Good Evening.

My wife's only Rx400h Key fob has disintegrated in the usual trending way...

I looked through some previous posts about the best way to get it repaired however we have a unique situation. We live in Picardy France and the nearest Lexus dealer is a long way away (Paris). With that said they don't have a spares dept. and are merely a showroom.

I purchased a fob with blank key off eBay but couldn't swap the blank key for my own because the blank was moulded into the fob (current one has a grub screw to enable replacement). I took the fob to a keycutter but he did a terrible job and it didnt work.

I'm thinking I could post the existing fob to a good UK replacement service. The French school holidays start soon and I will be working form home for 3 weeks, enabling us to use our other car whilst the key gets repaired...

Can anyone advise and provide the name of a good key service?

 

I had a similar problem when the local car wash lost my spare key.  I got one made by the local shoe repairer for £30 but its a simple version and doesn't have the remote buttons but it will open the doors and start the car.  Beware that if the car was locked with the remote when you open it with this key it might start the alarm going.  You need the remote to switch it off.  It doesn't happen every time.  The same man can make a remote version for about £80 (better than the official Lexus price of about £350).  I have finally found a key cutter in Cyprus who can make a duplicate key - they are good at this sort of thing here and repair rather than replace.

In France I also had problems with servicing.  Toyota agents claim not to know anything about Lexus and be unable to help with anything.  Ridiculous as most of the parts (including he keys) are Toyota parts of course.  It might be worth checking with a Toyota agent in UK, I believe they are much more flexible and their rates are alleged to be lower than Lexus. I have tried to program a replacement remote key I got on eBay and also one I got cut in UK ( www.keytrader.co.uk ) with a device which is supposed to do this ( OBDII 2 4D Chip 16 Pin Smart Key Maker Programmer Tool For Toyota Lexus  ) but it wouldn't work.  A replacement wasn't any better.  The various tricks (opening and shutting doors etc) which I found on forums (mainly US) didn't work either.

Has anyone else managed to get the key programmer to work?

Thanks for your reply. What exactly did you ask KeyTrader to do? I might approach them to do the job. 

Thanks

Lee

Keytrader cut a blank in the holder for the remote module.  On refection I think that is all you should need as I assume the module form your broken key is still OK.  You can either send them a photo of both sides of your key or the Key code and they will cut the key to match.  Then you just open the case and put your own module in it.

Exactly this! The internal module is OK and doesn't need any reprogramming. I will give them a call. Thanks so much :) 

14 hours ago, katabrontes said:

The various tricks (opening and shutting doors etc) which I found on forums (mainly US) didn't work either.

 

Have a read of this topic I started a while ago. The opening/closing of doors etc does work, you've just got to keep trying

 

HI there, I am the proud owner of a RX400h 2009 and love it.  I have both keys (the master and a sub) but the sub which I use every day has finally fallen apart and all the sellotape in the world won't stick the plastics bits together any more!  I was going to buy a replacement plastic key on eBay but have noticed posts here, and also listings on eBay stating the plastic part is permanently fixed to the blade, and whilst you could install the existing remote workings from one key to another, it's the blade which you can't swap.  Does anyone have any answers for me on that one?  I live in Buckinghamshire and nearest Lexus dealers are 40 miles away!

Wombat59. See the messages above. In summary katabrontes was spot on! ww.keytrader.co.uk were brilliant. I sent them a photo of my existing key. For less than 10 quid they supplied a new fob and cut key. I swapped the innerworkings and off i went. Great fast and cheap service from them . 

Thanks Lee. It sounds like this is the way to go for me.   Will post on how I got on.

OK, a million thanks to Lee Riley and katabrontes and others who have recommended www.keytrader.co.uk   They have just cut a new key for my Lexus RX400h (2009 model) after the plastic key shell totally disintigrated.  I'd tried to order a replacement on eBay but the blank blade comes permanently attached to the plastic key shell, and my blade worked perfectly it was just the plastic bit I was after.  Keytrader cut the key from a photo (how does that work!?) that I emailed them, and as soon as I inserted my remote control module into the new key shell I was able to open up car and start up the car.  Took 2 days, and all for a tenner including postage.  Now what would a Lexus garage have charged for that!  What a wonderful thing this Forum is.

I KNOW !!! :D The key cutting from a photo blew my mind too, and as you say...all for a tenner. Glad you got sorted. 

I can sell my stock pile of sellotape now!!!!

I'm not sure I've understood all of above properly so bear with me....

I just bought a Lexus IS 250 yesterday that only came with one key fob.

Am I right in understanding I can get a new fob (minus electronics) just like the original including the L shaped key matched to mine for a tenner if I send them a pic of my key (and fob)?