Scion Locksmith Service
Older Toyotas Too

Yes - across every Scion model from 2004 through 2016. The brand used Toyota's immobilizer system the entire time, so programming flows through Toyota Techstream-compatible OBD-II equipment. Adding a key to a pre-2011 car requires a working master key in hand. All-keys-lost requires a PIN code pulled from Toyota TIS, which certified locksmiths have access to. tC, xB, xD, FR-S, iQ, iM, iA all get handled at the car without a tow.

That symptom tops the list of tC key complaints across both generations from 2005 through 2016. Three causes in order of frequency. First, the steering column is locked by wheel position - the cure is to gently rock the steering wheel left and right while applying steady turn pressure on the key. Second, the key blade has worn and no longer engages the ignition cylinder properly. Third, the ignition switch itself has failed, which happens on higher-mileage 2011 through 2016 cars. The tC ignition cylinder also has a documented binding tendency on both generations independent of the above. If the wheel rock does not free it and a spare key behaves the same way, the cylinder itself likely needs replacement.

That is one of the most common tC failures we see and it is entirely predictable. Aftermarket switchblade kits sold online ship with empty switchblade housings, and the instructions tell you to transfer the original transponder chip out of the factory key into the new housing. The transponder is small, glass-encapsulated, and bonded to the original housing - prying it out usually cracks the chip or breaks an internal contact. Once damaged, the ECU stops getting a valid transponder signal and the car cranks indefinitely without starting. The repair is a new OEM-compatible key cut and programmed to your VIN, which we handle at the car.

The FR-S is the platform sibling of the Subaru BRZ but the key programming side stayed Toyota. FR-S base trims use ID4D transponder chips inside FCC ID NI4TMRF815 keys. Push-button start trims add proximity fobs with FCC ID HYQ14FBA. Programming runs through Toyota Techstream-compatible tools, and all-keys-lost on an FR-S requires the VIN-linked PIN from Toyota TIS - same approach as the tC but with different key profiles and chips. Working an FR-S is actually simpler than working a Subaru BRZ for this reason, because Scion preserved Toyota's programming structure rather than adopting Subaru's.

No. Toyota wound down the Scion brand in 2016, but Toyota dealers continue servicing every Scion model because mechanically they are Toyotas - same key systems, same programming tools, same OEM parts inventory. By the same logic, any qualified locksmith with Toyota Techstream access handles Scion key programming without needing dealer involvement at all. Your tC, xB, xD, or FR-S gets serviced exactly as the Toyota equivalent would.

First-gen xB 2004 to 2006 has a known pattern of body control module glitches and occasional wiring chafing that produces intermittent keyless entry range loss. The symptom set is consistent: fob works fine when you are next to the car but fails at normal arm's-length distance, then recovers randomly the next day. Start with a fresh CR2032 in the fob - a weakening battery cannot maintain reliable signal and is the most common first cause. If a new battery does not fix it, look next at parasitic draw from aftermarket accessories or a failing trunk light switch, both documented secondary causes on this generation. A BCM scan for receiver fault codes confirms whether the failure is on the vehicle side.

The push-to-start tC from 2011 to 2016 and the FR-S both use Toyota's smart key system, so the recovery path is the standard Toyota backup procedure. First, swap in a fresh CR2032 - that resolves the message most of the time. If the battery checks out and the dash still shows 'Key Not Detected', hold the dead fob with the flat or logo side directly against the Start/Stop button, press the brake firmly, and push the button. An antenna coil inside the button reads the fob's transponder passively at contact range, no battery needed. To get into the car first, use the hidden mechanical blade in the fob on the driver door cylinder.