Key copies

Hi all, just bought my first Hiace last week.  1994 Super Custom KZH106.  It only came with one key and I would like to get a couple more.  I have Googled and don't see any obvious solutions.  Do you all know what other US imported cars shared the same keys?  Can I buy blanks of those and have a hardware store make copies off of the one key I have now?  Or do I need a dealer to order me one?

Thank you,
Alex

I'm in the UK - but I just went to a key-cutters and they had generic blanks that would work. The only thing was that these did not have the central door locking button - but these were only spares - and we installed a secondary alarm/immobilizer, where the arming fobs would superseded this anyway.

If you're has the factory remote central locking, I guess you may have to go to a dealer.

Thank you g00se! I am not sure my 1994 has central locking. If it does, I don’t have that kind of key. Mine has the plastic head with a Toyota logo but no buttons. I just want some spares to get in and drive it. Is yours 1994 with a factory electronic locking button before you installed the alarm? Maybe it’s a Limited model?

Thank you g00se! I am not sure my 1994 has central locking. If it does, I don’t have that kind of key. Mine has the plastic head with a Toyota logo but no buttons. I just want some spares to get in and drive it.

Thank you g00se! I am not sure my 1994 has central locking. If it does, I don’t have that kind of key. Mine has the plastic head with a Toyota logo but no buttons. I just want some spares to get in and drive it.

No - mine's a 2001. it came with two keys. A plastic headed one with the logo - but a tiny rubber button and small screw head to get to the battery. And a old school plain metal one. I just took one to the local heel bar and they made copies on standard blanks. I would have thought that it yours doesn't have the central locking, then getting copies made would be straight-forward.

Mines a 1991 LH119V. It came with just a metal key, which will open all the doors. If you use it on the driver's door, that unlocks all the other doors - that's central locking but not REMOTE central locking which would mean a button.

The blanks to cut additional keys were easily obtainable at key cutting shops and I would expect that to be the same where you are.

Hello 'aprlso' and welcome to the forum.

My ‘92/93 CC (sim to Andonic) came with two simple keys; mostly metal with a plastic part at the top, to presumably make them nicer to hold. I have key-operated central locking and the keys don’t have any chips for an immobiliser.

As others have said there’s nothing special about these keys and regular key-cutting places generally have blanks and can copy your key(s), if yours are the same.

If your keys are in a poor state then Toyota might have the code to get an original key cut to match your locks but this will be more expensive than copying a key.

If you want branded key blanks then Hiaceshoutheast sells these but eBay probably also does. I bought some eBay blanks for some VW keys as my local key cutter didn’t stock these but I got him to do the cutting. They were great keys for going into the sea with when you don’t want to get fancy keys wet.

If your locks are in a poor state you can get a complete set of I think 9 or 11 locks for the complete vehicle for ~$200 inc 2 keys, from Japan. My local Toyota dealer quoted me ~£100 for a replacement ignition barrel and keys. Sometimes it’s useful to have the ignition on a different key to the doors and the ignition barrel is a fairly high-wear item, especially after 30y.

If you’re generally searching for various online resources have a look at the longish post at the top of my show us your page. Happy if it’s useful for you.

Cheers!

LH119V wrote:

mostly metal with a plastic part at the top

Your van's like mine and you got a plastic part ! I've been robbed !

But seriously isn't it nice to have a normal key that doesn't cost hundreds to replace by a dealer... You can fit a whole alarm system that does all the doors for the price of a key for a new car ( that's what I did ).

NickZ wrote:

LH119V wrote:

mostly metal with a plastic part at the top

You can fit a whole alarm system that does all the doors for the price of a key for a new car ( that's what I did ).

Be good to know what alarm system you fitted, please? Esp if it incorporates an immob. I have some low-tech plans for the latter. Alarms from the 1990s were generally terrible but I'd expect anything more modern will be a lot better.

I also meant to ask on the electrics thread what solar panel(s) you fitted? Options seem to be quite limitless and there are good and bad points for solid and flex in perms of performance, fit and looks. Will post a reply there to keep things in some order.

Autowatch it has an immobiliser, central locking and some funky sensors, it does all sorts of things and it's really loud ! I think because these vans are old we get cheaper alarms because they don't depend on the cars computer.

For info, I had to get a Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser for my insurance. Because of this, I need to get it 'officially' installed which puts it about £500, but I think you can do a DIY install for less than half that. I have a Sigma S30 but there are a few around that price and they all do the same things.

I think my van was known by the insurance people ( Adrian Flux ) as that was who the previous owner insured it with and was down as already having one before all the Thatcham category stuff arrived.

But the alarm was rubbish it had no sensors and had been wired just below the ignition so anybody hot wiring it wouldn't even have noticed it had an alarm !

If anyone is thinking of installing a thatcham alarm/immobiliser, it's not a trivial job - but certainly doable if you're OK with electrics. eg, all the wires are the same colour - so not to help identify what to cut if trying to bypass it.

NickZ wrote:

!

But seriously isn't it nice to have a normal key that doesn't cost hundreds to replace by a dealer... You can fit a whole alarm system that does all the doors for the price of a key for a new car ( that's what I did ).

I agree, Nick Z! One thing I love about my van is so much less electronic stuff to go wrong - manual hand brake, manual window winders.