TextHow the tC Key System Changed Over the Years
1st Gen (AGT10): Transponder Key
OBD-II programming makes this one straightforward. Your 2005 to 2010 tC uses a standalone transponder key with an Toyota 4D-67 (ID67) chip and no remote buttons built in. The key itself has no battery; the chip inside the blade communicates with Toyota TIS immobilizer every time you turn the ignition. Simple, reliable, and quick to replace on-site.
1st Gen Facelift (AGT20): Remote Head Key
OBD-II programming handles this generation too, but now your key does more. Scion combined the transponder and the remote into one unit: a 3-button remote head key with a Toyota G chip (4D-G), FCC ID MOZB52TH, and a CR2016 battery. You still turn it in the ignition to start, but now lock, unlock, and trunk buttons are built right into the key head.
2nd Gen (AGT20): Smart Key with Push-Button Start
OBD-II programming plus Toyota server authentication is the process here. Your 2014 to 2016 tC uses a proximity smart key with a Toyota G chip (4D-G), FCC ID HYQ14ACX, and a CR1632 battery. Keep it in your pocket, press the brake, hit the button, and go. The security jumped to Toyota TIS Advanced, which means we need server access for full programming, but we handle that on-site with our Autel IM608.
Which Key Does Your tC Use?
A metal key with a chip hidden inside the plastic head. No buttons, no battery. It looks basic, but the Toyota transponder chip inside is what lets your car start.
Your key and remote are one piece. Three buttons on top for lock, unlock, and trunk, with a standard blade that turns in the ignition. Uses a CR2032 battery for the remote functions.
A fob that stays in your pocket. Push-button start, proximity entry, and an emergency blade hidden inside for when the battery dies. Uses a CR1632 battery.
Pricing by Generation
Every price includes the key blank, cutting, transponder programming, remote pairing, and on-site testing at your location in Ventura County.
EZ Car Keyz vs. the Dealer
The price difference is real. Same key, same result, about half the cost.
Skip the Dealer - Call (805) 790-8162Common Scion tC Key Problems
Transponder Failure
2005-2013 tC cranks but will not start and the ignition gets blamed. Usually it is the transponder chip. The Toyota 4D-67 / G chip degrades and the immobilizer stops recognizing it. We test the chip signal first; dead chip means a fresh cut on-site.
Remote Fob Battery Drain
We check the battery first; nine times out of ten that is it. Your 2011-2016 tC remote head or smart key uses a CR2032 or CR1632 and they drain fast if a button gets pocket-pressed. Swap and test range before assuming anything else.
Immobilizer ECU Sync Loss
Car battery dies, you jump it or replace it, and now the key will not start the car. The ECU lost sync with the transponder during the power interruption. Affects every tC 2005-2016. We reprogram via OBD-II in Simi Valley or Oxnard.
Smart Key Antenna Failure
Your 2014-2016 tC has push-button start. When the proximity antenna fails, the car stops detecting the fob even though it is fine. Replace the battery, buy a new fob, same problem. We scan to confirm antenna vs fob; antenna means a shop job.
Can You Program a tC Key Yourself?
Yes, if you have one working master key, you can add a new transponder key using a door and ignition sequence. The timing is tight and the key must already be cut to match your ignition. This only adds the transponder; it does not program remote functions. If you have lost all keys, you need professional OBD-II programming.
No DIY option here. The updated ECU security on the 2011 to 2013 tC requires professional diagnostic tools for both transponder and remote programming. Call us at (805) 790-8162 and we handle it on-site.
No self-programming available. The 2014 to 2016 smart key system uses Toyota TIS Advanced with server authentication. This requires professional equipment like the Autel IM608 with Toyota server access. We carry everything needed on the truck.
How It Works
Call or Text Us
Reach us at (805) 790-8162. Tell us your exact year and what happened.
We Come to You
Wherever you are in Ventura County, from Thousand Oaks to Camarillo to downtown Ventura, we drive to your location.
Cut and Program Your Key
We cut your new key to code on-site, then program the Toyota transponder chip through the OBD-II port using our Autel IM608 or VVDI Key Tool Plus.
Related Services
Did You Know?
The Scion tC shares its platform and key systems with the Toyota Avensis, a mid-size sedan sold in Europe and Japan but never officially offered in the United States. Toyota took the Avensis platform, gave it a sportier coupe body, and launched it under the Scion brand to attract younger buyers. When Scion was discontinued in 2016, the tC quietly disappeared with it, making it one of the few Toyota-platform coupes with no direct successor.
KEY REPLACEMENT ACROSS ALL OF VENTURA COUNTY
We come to you, anywhere in Ventura County. No shop visit, no towing. Our mobile locksmith arrives at your home, office, or roadside.
Watch Us Work
See a real Scion key replacement in action
Need a Scion Key? Call Now
Mobile locksmith serving all of Ventura County. We come to you.
