Getting truck key made without having one to copy?

Couldn't find a thread on this already, not that I looked super hard. So if there is one already, feel free to shoot me!
I've been having issues every now and then getting the key to turn in the ignition. Problem is obvious- my key is worn out. The guy that owned it before me only gave me one key when I bought the truck in August of 2012, and it was pretty worn. (No chip or anything, it's a basic key.) The copies I had made don't work well either, since they were copied from this worn out key. It might take me ten minutes just to unlock the door with one of them, let alone try to start the truck.
So my question is how do I get a new key, since my key is too worn to make a copy out of? It's driving me nuts.

Thanks in advance!

 

Go to the dealer with your title or current reg and your id if you are the owner. The dealer can make a new copy from your vin number

 

Any idea how much that will run me? Just a ballpark guess.

 

It's not cheap. You will more than likely have to get a new Master Key made and if they have the chip in it, it's like close to $200 if I recall correctly. I'm in the same boat....

 

It varies from one dealership to another apparently. I just did this recently at Lithia Toyota of Odessa, TX and it cost $36. No chip in mine.

 

Thank God mine isn't chipped!! Definitely couldn't afford that. Good luck with that one man, that's a lot of money.

I could deal with that price. Hopefully it won't be much more than that.

 

They are going to get you for the reprogramming, cutting the key is not that big of a deal. My last one cost me $45.

You could buy your own blank to save a couple dollars, but it really isn't that big of a savings.

 

By the way, once I had the new key from Toyota and made sure it worked properly, I got another copy made at Home Depot for $1.96. It works perfectly.

The dealership offered to make me a second one for $13. The main cost is setting everything up from the vin number.

 

Should be less then 20 dollars. Just call your local dealers and ask.

 

I locked myself out a couple weeks ago. Went down to my dealer and got a key cut by VIN for 8.13 according to the receipt.

 

I had a key made from my VIN last summer at Toyota of Escondido for like $14.

 

Reprogramming what? There's no chip in his key.

 

VIN# or, my truck came with a little metal tag about 1/4" x 3/4" with the key#.

 

It's typically done one of two ways, the quick, easy, cheap way is what most of us are used to, to put the old key in a key reader/cutter and a new blank in the cutting side. A feeler rides against the key side feeling the depth of the orig, the cutting side is connected and simply cuts as deep as the 'reading' side can go. Move back and fortha a few times and polish it. Done. The copy is only as good as the original or donor key.
The slightly better way is to cut it the way they were done when new; according to a set of measured depths, no orig is used, the 'recipe' is in a manufacturers list of keys based on VIN. For example; tooth/pin one is cut to a depth of '5', tooth/pin two is cut to a depth of '2', on onward across the sides of the key. This method provides an exact duplicate of they keys as originally provided.
Regarding the chips and programming; he's talking about a 1st gen, mechanical lock only, no chip in any locks (I assume). You can copy a chipped key with just a steel blank and it will unlock all locks (doors, glovebox, ignition) but it won't start the newer vehicles. There is a chip reader in the ignition switch, no chip, no start, unlock steering wheel? Yes, but no start.

 

This. No chip, purely mechanical locks.

Yeah, my key won't make a good copy. The two I had made in the past barely work.

So I reckon the dealership is my best/only choice.

 

a locksmith can do it as well. They put a blank in the hole and turn it with vise grips attached to the key. It leaves an imprint on the key. They file it by hand and do it again. After a few tries at this it then turns. They fine tune it and done.

 

I will call around tomorrow and see who can do it cheapest, but right offhand, how much do you think a locksmith would charge?
Thank everyone that has answered. I appreciate it.

 

Locksmith will be more than $15 can almost guarantee that. Call your local Toyota dealer cause I'm pretty sure I paid under $20.

 

I had a key made at a locksmith once. I think it cost 15-20 bucks. I just took the ignition into his shop and it was done in about 20 minutes. It is super easy to pull the ignition out of our trucks.

 

Will do, there's a couple Toyota dealerships around here.

I didn't know it was that easy. I've never messed with mine. Only ignition I ever had to mess with was on an old Chevy 2500 van.