SEIDO

iTrader: (1)

I discovered a key fob in our lost & found box at work, and after 3 months nobody's claimed it.
You'll be surprised how many people lose their keys, not to mention their Nook's, iPad's, Kindle's, and whatever else you or I prolly wouldn't forget. Anyway, after 3 months and thinking to myself: "How would they leave without their car?" I figured: "F*** it; I'm taking this".
So I asked my boss, and she was like: "Whatever; I don't care. It's been here forever" ... Which leads me to this:

I'm thinking of opening it up, and replacing it's key with the spare for my SC300.
However, compared to my SC's key fob, which has four buttons:

Lock
Unlock
Trunk
Panic

It only has three buttons:

Unlock
Pwr Door
Panic

... Although beside the Panic button, it also says "Lock".

So I'm wondering, is the Panic button, actually the Lock feature; only to sound the alarm, you have to "hold down" or something?
Further, is the "Pwr Door" in fact the Trunk button?
Otherwise, why does it have "Unlock" and "Pwr Door", wouldn't they be the same thing?

Anyway, I like that it has a little red light too, whenever you hit a button.
It's just cooler than the standard key, and not only don't I wanna carry more stuff in my pockets (key fob + actual key), my OEM key fob is broken anyway; so can I somehow swap the interior components, and use the new key fob, on my SC?
I don't know electronics however; would it be as easy as soldering each button, from one board to the other?

SEIDO

iTrader: (1)

Seriously; 98 views and nobody has a reply???

neelnaik

City Knight,
I can tell you with 99% certainty that that key goes to a RX, first or second generation specifically. I am 90% sure that it is to a second generation RX (2004-2009), as I am pretty sure the RX300 was not offered with a power liftgate. Perhaps see if anyone at work owns a second gen RX and lost their key (cause those keys are really expensive). On to your questions.

The lock/panic button. You press once to lock. Press and hold for panic.

There is no "trunk" on the RX of course. So the PWR DOOR button is to remotely open or close the rear power liftgate. SOP: With all doors unlocked, press and hold the PWR DOOR button to operate the power door.

Can you swap the electronics?
Maybe. But it's most likely not worth the amount of work to figure out how to do that. It would involve opening both up, and swapping the transmitter and whatever else is needed. Even then, I don't know if that would even work. HOWEVER, with some cleverness, you MIGHT be able to get this to work. Pending the frequencies are within operating range of each other (they should be), what you may be able to do is ADD the RX key to the keyless entry on your SC. I don't know to do this specifically on the SC, but I know to do this on the RX, you need TIS Techstream. It may or may not be the same with the SC. No idea to be honest. IF that works, then you should be able to get the RX key to work the keyless entry on the SC. But that's a big IF.

I don't know if the SC has an engine immobilizer or not. I don't think it does. But if it does, that would also have to programmed to the RX key.

Now to address the elephant in the room.
When you take apart that RX key, you will find that the key blade is fixed to the back part of the key housing. (The key separates in two halves. The Lexus logo part of the cover removes with just undoing that screw. You are then left with the other key half and the transmitter) So, the key blade is 1 piece with the back half of the key casing. I am 99% sure that you will not be able to separate the key blade from the casing without breaking the casing. This makes swapping key blades very very difficult to do. The other thing to mention about the RX key, is that it is really flimsy. MANY members here have broken them with just regular use. Just search the second gen RX forum for broken keys, and you will see what I mean. In fact, even the key casing on one of my RX keys is cracked (I own a second gen 2004 RX 330), and I try to be as gentle as I can with turning it in the ignition.

So, with all things considered, I don't think it going to possible to use that key for your SC. At least, it's not going to be easy. And that key is a flimsy key to replace it with.

Now, if you can get that keyless entry on your SC to program and work with that key, what you may be able to do is order a key blank of that style (IF it is the same length as the SC key), get it cut to your SC, and then move the programmed transmitter from the key you found into the newly cut key, and you should be good to go. Again, this is all pending that the key you can get the key programmed to the keyless entry (and engine immobilizer, if applicable), and that the key blade lengths are the same. Of course, this is all theory here, so do at your own risk.

RX key blanks by themselves are cheap (ebay). However, getting the key cut can be a pain. The cheapest I could find anyone willing to cut an aftermarket key blank was $50 at a local locksmith (the only locksmith in town willing to do it). The transmitters is what makes those keys so damn expensive.

Personally, I don't think it's worth all of that effort, but it would be a cool mod to do if it did work out.

Rhoderman

iTrader: (1)

I have the key pictured on the left for my 2000 SC3.
I bought a new one from Lexus and had it programmed shortly after I purchased the car as the car came with only one key and it was loose and not repairable.
The key has a chip in it for the immobilizer.
Sewell Lexus is also a great source for keys, but I didn't want to risk the time delay and have mine break completely.