Alternative to dealership for replacement key fob? (2013, credit)

[Stagemomma]

Lost the key to my Prius. No idea where it is.

I know that getting one from a dealer is expensive. They can be ordered from the internet and then you can find someone to program it. I'm in a hurry.

Does anyone know of a place in the area where I could get this done in person (that is not a dealership)?

[danielbmartin]

Originally Posted by Stagemomma

Lost the key to my Prius. No idea where it is. ... ... Does anyone know of a place in the area where I could get this done in person (that is not a dealership)?

Try this place:
https://crabtree-valley-mall.com/stores/key-harbor

.

[wizard-xyzzy]

Originally Posted by danielbmartin

Try this place:
https://crabtree-valley-mall.com/stores/key-harbor

They helped me. Note that they have moved from the lower level of the mall itself to the Best Buy out-building.

[Stagemomma]

Thank you! I will call them.

I don't see why cars have to be THIS WELL protected. Why can't there be some sort of non-electronic back up option? This is unbelievably inconvenient. Seriously, literally, it would be less inconvenient if someone had stolen my CAR!

[FlibbityFloobs]

Originally Posted by Stagemomma

Thank you! I will call them.

I don't see why cars have to be THIS WELL protected. Why can't there be some sort of non-electronic back up option? This is unbelievably inconvenient. Seriously, literally, it would be less inconvenient if someone had stolen my CAR!

I don't understand your question exactly, because if the key was non electronic and you lost it, your dilemma would still be the same. Note that cars do come with backup key fobs so that if you lose one, you have another, but that's no different when dealing with manual vs electronic key entry. They also have a hidden key inside the fob itself that can be used to manually unlock the door.

[twingles]

Originally Posted by Stagemomma

Thank you! I will call them.

I don't see why cars have to be THIS WELL protected. Why can't there be some sort of non-electronic back up option? This is unbelievably inconvenient. Seriously, literally, it would be less inconvenient if someone had stolen my CAR!

They do...but that key is usually part of the key fob (at least it is on our vehicle).

Providing a completely separate hard key is probably an idea whose time has come.

Didn't you get two keys when you purchased the vehicle?

[hertfordshire]

Weren't you given two fobs when you got your car?

[Pixel_Dent]

Originally Posted by Stagemomma

I don't see why cars have to be THIS WELL protected. Why can't there be some sort of non-electronic back up option?

If there's a non-electronic back up then the car can be hot wired.

In 1991 there were over 1.6 Million vehicles stolen
In 1997 electronic keys were introduced
By 2013 there were fewer than 700,000 stolen

The FBI credits most of the reduction to electronic keys.

[luv4horses]

Often there is a "valet key" that comes with the car. That should be cheap to replicate since there is no radio transmitter involved. It is a flat, cheap looking piece.

[hertfordshire]

Originally Posted by luv4horses

Often there is a "valet key" that comes with the car. That should be cheap to replicate since there is no radio transmitter involved. It is a flat, cheap looking piece.

In my experience, the valet key is still a fob, but features a removable physical key that can be used to mechanically lock the trunk and glove box so they can't be opened with the fob.