Question 1

Do you use OEM or aftermarket key blanks on Toyota vehicles?

Accepted Answer

We stock blanks that are verified to spec for the specific vehicle before we head out. On the 2016 Tundra transponder key, the blank has to match the correct keyway profile and carry the right chip type or the immobilizer won't accept it regardless of how well it's cut. Cheap generic blanks from online marketplaces are a known problem with these trucks. They look identical in the photo, the cut comes out fine, and then the truck sits there and refuses to start because the transponder either doesn't respond or responds on the wrong signal. We match the blank to the vehicle first, then cut, then program. In that order.

Question 2

How long will a replacement transponder key last on a 2016 Tundra?

Accepted Answer

The programming doesn't wear out. Once the key is registered to the immobilizer, that relationship is stable. The physical key blade is what takes the abuse. Tundra owners on the forums talk about the blade wearing at the tip after years of heavy use, especially guys who keep the key on a ring with a dozen other things. If the blade wears enough that the ignition cylinder starts getting stiff or intermittent, a locksmith can decode the worn key and cut a fresh blade to the original depth specs. The electronics transfer over or get re-registered. You don't have to start from scratch just because the blade is tired.

Question 3

What if the new key stops working a few weeks after I get it?

Accepted Answer

Call us. We back up the work. If the key starts the truck on day one and then goes intermittent or stops working, that's a warranty situation and we come back out. The failure modes we see after the fact are usually a chip that wasn't fully seated in the blank before cutting, or a programming session that got interrupted. Both are fixable. What we don't cover is a key that got snapped off in the ignition or run through a washing machine. But a key that just stops communicating with the immobilizer for no physical reason, that's on us to sort out.

Question 4

I lost both keys to my 2016 Tundra. Is all-keys-lost harder than just adding a spare?

Accepted Answer

It takes longer and costs more, but it's a standard job. When there are no working keys, the immobilizer can't do a simple add-a-key. Instead the process starts with decoding the ignition cylinder or pulling the key code through the VIN, cutting a new blade to that spec, then going through a full immobilizer registration via the OBD port. The old key IDs get cleared and the new key gets written in as the registered unit.

The reason it takes longer is that all-keys-lost registration on these trucks has a timed sequence built into the process. There's no shortcut on the clock. Budget extra time compared to an add-a-key job, and have your VIN and proof of ownership ready because we verify before we start.

Question 5

My 2016 Tundra starts fine most of the time but occasionally acts like it doesn't recognize the key. What causes that?

Accepted Answer

Intermittent no-start on these is usually one of three things. A worn key blade that's not turning the cylinder cleanly enough to hold the chip in the read zone. A chip that's cracked inside the key head, often from impact or from using the key as a bottle opener. Or a corroded ignition cylinder that's developed a weak spot in the antenna ring.

The way to start narrowing it down: try a second key if you have one. If the second key is solid every time, the problem is the first key's chip or blade. If both keys go intermittent, the cylinder antenna is worth looking at. Either way, intermittent is always better to chase down before it becomes a full no-start situation in a parking lot somewhere.

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