Scion Key Replacement in Cerritos, CA

How Scion keys and immobilizers work

Scion was Toyota's youth brand from the 2004 through 2016 model years, so most Scion key systems are Toyota systems underneath, and the last few came from partners. What surprises owners is how uneven the immobilizer picture is. The tC is the Scion where a transponder immobilizer is the norm: a Texas 4D-67 chip through 2010, then Toyota's 80-bit G chip from about 2011. The low-priced boxes and hatchbacks are different. Parts catalogs list their remote keys in versions with and without anti-theft, and installer reports say many US xAs, xBs, xDs and iQs have no immobilizer at all, so a plain cut key starts them. Canadian-market versions should read a chip, because Canada has required immobilizers on new cars since 2007. The final three Scions broke the pattern. The Subaru-built FR-S uses a Toyota G chip in a four-button remote-head key, with a smart fob on its push-button editions. The iA is a Mazda2 sedan with Mazda's push-button smart key and NXP Hitag Pro fob, and the iM, a European Auris, uses a 128-bit Toyota H (8A) flip key. Because the same badge hides such different systems, we start every Scion job by checking your key and the car itself.

Scion key programming

How we make a Scion key depends on which of three groups the car falls into. On the tC, FR-S and iM, the transponder in the key is registered through the OBD-II port with professional equipment, and the buttons on a remote-head or flip key are synced as a separate step. Push-button editions add a smart fob registered the same way. Toyota's 4D-67 and G systems let us add a key from one working key, and the immobilizer can be reset when none are left, though that reset often includes a security wait. On cars without an immobilizer, which covers many xA, xB, xD and iQ models, the job is mostly mechanical: we cut the TOY43-profile blade by code or by decoding a lock, then pair the remote through Toyota's door-and-ignition routine or a programmer, after testing a cut key in case yours reads a chip. The iA follows Mazda smart-key rules, with fobs that must be new or unlocked. First, we check your ID and registration.

All Scion keys lost

Losing every key to a Scion is usually fixable in one visit, but what it takes depends on the model. On cars without an immobilizer, we decode the driver's door lock or cut from the key code, then pair a remote if you want one. On a turn-key tC, the immobilizer is reset through OBD-II before new keys are registered, and we program at least two keys so the lost ones can no longer start the car. Push-button tCs, the FR-S, the iM and the iA take longer: they involve pass-code, PIN or emulator steps, and an occasional car may need the dealer, so we confirm coverage by VIN before we drive out. For the iA, we register new Mazda smart fobs and cut the emergency blade to match the door lock. In every case, expect us to verify your ID and proof of ownership first.

Scion models we cover

• xA (2004–2006). The xA was one of Scion's two launch models, a compact five-door hatchback sold in the US for the 2004 through 2006 model years. It was the US version of the Japanese-market Toyota ist, which rode on the first-generation Vitz platform. Its key setup is about as simple as Scion got: a Toyota-pattern metal key plus a separate keyless entry remote. Imports ended in late 2006, and the xD took its place for 2008. If your xA key is worn, broken or lost, the job is usually cutting and remote pairing rather than computer programming, though we confirm that on your car.
• xB (2004–2015). The xB is the boxy wagon most people picture when they hear the Scion name. The first generation, based on the Japanese-market Toyota bB, sold for the 2004 through 2006 model years. After a skipped 2007 model year, a larger second generation with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder ran from 2008 through 2015. The two generations use different keys: a plain metal key with a separate remote early on, then a three-button remote-head key. Many US-market xBs were built without an engine immobilizer, while Canadian-market cars should read a transponder.
• tC (2005–2016). The tC was Scion's sport coupe, a two-door liftback with a standard panoramic glass roof, sold for the 2005 through 2016 model years. Among the early Scions, it was the one where a transponder immobilizer was the norm, so its key work resembles a mainstream Toyota more than an xB or xD. The first generation ran 2005 to 2010, a redesigned second generation arrived for 2011, and a facelift followed for 2014. When the brand closed, the tC was dropped rather than renamed as a Toyota.
• xD (2008–2014). The xD replaced the xA as Scion's small five-door hatchback, arriving for the 2008 model year and running through 2014. It was the US version of the Japanese-market Toyota ist, a stretched Yaris-platform hatchback, but used the Corolla's 1.8-liter engine. Its key is a compact three-button remote-head key on a Toyota TOY43-profile blade. Many US-market xDs were built without an engine immobilizer, which keeps key replacement simple, while Canadian cars should read a transponder. Unsold new xDs stayed on some dealer lots well after production ended.
• iQ (2012–2015). The iQ was Scion's micro car, a tiny three-door hatchback designed around city parking, sold in the US for the 2012 through 2015 model years. Toyota developed it for crowded European and Japanese cities, and in the US it was offered only as a Scion. It uses a turn-key ignition with a compact three-button remote-head key on a TOY43-profile blade. Like the xD, many US cars appear to lack an immobilizer, though catalogs list a G-chip key for later cars, so we check yours before cutting or programming anything.
• FR-S (2013–2016). The FR-S was the rear-wheel-drive sports coupe Toyota developed with Subaru, sold as a Scion for the 2013 through 2016 model years and renamed the Toyota 86 for 2017. Subaru built it alongside the BRZ at its Gunma plant in Japan, with a 2.0-liter boxer four. Most cars kept a conventional ignition and a four-button remote-head key that carries a Toyota G transponder, while limited editions such as the 10 Series and Release Series 1.0 added push-button start and a smart fob. Its key work follows its own rules rather than those of other Scions, so we confirm coverage by VIN before the visit.
• iA (2016–2016). The iA was a subcompact sedan that Mazda built for Scion in Salamanca, Mexico, based on the Mazda2 and sold for the 2016 model year before becoming the Toyota Yaris iA. Underneath it is Mazda hardware, including the key system: push-button start and a Mazda smart fob with a hidden emergency blade. Because of that, an iA key job looks like a Mazda3 or CX-3 job rather than a Toyota one. Its fob is also listed for the 2017-2018 Yaris iA and several Mazda models, which keeps replacements easy to source.
• iM (2016–2016). The iM was a five-door hatchback based on the European Toyota Auris, sold as a Scion for the 2016 model year and as the Toyota Corolla iM for 2017 and 2018. It came well equipped but kept a conventional ignition, and its key is a three-button flip key with a 128-bit Toyota H (8A) transponder. That chip puts it a step beyond the G-chip keys on the tC, so programming takes newer equipment. The same key family fits the Corolla iM, which helps when you need a replacement.

Common Scion key problems

• Toyota marks chipped blades with a stamped dot (4D-67), G or H near the head. Replacement remote-head keys for the tC, xB, xD and iQ come in chipped and chipless versions that look alike, so match the stamp and FCC ID before buying one online.
• Installer reports say many US-market second-generation xBs, xDs and iQs have no engine immobilizer, so any correctly cut key can start the car. That makes a lost key a real theft risk, and re-keying the ignition and door locks is worth considering.
• Scion remote-head keys often crack where the blade meets the plastic head. The circuit board usually survives, so a new shell with a freshly cut blade can fix it, provided the transponder chip moves across with the board.
• On a first-generation tC, a spare that was cut but never programmed will turn the ignition and crank the engine, yet the car won't start until the 4D-67 chip is registered. Owners sometimes mistake this for a fuel or starter fault.
• Inland Empire heat shortens the life of the CR2016 cells used in most Scion remote-head keys. If range drops to a few feet or the buttons work only some of the time, replace the battery before assuming the remote has lost its programming.
• The iA's Mazda smart fob can still start the car with a dead battery: hold the fob against the START/STOP button while pressing the brake. The emergency insert key hidden in the fob opens the driver's door.
• The separate remote on the first-generation xB is a common Toyota design shared with early-2000s Highlander, RAV4 and Tacoma models, so replacements are easy to find and can usually be paired on board without a computer.

Dealer or mobile locksmith?

The biggest difference between a dealership and a mobile locksmith is where the work happens. A dealer programs keys in its service bay, so if every key is lost, the car usually has to be towed there, and you work around the service department's schedule and the time it takes to order a key by VIN. Julian's Locksmith brings the cutting machine, key blanks and programming equipment to the car, whether it sits in your driveway, a workplace lot or a parking structure. For a Scion car we can program on-site, that means no tow and no shuttle rides back and forth. The trade-off is real, though: on vehicles where only the dealer can program keys, a tow or appointment may still be necessary, and we'll say so before you spend anything on our visit.

How the job works

1. Identify the exact key your car uses. Every job starts with the VIN, the trim and a look at any key you still have. From those we confirm the keyway, the transponder or smart-key chip, the remote frequency, the FCC ID and the button layout. Two Scion car keys that look identical can carry different electronics, so this step keeps the wrong part from ever reaching the car.
2. Verify ownership before any work. Before cutting or programming, we compare your government photo ID with the vehicle registration or title and check that the VIN on the paperwork matches the VIN on the dash. If the registration is locked inside, we open the car first, confirm the documents, and only then make the key.
3. Get the key code or decode the lock. If you still have a working key, we can read its cuts directly and check them against the factory depths for the Scion keyway. A worn key gets corrected back to spec during this step, so the new key turns crisply instead of reproducing years of wear in a fresh piece of metal.
4. Cut the blade on-site. Cutting happens right beside your car. For a smart key, that means the emergency blade hidden inside the fob; for a transponder or remote-head key, it's the main blade you'll use every day. We deburr the cuts and check the fit in each lock so nothing binds or sticks later on.
5. Program the chip, remote or smart key. Programming tells the car's computers that the new key belongs to the vehicle. Transponder chips are added to the immobilizer, remote buttons to the body control module, and proximity fobs to the keyless system. If a step requires dealer-only access on your car, you'll have heard that before we arrived, not halfway through the job.
6. Test everything and clear out old keys. Before we leave, every function gets checked: doors, trunk or liftgate, panic button, remote range, engine start, and the emergency blade in the driver's door. If keys are missing, we delete them from the car's memory where the system allows, so a lost key can no longer start the engine.

Proof of ownership

Making car keys is regulated work in California. Locksmiths are licensed and overseen by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services under the Locksmith Act, Business and Professions Code section 6980 and following, and Julian's Locksmith holds company license LCO7891. Verification protects you more than anyone: a locksmith who will make a key for whoever asks will also make one for someone who wants your car. We record your name, the vehicle and its VIN on a work order, and we politely decline jobs where ownership can't be established. You can look up our license at search.dca.ca.gov.

Scion keys in Cerritos

Cerritos is about 65 miles from our San Bernardino base, roughly 66 minutes in light traffic via I-215 South through Colton and Riverside to SR-91 West. When you call, you get an arrival estimate based on where the technician is and the traffic at that moment. Homes and businesses just off I-605 are routine stops for us. Give the suite or unit number and any gate instructions, and say whether the van can park out front or should pull into a side lot.

Not open around the clock, and we say so plainly. What we do offer is a long day: from 6:30 in the morning until 11:30 at night on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Fridays and Saturdays get the same long day. That schedule covers the hours when people are usually heading out to work or getting back home.