longer all keys lost route later on.
Spare keysKey Fob Programming
A smart key the car no longer sees, or remote buttons that do nothing. Fobs checked, programmed and paired at the car.
Fob programmingIgnition Barrel Repair
On turn key Toyotas, a key that binds, slips or will not turn can point to barrel or key wear, which I can repair on site.
Ignition repairsBroken Key Extraction
Part of a blade stuck in a door lock or ignition is removed with care, then a new key is cut and coded.
Key extractionFleet Auto Locksmith
Spare keys and repairs for businesses running Hilux pick-ups, Proace vans or Toyota hybrids, arranged around your working day.
Fleet workWarning signs
Early Warnings From a Toyota Key
A failing Toyota key usually gives some notice. Acting on these signs lets you plan a spare rather than face a sudden lockout.
Smart key warning on the display
A message says the key is not detected or its battery is low. Key batteries typically last one to two years, so start with a fresh cell.
READY light slow to appear
A hybrid that needs several presses of the button, or only starts with the key held against it, may have a weak or failing fob.
Door handles not responding
Touching the handle no longer unlocks the car, even with the key in your pocket. The fob, its battery or the car’s receiver may be at fault.
Key tight in the ignition
On an older Yaris, Corolla or Hilux, a key that has to be wiggled to turn can point to wear in the key or the barrel.
Security light flashing
The security indicator keeps flashing and the engine will not start, which can mean the immobiliser is not reading the chip.
Step by step
The Four Stages of a Visit
Here is what to expect from first contact to driving away.
Share the registration
With your Toyota’s registration I can identify the model, year and key. You can check the same details through the GOV.UK vehicle information service.
Confirm ownership
I see the V5C and photo ID before making any key. If you cannot find your logbook, you can request a replacement V5C online.
Cut, program and register
I cut the blade or emergency key, then connect my equipment and register the new key to the immobiliser or smart key system.
Test everything
I check smart entry, starting, the remote buttons and the hidden key, and clear lost keys from the car where the system allows.
Pricing
What Changes the Price
Toyota key prices vary a great deal between a plain chip key for an older Aygo and a smart key for a recent RAV4. Tell me the car and I will confirm a fixed quote before I travel.
Get a fixed quoteModel and year
The age of the car decides the chip generation and whether it has a smart key system at all.
Smart or standard key
A smart key with its emergency blade costs more than a remote head key or a plain transponder key.
Whether any key works
Adding a key alongside a working one is quicker. With none left, the job becomes an all keys lost procedure.
Extra security steps
On some Toyotas, an all keys lost job means resetting the stored key data or working directly on a module, which adds time.
Where I work
Where I Travel From Eastleigh
From my base in Eastleigh I reach Toyota drivers in Southampton, Winchester, Portsmouth, the New Forest, Salisbury and the smaller towns in between, at home, at work or wherever the car has stopped.
- Southampton
- Eastleigh
- Chandler’s Ford
- Hedge End
- Winchester
- Portsmouth
- Fareham
- Gosport
- New Forest
- Salisbury
Other makes
Other Makes I Cover Near You
Toyota is one of 30 makes on my list. A few of the others are below, or you can see them all.
Customer reviews
Feedback From My Customers
Drivers across Hampshire have given me a 5.0 rating on Google from more than 100 reviews. You can see every review, and there is also a page of recent work I have carried out.
5.0
From 100+ Google reviews
Questions
Toyota Key FAQs
Have a question that is not answered here? Get in touch with your Toyota’s registration and I will answer it.
Can you make a Toyota key if all of them are lost?
For many Toyotas, yes, but the route depends on the system. On smart key models, an all keys lost job usually means resetting the stored key data, which erases every previously registered key, and on some it involves working on a module rather than simply plugging in. Some of the newest Toyota smart keys can only be supplied through Toyota; I will tell you straight away if your car is one of them.
My Yaris hybrid says key not detected. What should I try?
First fit a new battery in the fob, then try touching the key to the start button, emblem side first. If the car still does not see it, the fob may be faulty or have lost its registration, and I can test and replace it at the car.
Is a Toyota smart key harder to replace than a normal key?
Usually, yes. A smart key has to be registered to the Smart Entry and Start system, and it also contains a mechanical blade that must be cut to your locks. That is why it takes longer and costs more than a remote head key.
Can you program a Toyota key without the dealer?
Yes, for a wide range of Toyotas. I use professional key programming equipment at the vehicle. Where a very new model needs dealer access, I will say so before you book.
Do you cover the Hilux and Proace?
Yes. Hilux pick-ups and Proace vans are covered, with keys cut and programmed on site. My page on van key replacement explains how I work with commercial vehicles.
What happens to my lost key after you replace it?
Where the system allows, the lost key is removed from the car’s memory, so it can no longer start the vehicle. On an all keys lost smart key job, every old key is erased as part of the reset.
Which Toyota key does my car take?
Send your registration and a photo of your current key if you have one. From that I can identify the chip generation, the blade profile and whether it is a smart key.
Do Toyota keys from you come with a warranty?
Yes. Every key I supply carries a 12 month warranty, and payment is by card, bank transfer or cash.
Need a Toyota Key Sorted Today?
Message me your registration and a photo of the key, or call. You will get a fixed quote and a realistic arrival time before I set off, day or night.