For those awaiting second key for their new 4runner

Bought the wife’s 2023 4Runner in January, only received one key fob. We keep hearing April for the second fob. Fingers crossed, as I find this annoying.

 

Just went to the local dealership Wednesday and ordered a new FOB for a 2023 TRD Pro, they had it the next AM. I let them program it (I’m sure I could have done it DIY) but was out the door in 45 minutes for $400.

 

I really don't understand this. If someone is able to go to a dealer and buy a fob that quick why is Toyota having people wait months?..... to get something they should have received at time of sale.

 

Because they need to keep the retail going so they can afford to keep screwing the customers

 

I bought mine used and it was shipped to me from Texas. I couldn’t believe it only came with 1 key FOB. I panicked knowing the consequences of losing the only FOB. But I agree, something is fishy if you can buy one ASAP yet Toyota is giving some future delivery date to new car buyers. I wonder if Toyota is going to track me down and send me the original FOB that was due the first owner.

 

What year is your runner?
Edit found it, 2023 Pro. Wow, first owner was short lived.

 

They owned it for 30 days, they said exhaust drone/ wind noise from rear windows were a drivability issue. (They should have gotten a GX460). Their misfortune was my gain…lol.

 

I have a question along the same line as the key FOB issue. My 4R came from Family Toyota in Burleson used with 1700 miles. Not only did I just receive 1 key FOB but it didn’t even come with an owners manual. I know I can access this stuff online but I like have the real deal in the glove box. Did your recent purchase have good ole fashion owners manual onboard? I just purchased them on EBay but I’m not happy that I had to. I was just wondering why the original owner would have removed them.

 

There are so many models, and sources now, I can't provide a definitive answer, but my 2022 SR5 did come with a full set of owner's manuals. In a nice glove box binder. The binder might have been a dealer add. Good luck with your new-to-you 4Runner.

 

I concur with Jere39 - our 2023 4Runner Limited had a full set of manuals (full manual, quick reference guide, nav. system/audio manual) in a binder. I recall the salesperson handing these manuals to us and briefly telling us what was in each one. They are in the glove box now. I also downloaded a complete set of manuals from Toyota that I can quickly pull up on my computer.

 

FWIW, This is the set of books and the folder it came in:

 

Some folks like to reclaim the precious space in the glove box by downloading the manual to their phone and putting the printed manual in the file cabinet.

 

Yes, we had all the manuals.

 

I spoke to our salesman on Monday, he said they had a meeting about the key fobs. Expect them in April. I’m taking that conversation with a grain of salt.

 

What we got in Chile (I guess is the same in the rest of Southamerica): 2 normal keys (black) and 1 valet key (grey). All keys with corresponding chip.

 

I have a 2023 ORP on way in a couple weeks. Should I expect 2 key fobs because it was just produced? After January?

 

If your 2023 ORP was manufactured sometime in January I think you have a good chance of getting 2 key fobs. I think 4Runner production went back to supplying 2 fobs in January.

BTW - a previous poster said that their salesperson recently told them to expect the missing 2nd fob in April. When we picked up our 2023 Limited about 7 weeks ago our salesperson told us to expect the 2nd fob around April as well. I know the letter posted at the top of this discussion said that the 2nd key fobs wouldn't start going out until the summer. However, my hope is that dealers/customers called bullshit on that and if new 4Runners are now being supplied with 2 fobs then customers who only got 1 fob should start getting them IMMEDIATELY. On top of that, customers who purchased new vehicles and had to go months with only 1 fob should get a little something extra when they finally get the 2nd fob. I don't care if it is something small - some sort of Toyota merchandise, a small bottle of touch-up paint, whatever. You would think that Toyota would have better sense than telling people who plunked down $50K+ for a new vehicle "maybe you'll get your 2nd fob sometime later this year". I understand why they did it - and I have already stated that had I known I would initially get only 1 fob - I would still have purchased the 4Runner. But I would have expected them to have a better plan/story to tell customers who only got 1 fob. Rant over - still love my Limited

 

did only getting 1 key FOB cause a hardship? I don't see why one would expect Toyota to give you something because you had to wait for your 2nd FOB. That being said, as A company, it would go a long way if they gave a little gift as a sorry.

 

I stopped by my local dealership for service. All new cars in the showroom have stickers informing clients that only one key would be available per vehicle.
They had other new vehicles on the lot except T4R and Sequoia

 

I picked up my 2023 SR5 Premium yesterday and it came with 2 key fobs. I noticed as I was waiting in the dealership that other folks picking up other new Toyota's were all getting the word that they were only getting 1 now, but they would get a second 1 later.

 

Good to hear. As all the 4 Runner come from Japan, I guess I have a good chance of getting 2 also. Mine should arrive around 3/25

 

Spare Parts - I appreciate your question - as I am definitely not a "I should get some free stuff" person. Up to now, no, only getting 1 fob has not caused a hardship. And I have clearly stated multiple times that had I known prior to making the deal and going to pick up the vehicle - I still would have purchased the 4Runner knowing that I would temporarily have to get by with 1 fob. I understand the issue of having a chip shortage and providing vehicles with 1 fob allowing Toyota to continue shipping vehicles. I don't understand Toyota's strategy in informing customers about the 1 fob deal. The salesperson we dealt with (very nice woman who really knew a lot about the vehicle) literally didn't tell us about the 1 fob deal until she was walking us to the vehicle when we were leaving - and I could tell that she was somewhat embarrassed by it. She's in a position where she just sold someone a $50K+ vehicle and then has to tell them that they only get one key fob. Granted, she could have told us earlier - but she didn't. Maybe Toyota should have addressed this with their dealers and told them how to handle it? Maybe they did and this dealer/salesperson ignored it? To tell you the truth - even being told that I would temporarily have to get by with only 1 fob right when we were leaving wasn't that big a deal at the time. I was leaving in my new 4Runner, I was the primary every day driver of the vehicle - and barring losing/damaging the 1 fob (very small chance in my mind) - it was not going to be a significant hardship. Truthfully, if I had never gotten any further information about this situation - and the 2nd key fob arrived about when they told me it would - I wouldn't even consider it anything but a minor inconvenience. The thing that has pissed me off some - is the first post in this discussion! The letter from Toyota Quality to their dealers is dated Feb. 16 - and it states that starting on 4Runner production in January new 4Runners will again ship with 2 key fobs. I picked up my 2023 Limited on Jan. 14 - by that time Toyota knew their chip supply would allow them to start shipping 2 key fobs with each new 4Runner again. They would also know exactly how many new 4Runners had shipped with only 1 fob. They could have started shipping 2nd key fobs to purchasers who only got 1 in January - and they sure as shit could have calculated a more firm date on when purchasers who only got 1 key fob would get the 2nd one - instead of the bullshit "you'll get the 2nd fob by April, maybe sometime in the summer" muddled messaging they rolled out. It's the "we already sold them a 4Runner - so fuck them" mentality that their communication method conveys. Look, I love my Limited, I loved the 2010 Tacoma TRD Sport I drove for over 12 years, I will most definitely consider Toyota when I purchase another new vehicle. I just don't like feeling like I'm getting yanked. I don't feel like I am suffering a hardship or even much of an inconvenience. I feel like my intelligence is being questioned/underestimated. And whoever at Toyota that came up with the messaging/communication strategy for the chip/fob shortage is a freaking imbecile. Seriously, Toyota should part ways with them.

 

I understand how you feel about getting yanked. Nobody likes that feeling. But as I think about it, Toyota had to do it the way they did, i.e. shipping new vehicles with 2 keys before getting a second key to previous buyers who only had one. If they had taken the latter route and gotten your second key to you first, the number of people who would have been affected by the chip shortage would have been been greatly expanded, and they would be risking even more ill will.

The sales person who only informed the buyer about the key shortage after the deal was done is slime.

 

@shooter1231 You wrote this well and expressed how we all feel. My 4Runner was built in December and I still haven't taken delivery, but I'm sure that it will only come with 1 fob. The problem with Toyota is that they will not move away from their lean manufacturing principles no matter what. And that even means giving those of us that are loyal customers the bird. This process is their manufacturing's strength and Achilles' heel at the same time.

 

Steelevo, if your 4 Runner was built in December, why have you not received it yet? Just curious? Mine is supposed to arrive around 3/25. Should I assume it was built before January also? I read it can take 8-10 weeks to get a vehicle from Japan to the US. At this point I would not expect to get 2 fobs but have no idea about shipping and delivery times. Thanks

 

Captain Spalding - I agree. I don't fault Toyota for deciding to ship 4Runners with only 1 fob so they could continue shipping 4Runners. I would do the same thing. I also agree that they would start shipping new 4Runners from the factory with 2 fobs BEFORE they start supplying fobs to purchasers who only got one. To not do this would keep making the problem larger as you stated. No problem with any of that. What pisses me off now that I know more about it is that Toyota knew sometime BEFORE January 2023 that beginning in January 2023 they were going back to shipping 2 fobs on all 4Runners that started through production in January. All I'm complaining about is that Toyota had enough information to do a much better job of telling people who only got 1 fob when they would get a 2nd one. I'm not saying they should have told me the exact date I would get it - but clearly they had enough info to give a much better message than "you should get it by April, no wait, it might not be until the summer, maybe...". When they first got hit with the chip shortage and had to make the decision to supply 1 fob with new 4Runners - they probably didn't know when they could go back to shipping 2, or being able to ship the 2nd fob to buyers who only got one. But by the time I took possession of my Limited they were already shipping new 4Runners with 2 fobs again. Anyone who took possession of a 4Runner after Jan 1. 2023 should have been told/given in writing (at a minimum) 1) there was a chip shortage and your 4Runner was shipped with 1 fob so we could continue shipping new vehicles, 2) Toyota has started shipping new vehicles with 2 fobs again on Jan. 1, 3) We will send you the 2nd fob in the mail and we expect all 2nd key fobs to ship by MONTH, 2023. By not doing this is says to me "we got your $50K - you got your 4Runner - now suck it until we decide to send you your 2nd key fob". Do I think they intended to send that message? - No. Do I think they should have realized that what/how they communicated this would send that message? - Hell yes. So now, eventually, me and all the other recent 4Runner buyers who only got 1 fob will get a 2nd fob in the mail. We'll then have to make an appointment with our local Toyota dealer to go in and get it programmed for our vehicle - which I understand is not a 10-15 minute deal. All they had to do is hand me a piece of paper that said what I listed before - something "official" from Toyota - and if they would have even been within a couple of months of the expected fob delivery date I would have been 100% fine with it. They didn't even take the time to deliver most of the message I would have liked to the dealers until mid-Feb. So, some swinging dick at Toyota said "we'll ship them only 1 fob and not tell them about it until they get the vehicle, and we won't give them a straight answer on when they'll get the 2nd one either - yeah they'll all be fine with that". Genius.

 

I agree. Thanks for that clarification.

 

It arrived at the port on January 11 and had everything processed at the port on January 27. Then a 3 week delay to get it on rail and has been sitting in rail depart status since February 14. It’s at the destination rail yard, but hasn’t been unloaded or changed to rail arrive. Then, it still has to go on a truck to the dealer.

 

Wow! Lots of handoffs. I don’t know when mine was built. I have VIN. Dealer said 3/25. Must already be in US?

 

@shooter1231, I think your issue is more with your salesperson. As others stated some places are putting signs on vehicles informing folks of the 1 FOB deal. I did not think about how you may need to go back to the dealership to get it programed, I wonder if this can be done before mailing them out.