I noticed the key display as I was walking past our local hardware store so I went in and had them make a duplicate of Pikachu's key for $2.38 (maybe I should have shopped around :-) Now I have a nice flat key that fits in my wallet and will open the door if I accidently lock the real key in my car.<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU

Is the key you had made a duplicate of the master key? Or is it a copy of the plastic key that Toyota sent you after you picked up the car? I have the flat plastic key in my wallet, but a metal one would be much better. You said you made a duplicate of Pikachu's key. Does his key fit your Prius also? Please explain further. What key you be talkin' about?

It does not matter if a duplicate key is made out of plactic or out of metal, both will open the doors. However the Prius has an imobilizer system! Your duplicate key will not start the Hybrid system. If you like to have a metal key I recommend have your Toyota Dealer cut a key according to your specific key number, instead having a duplicate key made by tracing the shape of an other key. The key cut by a number code will be much more precise.

In Message 3912 random_6487 bragged:<br>&gt; ... local hardware store so I went in and had <br>&gt; them make a duplicate of Pikachu's key for <br>&gt; $2.38 <br>And I'm on my 3rd try at a Home Depot key: they keep cutting them too deep!<br>You'll have to privately "share" where you hid your valet key with me...<br><br>Bill Powell<br>(Prius: Just Drive It - For The Enjoyment And The Environment!)

Pikachu is the name of my Prius. It says so right on the license plate :-) For those of you without children, Pikachu is a Japanese electric mouse who happens to be the star of the Pok?mon TV show/video game/card game/movie/obsession. I thought my Prius had a sorta mousy shape, it's electric and it's Japanese, (and I have two kids in the Pok?mon suceptible age group), so I figured the name was perfect. Ok, maybe I have to admit to wasting far too many hours playing the game myself :-)<br><br>Anyway, I had a duplicate made of Pikachu's master key, but it doesn't have the electronic chip embedded in black plastic on the handle. So it will open the door (and the trunk), but the engine will be shut down if I use it to start the car since it won't answer the electronic query. Since a key with the electronic chip costs somewhere between $35 and $120 to purchase and program (based on other's reports on the Prius club and group), I saved quite a bit of money for my purpose of having a way to get my real key back if I accidently lock it inside Pikachu. It's much thinner this way and fits much easier in my wallet.<br><br>My two master keys and one valet key are metal with plastic handles. I did not receive any all plastic keys with Pikachu.<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU -- Oh, so that's what his tag line means.

In Message 3916 halfgas stated:<br>&gt; Or is it a copy of the plastic key that Toyota <br>&gt; sent you after you picked up the car? <br>PLASTIC KEY?<br>WHAT "plastic" key?<br>Please "splain"...<br><br>About to deposit 3 bad Home Depot keys into his dealercritter's southernmost orifice...<br>Bill Powell<br>(Prius: Just Drive It - For The Enjoyment And The Environment!)

Bill, you asked:<br><br>&gt;PLASTIC KEY?<br>&gt; WHAT "plastic" key?<br><br>Shortly after I bought my Aqua Ice, I received in the mail from Toyota a white plastic key imbedded in a credit-card size white plastic card, with a message card suggesting that I keep it in my wallet to use it to open the Prius door when locked out. Catch was I had to take it in to the dealer's parts department and they cut the plastic key for me using the real one for the template. It's not a big deal and is actually a little fragile - the first time I opened the door with it, it felt like it might break off in the lock (but didn't).<br><br>Hope that helps - Tom

In Message 3923 pulehu_ribs responded:<br>&gt;Shortly after I bought my Aqua Ice, I received <br>&gt;in the mail from Toyota a white plastic key <br>&gt;imbedded in a credit-card size white plastic <br>&gt;card, <br>Seen em' - Toyota, you say? Or the dealership?<br>Wonder if MY plastic key went the way of my "Eat My Voltage" sticker? :-)<br>Off to Home Depot AGAIN - tomorrow. Do I drive my Prius in, or make them take the key machine out to the parking lot?<br><br>Thanks!<br>Bill Powell<br>(Prius: Just Drive It - For The Enjoyment And The Environment!)