What is Toyota Smart Key System? Everything You Need to Know

Toyota is one of the biggest names in the automotive industry for a reason. It continuously strives to make the driving experience of users safer, more convenient, and effective.  If you are reading this, you might be wondering, “What is Toyota smart key system?”.

The Toyota smart key system lets you lock/unlock your Toyota vehicle without having to reach for the key. Using the smart key system, you can even start your car remotely.  

Amazing, right? But, that’s not all. There’s more to it.

Let’s talk about the new Toyota smart key system in detail.

What is Toyota Smart Key System?

So, if you have an upgraded model of Toyota, you can enjoy the new smart key system. Now, usually, when you want to unlock your car with remote control, you’d:

• Reach for the remote control
• Press the unlock key
• Pull the door handle
• And, get in

But, with the smart key system, you won’t have to do anything except:

• Have your key in the pocket
• Press the back of the door handle with your fingers

But, how about when you want to lock the door after leaving your vehicle? Just press the side of the door handle and the door will be locked automatically. No need to reach for your keys to lock the car, too. So, basically, the system works based on the proximity of your smart key to the vehicle.

Remotely Start a Toyota Car with the Smart Key System

Using the smart key system, you can even start your car without getting into it. Here is how it works:

Press the lock button on the key fob twice (within a second); press it the third time and hold for three seconds. You might want to use this feature to warm up your car before driving it. To use this feature, you’d first need to download and activate the Remote Connect App from the app store.

Toyota Smart Key Security Features

Now, there can be instances when you might only want to unlock the driver’s door and keep others locked. For example, you wouldn’t want to allow a stranger to jump into your car as soon as you unlock it. But, if you want to open both the front doors, you can always adjust the settings.

However, what if you want to unlock all the doors of your Toyota vehicle? For that, keep your fingers pressed against the inside of the door handle until you hear a beep. The system will take 3 seconds to open every other door of your car.

Moreover, let’s say you have the key and you use the passenger door handle to unlock the car; every other door will be unlocked as well.

The keyless entry feature of Toyota also works for the backdoor or trunk of your vehicle. Typically, you’d just have to put your fingers on the area under the logo at the back.

Remember: You can only do all that when you have the car’s key with you. People that don’t have the key with them, can’t do any of that.

What’s more, the “Vehicle status feature” of the system lets you remotely make sure your car’s windows, trunk, and doors, are closed. You could even create up to five driver profiles if your car is driven by multiple people.

What If the Smart Key Runs Out of Power?

As you might already know, the Toyota smart key works with a battery. So, of course, you won’t be able to use its features if the battery runs out of power.

But, there is a way around it; Toyota has put a physical key inside the key fob. To take out the key, you just have to disarm the safety lock on the side of the fob. Next, just use the key to unlock the door manually.

With all that out of the way, let’s address the next important question: How can you start your car when there is no charge in the battery?

Normally, to start a Toyota car with the smart key system, you’d sit in the driver’s seat and push the start button. You can start your car with an uncharged key fob easily as well.

See, there is a part of the system that doesn’t require an electric charge to work. What you can do is, place the key fob as close to the push-start button as possible and press the button.

How Do You Change the Battery of a Toyota Smart Key System?

So, your Toyota’s smart key battery runs out and you want to replace it; here is what you need to do:

First, take the emergency key out of the fob, just like we discussed before. It’d leave a small gap; put your finger in it and open the fob. Keep the logo side of the fob up while doing so. After you open up the fob, you’d see a “CR 2032” battery inside; just replace that with the new one.

Lastly, put it all back together and press the buttons to check if they are working normally.

Frequently Asked Question

Does Every Toyota Vehicle Have the Smart Key System?

No, only the upgraded models come with it; you can check the owner’s manual or ask a relevant person before buying a vehicle.  

Can You Start a Toyota Car If the Battery of Smart Key Runs Out?

Yes, just press the push-start button after placing the key fob near it.

Can You Change the Battery of a Toyota Smart Key?

Yes, it’s pretty easy to change the battery of the Toyota smart key system.

Can You Remotely Start a Toyota Vehicle With the Smart Key System?

Yes, just press the lock button twice within a second and the third time after that.

Final Thoughts

This was all about “What is smart key system Toyota?”. In a nutshell, the system uses smart technology to let you lock/unlock your car without having to use the key.

Keep in mind that not all Toyota vehicles come with the smart key system. So, if you want it on your next Toyota vehicle, make sure to go with the model that does.