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Toyota and Lexus All Keys Lost: Reset at the Car in San Diego

With every key lost, a push-button Toyota gets a smart key made at the car for $309, a Lexus $349; dealers charge about $500 and $580, then $125 to $200 to tow it in.

Published 2026-09-30 · Updated 2026-10-01 · Licensed and insured.

When the last key to a push-button Toyota or Lexus goes missing, nothing is left to copy. The car's key memory has to be reset and new keys registered from scratch, and at a dealer that starts with a tow truck.

Owners who phoned dealers have posted the bill. On a 2022 Camry Hybrid it was about $800 from three dealers, before the tow.

On most models the reset happens at the car instead, $309 for a Toyota smart key or $349 for a Lexus, drive included. The lost car keys page covers the visit for any make; this one covers the Toyota and Lexus specifics.

Programming happens through the port under your dash.

Is this what your car is doing?

  • Toyota lost both keys: smart key and spare gone, and the car will not unlock or start.
  • Lost my only Toyota key, no spare at home, and the car is parked at home or at work.
  • Lexus all keys lost: no fob anywhere, and the start button does nothing.
  • A used Toyota or Lexus that came with one key, and that key is now missing.
  • A 2022 to 2024 Toyota delivered with a single smart key during the chip shortage.

Models and years this page covers

Find your car. Each row says what the fault looks like on that model.

ModelYearsWhat happens
Toyota Camry1998 to 2026Chip key on turn-key cars through 2017. Smart key on some upper trims from 2007, more from 2012 and most trims from 2018, when turn-key cars took a laser-cut key. The 2025 and newer Camry gets a VIN check.
Toyota RAV42001 to 2026Through 2012, a chip key. Most 2013 to 2018 cars use an H chip remote head key, the Limited a smart key. From 2019, push-button cars take a smart key; the 2026 redesign gets a VIN check.
Toyota Corolla1998 to 2026Chip key through 2013 and a remote head key on most 2014 to 2019 cars. From 2020, a laser-cut flip key or, with a start button, a smart key.
Toyota Highlander2001 to 2025Chip key on most cars through 2013, then a remote head key; some early cars keep the key list in the engine computer. Upper trims from 2008 often carry a smart key, and from 2020 nearly every trim does.
Toyota Prius2001 to 2026Chip key on 2001 to 2003 cars. Smart key from 2004: a fob that seats in a dash slot through 2009, a pocket fob after. The 2023 and newer Prius gets a VIN check.
Toyota Tacoma1998 to 2026Chip key through 2015 on most trucks. From 2016, most trims carry an H chip remote head key and the Limited a smart key. The 2024 and newer truck gets a VIN check.
Toyota 4Runner1998 to 2026Chip key through 2009, with the key list in the engine computer on some early trucks. From 2010, a remote head key or, on the Limited, a smart key. The 2025 redesign gets a VIN check.
Lexus RX1999 to 2026The RX 300 uses a chip key; 2004 to 2009 cars use a milled blade or a SmartAccess fob, and the RX from 2010 on uses a smart key. The 2023 and newer RX gets a VIN check.
Lexus ES1998 to 2026ES 300 cars use a chip key and the 2004 to 2006 ES 330 a milled blade; smart keys from the 2007 ES 350. On 2019 to 2021 models, bulletin L-SB-0014-18 rules out re-registering an erased key.
Lexus IS2001 to 2026The IS 300 of 2001 to 2005 uses a short milled blade with its chip in the plastic head, then every IS from 2006 on has a smart key, with the fob matched by VIN.

What fails, and why

Adding a key to a Toyota that still has a working one is routine. Once the final key is lost, a dealer resets the key memory completely. Toyota's bulletin T-SB-0057-18, titled "Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset", and the Lexus version, L-SB-0014-18, set out the steps.

The reset needs a passcode from Toyota's service system, erases every key the car knew, and only then registers new ones. Dealers run it with the car inside the service department, so a car that cannot be started rides there on a flatbed, which runs $125 to $200. A fob shipped in from the warehouse adds another one to three days.

Some early 2000s Toyotas, the Highlander and 4Runner among them, keep the key list in the engine computer, and we flag those cars on the call.

How we fix it at your car

  1. VIN check before the van leaves

    Send the VIN and mention push-button start or a key slot. From that, we know on the phone whether your car is a job for the driveway, and the price you hear already covers the drive.

  2. Paperwork in hand at the car

    Keep the title or registration at hand, along with a photo ID in that name. The names are compared before any cutting starts, since the finished key starts the car for anyone holding it.

  3. Blade cut, key memory reset, new keys registered

    The metal door blade inside the fob, or the turned key on older models, is cut from your VIN's key code. Then the car's key memory is reset and the new keys registered to it, all in the parking spot.

  4. Old keys wiped, everything tested

    Every key the car knew is cleared by the reset, so a fob found later will not start the car unless it is registered again. You try the start button, the remote and the door blade, then pay, card or cash. Warranty: one year, covering key, remote and programming.

What it costs: dealer and us

Our price includes the drive anywhere in San Diego County. The dealer column is what a dealership typically charges for the same job, before any tow. Quotes owners reported for this exact fault follow below.

Prices as of 2026-09-30. Your exact price is confirmed on the phone before we drive.
Key or jobTypical dealerValue Car KeysYou keep
Toyota smart key, every key lostAny push-button Toyota confirmed by VIN. Covers the door blade, the key memory reset and wiping the missing keys. $500 plus a tow $309 $191
Lexus smart key, every key lostRX, ES, IS and other push-button Lexus models. The NX from 2022 and the LX 600 are checked by VIN first. $580 plus a tow $349 $231
Toyota chip key, every key lostTurned-key Toyotas from 1998 to 2021 whose key has a plain black head with the chip inside. $250 plus a tow $189 $61
Toyota smart key spare, one key still worksThe same fob added while a working key is still in hand, the right move for a used Toyota bought with one key. $500 $249 $251

Quotes owners have reported

Figures owners posted on Reddit and Torque News from 2021 to 2025, copied as reported; only the 2013 RAV4 quote came from a San Diego dealer.

CarQuoted or paidByWhenSource
2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid, all keys lostAbout $800 at three dealers, before the towDealerSep 2025Reddit, r/Toyota
2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid, all keys lost$325 to $450 from locksmithsLocksmithSep 2025Reddit, r/Toyota
2013 Toyota RAV4, push start, only key lostAlmost $700 including the tow, from a San Diego dealerDealerMar 2021Reddit, r/sandiego
2024 Toyota Camry fob$500 to $600DealerMay 2024Reddit, r/Toyota
2013 Lexus GS350, one fob still in hand$436 to about $1,000 for a spare across four Los Angeles dealersDealerDec 2023Reddit, r/Lexus
Lost Toyota Corolla key$399 to $500 across four dealersDealerJan 2025Torque News

Recalls, and when the dealer is the right call

Losing a key is no defect, so there is no recall for it. One Toyota program does matter: the Second Key Delivery Program, 23TJ01, for 2022 to 2024 vehicles delivered with a single smart key during the chip shortage. Toyota offered those owners the second key for a nominal one cent.

Models named in Toyota's memo include the 2022 to 2024 Tundra, the 2023 to 2024 Sequoia and Prius, and RAV4, Camry, Highlander, 4Runner, Sienna, Venza, Crown, bZ4X and Grand Highlander models. If you still hold the one key, ask your dealer now. If it is gone, ask what the program covers; whether it still runs in 2026 is for the dealer to confirm.

The dealer is also the right first call when our VIN check says the job belongs there, and we tell you so. Either way, the paperwork is the same: a photo ID plus the title or registration in that name. Under California's Business and Professions Code 6980.55 and Penal Code 466.6, a locksmith who cuts a key without an original to copy has to log both on a work order.

Why the dealer bill for a lost Toyota key runs higher

The dealer's number has two parts before tax. The key, billed as a part plus a programming labor line of typically $100 to $180: about $500 for a Toyota smart key, $580 for a Lexus and $250 for a turned-key Toyota's chip key. Then the tow, $125 to $200, because the reset is done in the bay. Waiting for a fob to arrive costs one to three days more.

The owner reports above fit that pattern. Anyone already holding a dealer figure can see what to send on beat my dealer quote.

Newer Toyotas, Lexus redesigns and the VIN check

Not every locksmith will take on a newer Toyota with no keys left, and some owners get turned down on the phone. The reason is equipment: newer models need programming tools not every shop carries. So the VIN is checked on the first call, and you hear then whether your car is done where it sits.

That matters most on recent redesigns: the Tundra from 2022, the Sequoia from 2023, the Tacoma from 2024, the Lexus NX from 2022 and the LX 600. If one of those is a dealer job, you learn it on the phone, ahead of any drive.

Questions people ask

Does a locksmith cost less than the dealership for a lost Toyota key?

Yes, on most models. With every key lost, a Toyota smart key is $309 at the car and a chip key $189, both OEM or OEM-grade. A dealer bills about $500 or $250 with its programming labor line included, plus a flatbed ride that costs $125 to $200. A Lexus smart key is $349 against about $580 plus the tow.

How much does it cost to replace a lost key in a Toyota?

With no working key left, $189 for a chip key or $309 for a smart key: $60 over the spare price, which pays for the code lookup and the reset, drive included. Keep one key working and the smart key spare is $249. One owner reported dealer quotes near $800 before the tow for a 2022 Camry Hybrid.

How much does it cost to replace a genuine Toyota key?

About $500 for a smart key and $250 for a chip key at a Toyota dealer, totals that include a separate programming labor line of $100 to $180. Owners have posted $500 to $600 for a 2024 Camry fob and $399 to $500 for a Corolla key. Ours carry the same chip type the factory specified, and a smart key spare is $249.

Can a locksmith program a Toyota smart key?

Yes, on most push-button Toyota and Lexus models, even with every key lost. Newer models need programming equipment not every shop carries, which is why some owners get turned down. We run your VIN on the first call and say then whether the job is done at the car or belongs at the dealer.

Do I need to tow my Toyota to the dealer if I lost all the keys?

Not on most models. The dealer resets the key memory in its service bay, so that route means a $125 to $200 flatbed. A locksmith with the right equipment does the reset wherever the car is parked: a carport, a curb or the third level of an office garage.

How much does a Lexus key cost when every key is lost?

$349 for a Lexus smart key with nothing left to copy, door blade cut too, where a Lexus dealer asks about $580 before the tow. One owner posted $436 to about $1,000 across four Los Angeles dealers for a spare 2013 GS350 key, with one fob still in hand. On a 2019 to 2021 ES, bulletin L-SB-0014-18 bars re-registering a key once it is erased, so search the house first.

Sources

Other known problems

Mazda keyless system malfunction

On push-button Mazdas, from the CX-5 and Mazda3 to the MX-5, a Keyless System Malfunction warning often starts with an added used or aftermarket fob.

Honda ignition repair

Many Honda and Acura ignitions built from 1998 on develop worn or broken wafers, and the key sticks or will not turn.

Volkswagen ignition repair

On 2005 to 2016 Jettas and 2012 to 2016 Beetles the lock housing fails and the key sticks; 2006 to 2010 Passats have an electronic steering lock...

Kia and Hyundai theft ignition repair

Many 2011 to 2022 turn-key Kias and Hyundais lack an immobilizer, and a theft attempt leaves the lock cylinder and housing broken.

Dodge and Chrysler key won't turn

On 2008 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram models with a push-in fob key, wear in the ignition node can stop the key turning or being read.

GM theft deterrent no-start

Many Chevy and GMC cars and trucks that show Service Theft Deterrent System and won't start clear with a free 10-minute relearn.

Car key problems by make, and what each dash message means

Text us the year, the model and what the key does

Call or text (619) 340-1518 with the car's year, make and model. If a dealer already quoted you, send that quote over for our answer on the same key.

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