Lost car keys are no reason to panic. Although losing your car key is always inconvenient, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world – and your Toyota dealer can certainly help. Read on for our advice on what to do if your car keys go walkabout.
What should I do if I’ve lost one of my car keys?
Don’t worry. Usually cars come with two sets of keys. If you are in possession of another key and want a replacement for your main key, your Toyota dealer can supply a new one for you relatively simply.
Give them a call (find their details here) and arrange an appointment. They can examine your car and the remaining key, and organise for a new key to be ordered, cut and programmed for you. It usually takes one or two days to arrange lost car keys in this way.
If you do not live within close proximity of a Toyota centre, many police forces recommend contacting a member of the Master Locksmiths Association.
What should I do if I’ve lost all of my car keys?
This is a trickier scenario. If you don’t have any of your car keys and your car has remote locking or other similar features, it will likely have a code that will need to be reprogrammed. It’s also possible that your car will need a new ECU. Toyota has to comply with legal standards when supplying security products, so each process must be carried out by the book.
Due to the security technology within a key and the work involved in replacing lost car keys, losing all your keys can be expensive. The exact costs varies by model but will usually be several hundred pounds or even more. It will also usually take one or two days for the keys to be ordered, cut and programmed.
If you cannot move your car due to lost car keys, you may need to arrange for it to be recovered to your dealer. And if you do not live within close proximity of a Toyota centre, many police forces recommend contacting a member of the Master Locksmiths Association.
What should I do if I’ve locked them in the car?
Locking the keys in a car is a rarer problem than a few years ago, as smart entry or keys with transponders make it much harder to do.
However, if you do manage to lock your keys in the car you should call Toyota Roadside Assistance or your breakdown provider.
Do you have any other advice?
True, this might not sound very helpful if you have lost your keys, but the best course of action is to not lose sight of them in the first place. Get into the habit of keeping your keys in a regular place. Whatever suits you, as long as it’s safe and out of immediate sight.
If your car has so-called ‘keyless entry’, we recommend not leaving your key fob anywhere close to where you park your car, because it could present an opportunity for thieves to use a device known as a ‘relay transmitter’ to remotely access your car.
Why are car keys expensive?
While it might seem that cars keys are simple – they just open the car, right? – they are actually pretty complex. This is one of the reasons why Toyota Car Insurance policies include key cover (vehicle, house and office) as one of the many benefits for policy holders.
From remote locking to keyless entry and start for more recent models, a key can contain a sender, receiver, the physical key itself and other parts – most importantly, the coding that lets it only communicate with your car. It’s the reprogramming process that costs money, as strict control is needed over codes. Like other manufacturers, Toyota must comply with regional standards.
Depending on the car you have, parts may need to be ordered and this can take time. Re-coding keys can be relatively straightforward but nevertheless takes time and labour.
Read more How to look after your car’s rubber
I lost my spare key fob for Toyota Auris and my dealer quoted £365.22 for a key then an additional £57 to programme it! Shocking! These costs should be highlighted more when buying a car so extra care can be taken with keys! Also at least two keys should always be provided…..by law!!
Hi Christine, thanks for contacting us.
We are sorry to hear of this and understand your frustration.
Our Customer Relations team would be more than happy to discuss this with you. They can contacted through the following link: https://fal.cn/3zOQB
Thanks.
I lost my toyota c-hr hybrid key fop
Hi Yonas, thanks for getting in contact.
We are sorry to hear you have been experiencing this.
Your Toyota Centre are best placed to advise on this. You can locate your closest centre here:
https://www.toyota.co.uk/find-a-dealer
Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Thanks.
Hi,
I bought a Toyota Yaris 2017 model with only one car key. I would like to have one more spare car key. Besides, I would like to use my original car key as usual. Could you please give me a quotation for my request? Thanks!
Hi Andrew, thanks for getting in touch.
Your Toyota Centre is best placed to advise on this query.
You can locate your closest centre here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/find-a-dealer
Thanks.
I tried contact them but the phone too busy. I just want know the estimate amount if you know please. Thanks
If you would like to confirm your preferred dealership, we can pass a request over for you.
Thanks,
I have just lost a set of key’s with my corolla fob and key . I have just been quoted £450. By the dealer I bought the car from in Macclesfield. They should be utterly ashamed of themselves, it’s certainly a rip off price. No more toyotas fir me.
Hi John, thanks for your comment.
We are sorry to hear of your frustration and disappointment.
Our Customer Relations team are best placed to support you with this and help further.
The team can be found here: https://fal.cn/3ACBb
Thanks.
Hi, can a spare key for a Yaris be ordered remotely? I am wondering if the dealer needs to do anything in person or if I can order the spare key myself.
Thanks
Hi Jason, thanks for your comment.
We recommend contacting your Toyota Centre for assistance with this query.
Thanks.
Toyota Hilux lost keys quoted £4883 incl vat and will take two weeks… Like seriously
Hi Ollie, thanks for your comment.
We are sorry to hear of your situation and understand your frustration.
Our Customer Relations team are best placed to advise and support you with this.
You can contact them here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/help-centre#/iframe/https%3A%2F%2Fforms.toyota.co.uk%2Fcontact-us
Thanks.
I have lost both car for Toyota Corolla 1997 model. is there way to get the spare key? Please advise me as I need the car for work.
Hi Kumar, thanks for getting in touch.
We are sorry to hear you are experiencing this.
Your Toyota Centre is best placed to assists you with this. You can locate your nearest centre here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/find-a-dealer
Thanks.
When I bought my car 2 years ago they gave me different spare key from original one. What do I do ?
Hi Robel, thanks for getting in touch.
We would recommend re-contacting the centre from which you purchased the vehicle to discuss this.
Thanks.
I have one key for my 2010 auris.
Can I use a key without the remote part?.
I removed the battery from the existing key and it seems to work fine.
Any recommendations about getting another “plain” key cut?.
Hi Linda, thanks for getting in touch.
Your Toyota Centre is best placed to advise you on this.
You can locate your closest centre here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/find-a-dealer
Thanks.
Bought a 2023 Yaris Excel with 950 miles on the clock 6 weeks ago from a Toyota Dealer in Milton Keynes. They only supplied 1 key but assured me at sale time that they would locate the missing key or supply a replacement. Still waiting 6 weeks later. Unfortunately the rep at the dealer is very poor at responding to emails and telephone calls. Very poor service. Advice to obtain the second key would be much appreciated.
Hi Tim, thanks for getting in touch.
We are very sorry to hear you are experiencing this and completely understand your frustration.
We would recommend contacting our Customer Relations team to discuss this further. They may be able to contact the dealership for you if necessary.
The team can be found here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/help-centre#/
Please let us know if we can assist with any other queries.
Thanks.
I got my 2018 CHR back in February. It only came with a single key. The salesperson at the dealership said they was as shocked as I was that it only had a single key and that they would order me one in and that they would call me when it arrived. So I waited and waited. I had my MOT and service with them last week and when I booked it I asked if my key was in and if they could do it at the same time. The dealership said that Toyota are struggling to get keys out and that even brand new cars are sometimes only coming with a single key.
Are they just hoping that I will eventually give up and not bother getting my second key or does it really take 10 months to order a new key?
Hi Daniel,
We can only apologise for the inconvenience this causes.
Please be assured that we are doing all we can to deliver second keys to customers as soon as we can.
Your Toyota Centre are best placed to provide updates on the status of your second key.
We hope this helps.
Thanks.
Hi, I got delivery of my RAV-4 PHEV in Oct’23 with only one key, and have been told to wait for a letter from Toyota to get my second set of keys. I have followed up diligently with Jemca Sidcup the dealer multiple times, to no avail. Help!
Hi Shashidhar,
We apologise any inconvenience and frustration caused by this.
Please provide your vehicle registration so that we can investigate this for you.
Thanks.
Hi Shashidhar,
Thanks for confirming this.
Unfortunately upon checking, your second key isn’t available just yet.
Your 2nd smart key will be available as soon as possible, but at this stage we have no confirmed ETA date.
You will receive a letter from us once the second key is available for your RAV4, when you do, you will be able to contact your local or preferred Toyota Centre to book in an appointment to receive the second key and have it reprogrammed to your car.
Thanks.
Thanks, Could you please delete my post. It links my car registration to my name.
Hi Shashidhar,
We have removed this comment now.
Thanks.
If the spare key fob fit my CHR is stolen, (in a burglary perhaps) then what precautions should I take while I still have access to the car?
Hi there,
Thank you for your question.
In the event of this happening, the importance of taking swift action to enhance the security of the vehicle and discourage any unauthorised use is advised.
We would firstly suggest reporting this crime to the police and provide them with all the necessary information and any documentation they might need.
Then, we would suggest contacting your nearest Toyota Centre as soon as possible, as they will be able to get you booked in and have your original key reprogrammed, so that the stolen spare key fob cannot be used to gain unauthorised access to the vehicle.
We hope this helps.
Thanks.