Missing passenger key lock

I just noticed my 2013 Tacoma has no passenger door key entry lock. I’m new to this truck btw! So, it seems some scamp with a screwdriver messed up my drivers door lock and I will be replacing it.

So, on to my question…. Can I add a key lock to the passenger door? Do the guts exist inside to accept one?

I removed the passenger side door access plug and the screw exists, but that’s all I can see in. I’m thinking I’d certainly need the outside cap with the hole in it to allow key entry.

I searched this site as it’s rich with others replacing their locks due to failed entry attempts. Other than increasing the cost of the truck by $100, why would Toyota pass on the passenger door key entry?

 

Cost

 

Cost and the fact that the vast majority of people with RKE never use the key locks, the only reason the driver door has a key lock on a vehicle with RKE is so you can get in if the remote doesn't work or the battery is dead.

 

I have never once used the key to lock or unlock my 2015, only the FOB. The only reason I would ever use the key is if my FOB died unexpectedly (I change the battery every couple years) or the electronic locking system failed. There is no need whatsoever for a passenger side cylinder lock.

 

I haven't used my fob in years. It's stupid big and I hate carrying it around. I did look into swapping out the passenger handle with a keyed one. It looks to be the same handle form for all of the doors but I never got to the point of looking inside to see. The mechanism.

 

You must have never seen a modern FOB. The second gen FOB is shorter, slimmer, narrower and lighter than those you see for more recently manufactured vehicles. It has not once seemed burdensome to me to carry particularly given the conveniences it provides. I can’t even imagine the eye rolls I’d receive from the family if they had to wait for me to place the key in the door lock. First world problems. But hey, that’s me not you.

 

I like that my passenger side lock will unlock both sides. My drivers side will only unlock the drivers side. My fob fell apart a while ago.

 

FWIW: I use the key to unlock the door every once in a while to keep it "exercised". In my experience, un-used exterior mechanical parts like/tend to quietly freeze up over time gradually and quit working...exactly when you need it. Sometimes they they just don't want to turn or won't turn at all or even accept the key all the way, even with some wd40.

The other times are when I don't want to attract attention in a sketchy parking lot or area, with the single or the double un-lock beeping the remote delivers. It doesn't flash all the the lights either.

 

I drive a '15 DCSB so whatever size you consider that key fob to be is what I consider to be too big to carry around in my pocket. Maybe it's my giant thighs from years of riding bicycles? Maybe it's my giant junk getting in the way of my pockets? Maybe it's my XXL hands that barely fit into my pockets as it is? Maybe I just don't like carrying a bunch of crap in my pockets? As for your family's eyerolls, my family knows, in no uncertain terms, that they are welcome to find their own way to wherever we're going.

I did look at the Lexus keyfob mod a while back and figured meh. It's literally once or twice a year that I think it would be handy to have a fob and, as I mentioned, I didn't really look into the lock any further than to realize that 3/4 of the door handles look identical so odds are that you could get another front driver handle and install it on the passenger side, provided that the key assembly doesn't need to be right side specific. At that point I figured it wasn't important enough to me to put any further time into researching. For what it's worth, for some years they did have keyed locks on both front doors. Here's an '05:

 

Interesting...my 06 has a key lock on both doors. Of course it doesn't have a key fob either

 

Fully understand all the anatomical limitations you’re dealing with, sounds like carrying really anything on your person at all is an incredible challenge. My suggestions, and in this order of course: a personal assistant, a fanny pack, or perhaps…

…larger pants?

I’m also mildly curious how you manage to successfully bicycle with such magnificently enormous junk (and thighs!!) but, I understand how one would want to keep such technique to oneself in order to preserve the competitive bicycling advantage it must provide.

 

Too much info

 

Totally disagree. What if you suddenly needed to manually unlock the driver’s side door for the reasons you state? Being that you haven’t used it in 9 years it’s possible the lock is compromised… rust,corrosion or whatever. It would be nice to have the passenger side door lock available just in case. Ask me how I know…

 

I use my key quite a bit while I'm in the woods hunting! The loud beep beep is a no no for me!!

 

You have to go back to what the point of this thread is. The OP wants to install a keyed lock on the passenger side. The point I was making is that I never utilize the keyed lock on the driver side, let alone see a need for a keyed lock on the passenger side. I’m not advocating for never using the existing keyed lock, just saying I never use it. The points made in this thread about using the keyed lock (including yours) are good ones, but none of those translate into a critical need for a passenger side keyed lock in addition to the driver’s side one.

I guess you could stretch it and say, what if I don’t like to carry a FOB and I’m worried about the driver’s side keyed lock not functioning one day. Or that happens and the battery is also dead. In that unlikely event, particularly in a remote area, it would be useful to have another keyed lock somewhere else.

On the other hand it would be exhausting to plan for all the low probability events that could occur.

BTW, just went outside and used the key for a couple lock/unlock cycles, first time ever. Worked flawlessly…

 

The point is: The trucks had them previously, and Toyota decided for some lame reason, to eliminate the passenger-side manual key lock cylinder to save about 5 cents.

Maybe your kids' car-seat is normally in the back on the passenger side and it's snowing or lightning bolts, or grizzly bears/zombies, 10 miles in from the main/real road, and you just want to open all the doors from that side, get it in there and slam the door behind you? Ya.

 

What I do, when I want to get in the passenger side…

…is use the FOB.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have access to keyed entry on the passenger side. People should do whatever they want with their vehicles. But the ultimate point I was trying to make (which has been repeated in this thread) is that one of the reasons Toyota probably stopped including passenger side keyed entry is because 95%+ of people have no need for it due to the FOB. I was simply providing myself as an anecdotal example. At the same time there are lots of perfectly legitimate reasons to want the option.

The two stances can coexist.

 

Normally locking the door with the fob will arm the alarm system. Unlocking with the mechanical key will cause the alarm to sound. In Toyota's mind, the only reason for the mechanical key is for emergencies, when your battery had died. And keep in mind this was the norm 10 years ago. Nowadays the trucks have touch-sensitive handles, so you keep the credit card-sized fob in your pocket, or forgo the fob completely and use the Toyota app on your phone.

At least Toyota kept the key hole in the normal location. Some automakers bury it at the bottom of the door, on the underside of a scoop, etc. for aesthetic reasons.

Since most people never use the mechanical lock, it's actually an increased maintenance burden to shoot some teflon spray in the lock cylinder every year or so to prevent it from seizing.

 

I feel fortunate to still be able to physically squirt some teflon spray in the lock cylinder. If we "remote fob" everything everywhere, pretty soon only our thumbs will work.