Re-programming Remote for Tacoma & Tundra 2002-2009

Thought I'd pass and share this info that I found (hey, better late than never!).

Just yesterday afternoon, I go out to my 2008 Tacoma to get something and when I tried to unlock it using the remote....?!?!?!....it won't work!
First thing that come's to mind is that the battery, in the remote, is dead (which is original, never been replaced, since 2008 when I purchased the truck brand new off the dealership lot).
Go to DG and buy a two battery pack (3 Volts CR 2023) for $4.50, open the remote, remove the old battery, insert new battery, snap remote back together, everything should be great/working back to normal right......hell ...WTF!
The remote is still not working!

Just for the heck of it I did check the original battery from the remote and it still shows 3 Volts....so it's good?!
So this leads me to believe one of two things here, either the remote is actually really gone bad "OR" my truck has a problem involving the remote?

Time to trouble-shoot/pin point the problem.

I get the second original remote and check to see if it work's on my truck, fingers crossed and well it sure does! Great not a problem involving the truck at all-it's the remote itself that is the problem.

Just more out of curiosity I decide to call the "stealership" to see what the cost is to have a remote replaced and well here it is.

Me on the phone calling stealership:

I have a 2008 Tacoma and one of the remote's has gone bad, what is the cost to have it replaced?

Stealership:

Yea, sure we can replace it, not a problem...let's see, remote replacement for one is $112.95.... but sir it would have to be 're-programmed' and that is $108.99 and you would have to bring your truck in, in-order for us to re-program the remote to your truck. Let me transfer you to our Service Department so that you can set up an appointment with one of our Service Managers (places me on hold).

Fellas at that point I'm laughing and say...'fuck that!'.....and just hang up thinking about how many people they'd fucked over like that? Then I start searching the net and came across this info on re-programming a remote for 2002-2009 Tacoma's & Tundra's and well thought I'd post it here.

This worked for me and I'm sure it'll work for someone else as well.

Have at it....

1. Start with the key out of the ignition, driver's door is open and unlocked, all other door's closed.

2. Perform these step's within 5 second's.

A. Insert the key into the ignition (Do NOT Turn) Pull key out.

B. (again) Insert the key into the ignition (Do NOT Turn) Pull key out.

3. Perform these step's within 40 second's.

A. Close then open the driver's door.

B. (again) Close then open the driver's door.

C. Insert the key into the ignition (Do NOT Turn) Pull key out.

4. Perform these step's within 40 second's.

A. Close then open the driver's door.

B. (again) Close then open the driver's door.

C. Insert the key into ignition and leave it in ignition.

D. Close the driver's door.

E. Turn the ignition to ON (DO NOT START) then back to OFF.

F. Remove the key from the ignition.

5. Within 3 second's, the power door lock's should lock then unlock automatically indicating successful entry into programming mode. Return to step 1 if the lock's do not cycle at this point.

6. Perform these step's within 40 second's.

A. Press the lock and unlock buttons on the remote simultaneously for 1.5 second's.

B. Immediately after letting go of the lock and unlock button's, Press the lock button by
itself and hold for 2 second's. Within 3 second's, the door lock's should lock and then
unlock once indicating successful programming. If the door lock's cycle twice, repeat
steps A and B in step 6 as the remote was not accepted.

C. Repeat step's A and B in step 6 for each new remote.

7. Open driver's door.



After all that BS you should be good to go-give it a try? Work? Great, if not do it again (it worked for me!).

 

I tossed the original Toyota key fobs several years ago because they stopped working... or so I thought. I recently bought an after-market fob, and entered "program mode" as shown above - it went into program mode exactly as it should, the 1st time (and every time), and interacted with the new key fob by cycling the lock/unlock twice, which indicates it's NOT working - no idea if it's an issue with the fob (doubt it, since it didn't work with the original fobs, either) or if it's the module (which seems like if it's an issue with the module, it wouldn't interact w/ the fob when I "programmed" it. I'm at a loss and I'm MAD. It's a 17-yr old truck, and if I have to use the key to unlock the truck, fine... worse things to contend with, but c'mon, Toyota!!! Is there an easy way to figure out if it's a bad module?