ok, so i go out of town, and my wife drives the tacoma........

[vash]

believe me, "our" cars, means just that...she can drive whatever at will. even the porsche (if she can find the fuel pump relay..)

she went running all over town shopping with her mom. wife drove to MIL's, and then took her mom's car all over the bay area. she loses the toyota keys somewhere. absolutely GONE. she backtracked and left a note at every single lost&found. no luck. so what is missing is the factory key and remote entry FOB. $300 bucks!!! i just checked in el paso, and there is no price diff.

quick internet search simply confused me. talk of reprogramming, resetting ECU..sent shivers down my spine. but it looks like i can save roughly 40% for my efforts.

anyone ever lose a modern security chipped key? any successful, non dealership replacement stories?

cliff.

[vash]

bummed that she also lost my Vanson motorcycle leathers key fob with the package. it has the serial number for my leathers stamped on it. cool, and not replaceable.

re: my good luck charm thread.

[gr8fl4porsche]

I have heard similar stories about the $300 keys.

Can't offer any good advise other than now is a good time to get 2 sets made.

[Steve Viegas]

I bought a used car that only had one key. I had to get the second made. I found blanks on e-bay for 1/2 what the dealer wanted (70 vs. 140) but needed to take it to the dealer for programming. Programming ran about 100.

I ended up buying two keys because, at least with Dodge, you can program the key yourself if you have two working keys.

[Gogar]

So, have they thoroughly searched at her mom's house?

You know you'll find it about 5 days after you buy that new key.

[t-tom]

On my Tundra I lost the key fob 270 bucks from the dealer + Programming, so I bought a used one on ebay and found the instructions on google to program it. It took about 10 mins.

[gtc]

Perhaps my favorite thing about Porsche dealers: they'll cut you a new key for free, as long as it's a Porsche blank.

[cantdrv55]

That's a pretty big and costly mistake. I think you need to spank her.

[Steve Carlton]

Many years ago lost the keys to my Fiat 124 Sport Coupe. We were partying at South Lake Tahoe and came back to my friend's house stinky, with barf all down the side of my car. The next morning was Labor Day and had to hire a locksmith at holiday rates. Found the keys about 10 minutes after the locksmith left in the sliding glass door track.

[dtw]

Bummer! Hey what ever happened with the ring? Did it turn up?

[Chocaholic]

Keys shmeeez. That Vanson key fob should cost her dearly. Just kinda wondering why your Toyota keys were on a Vanson key fob. Sacrilege.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Make her pay you back in the sack.

Can't help on the key, but yodatech is a great site for Toyota trucks. You should find your answer there.

[pwd72s]

REALLY search the Toyota...I'm always tossing the keys in a cupholder or on the floor when the cars are shut off & the damned warning chime is telling me to not leave them in the ignition. Maybe she did the same?

[Hugh R]

Lost the key in my old Taurus SHO at a super, super secret government facility once. Couldn't get a locksmith on the property, nor a tow. The only way I could get the car started and out, was to go to a dealer and have him cut my a key off of my VIN. Cost me something like $100 about 15 years ago.

[Laneco]

I would really turn the Mom's car upside down... I've had items slide under seats, under floor mats, etc. Items I've only found by taking the shop blow gun and and applying alot of compressed hair to the dark areas under the seats.

Then SURPRISE! My missing lipstick, debit card, etc., pop out like a rabbit from a hat.

angela

[Heel n Toe]

You know it's down in the bowels of that pocketbook somewhere... she probably just dug around in there about 30-45 seconds. Make her turn it upside down and shake it til it croaks up those keys.

Failing that, have her check the pockets of the jacket she was wearing (if she was wearing one). And shake it, too in case there's a rip in a pocket seam and the keys are past the pocket... listen for the jingling.

She should also dig under the couch cushions at MIL's house in case they fell out of pocketbook or jacket when/if she went inside and sat down before they left.

One more thing... can you have a set of keys made that merely work as keys... not knowing what is meant by programmable, I'm not sure if that means that they do more than lock/unlock remotely. Could you give that feature up in order to save the $300 and just have keys that lock and unlock like some of us poor schlubs still do?

[Geronimo '74]

Originally Posted by vash

she can drive whatever at will. even the porsche (if she can find the fuel pump relay..)

Hahahahaha, good one!!! (and smart thinking if I might add)

[Laneco]

Fuel pump relay? Puh-leeze! That would take me about 9 seconds to sort out.

angela

[porsche4life]

Hell angela would just rip all the wires out and hotwire it in 9 seconds...

[Laneco]

Actually, I have a spare fuel pump relay and a spare DME relay in the tool kit (which moves from car to car).

But, yeah, just run a jumper across and be done with it! Drive the tires off, run it low on fuel, bring it back and park it then remove the jumper.

Hehehehe....

angela