How to Start RAV4 with Manual Key If Smart Key Is Dead?

Toyota has a great range of excellent vehicles, including top-of-the-range SUVs and family sedans. The company has always strived to remain ahead of the competition by employing cutting-edge technology when building its vehicles.

One of the automaker's best SUVs, the RAV4, features advanced technology, including a smart key system that allows you to enter and start your vehicle with a push button. The smart key system uses a key fob as a point of contact. You have to keep the fob close when starting and driving your SUV. You must also avoid leaving it inside the vehicle when you park.

However, as much as this technology sounds great, the smart key can fail somehow. The key fob can die if its battery runs dry or malfunctions. This leaves us with the question;

Can You Enter and Start Your Toyota RAV4 If the Smart Key Dies?

Many people are unaware that Toyota RAV4's smart key fob has a hidden feature, a mechanical key. The key is there so that when your key fob battery dies or the fob malfunctions, you can use it to unlock the driver's door and access your vehicle.

Your key fob has a wire ring. I know you think it is for connecting the key fob with your other keys. However, pulling that ring from the plastic body of your key fob reveals a mechanical key. The key fob has a button that you press before pulling the mechanical key out.

Some vehicles, like the RAV4, have an obvious key slot on the driver's door to insert the manual key and open the door. The key can only enter the key slot in one direction because it has grooves on one side.

To open the driver's door, turn the key towards the rear of your vehicle once. Turning it twice opens all the passenger doors and the moon roof if you turn it and hold it.

How to Start Your RAV4 with a Dead Smart Key

There is a different procedure when you want to start the vehicle. When you try to start the vehicle by pressing the engine start button as usual, nothing happens because the smart key is dead.

According to the Toyota RAV4 owner's manual, you must press the smart key fob against the engine start button to start the vehicle. You do it like swapping a bank card and then pushing the engine start button. And just like that, your Toyota RAV4 is powered up and ready to go.

Do not forget that your smart key fob is dead when you leave the car. Remember to use the mechanical key to lock.  

Why Does the Toyota RAV4 Key Fob Refuse to Work?

Now that you managed to start your vehicle, would you like to know why the smart key fob refused to work as it should? Read on.

1) Battery Out of Power

The RAV4 smart key has a battery that typically lasts two to three years. However, depending on how you use the key fob, you could deplete the battery before two years or after three years. If the key fob has a depleted battery, it will not let you open the doors or start your vehicle. You can quickly tell if it is the battery, depending on how long you have been using it.

As you continue using the key fob and reducing the battery power, its range reduces significantly. Since the battery cannot create a potent electronic signal, the range could reduce up to 4 feet. Over time, the range reduces to zero, forcing you to use the mechanical key to access the inside of your vehicle.

How to Replace the Battery in Your Toyota RAV4 Smart Key Fob?

It is easy to change the battery in your key fob. You will spend at most two minutes. If you visit your dealership, you could spend up to $550 to change the battery and reprogram the key fob. To change the RAV4 key fob battery, you will need a Lithium CR2032 coin battery and a flathead screwdriver. The CR2032 battery is available at online stores such as Amazon and Walmart.

Follow these steps to change your Toyota RAV4 smart key fob battery.

• Press the button on the key fob and pull out the mechanical key.
• Using the flathead screwdriver, remove the key fob plastic cover. You can cover the tip of your screwdriver with tape or a rag to avoid damaging the key fob.
• Before removing the battery, carefully observe the terminal placement to avoid confusion when putting in the new battery. Use the screwdriver to remove the CR2032 coin battery, and be careful not to bend the terminals.
• Now install the new battery and replace the plastic cover.

While some mechanics may charge you to reprogram the Toyota RAV4 smart key fob after installing a new battery, it is unnecessary. The key fob has locking codes stored in the vehicle's computer memory. This memory does not disappear because your battery ran out of juice.

I Changed The Battery, But the Key Fob Is Still Not Working; What Is the Issue?

As mentioned earlier, the CR2032 coin battery in your smart key fob can last over three years. This means your fob could develop other issues like corroded terminals over time, especially in cold climates.

If you install a brand-new battery and the key fob still refuses to work, follow the battery-changing procedure and open the key fob. Remove the battery and look at the terminals. If flat or loose, use the flathead screwdriver to bend them. If the battery is loose inside the fob, your smart key will fail intermittently.  

2) Malfunctioning Smart Key Fob

The continued use of your key fob could also cause it to malfunction. If the buttons on your key fob become loose and can no longer make contact with the circuit inside, your smart key fob will fail to work.

The bad news is that you cannot fix a damaged key fob. You must acquire a brand-new one from a Toyota dealership and let them program it with your vehicle. Buying and programming a new Toyota RAV4 key fob could cost around $1,500. It sounds like a rip-off, but it is the way to go. 

3) Burned "ECU-ACC" Fuse

Your Toyota RAV4 has two fuse boxes, one inside the cabin and the other in the engine bay. The ECU-ACC fuse is responsible for all the electronics that regulate the smart key fob. You will find it in the fuse box under the steering wheel. If you realize this 7.5 Amp fuse is out of order, replace it with a brand new one with the same amperage.

Your smart key fob should work once you replace the burned fuse.

4) Your 12V Battery is Dead.

You must also check the 12V battery under the hood of your RAV4. If you have a depleted battery, the smart key fob will not function as it should. A dead battery affects many things, including the key fob's electronics.

If you realize that you have a dead battery and have had the battery for over 36 months, it may be time to replace it too. A low-voltage battery affects the functioning of the onboard computer of your vehicle.

If the battery is not dead, check its terminals. Corrosion and loose connections could affect the current flow and cause the onboard computer to misbehave. If you notice white oxidation on the battery terminals, cleaning them will fix your problem, and the key fob will work.

How Can I Really Tell Whether It Is the Key Fob or the Vehicle?

As evident earlier, your key fob could fail because of a malfunction within the fob or the vehicle. However, how can you tell the difference?

The good news is that Toyota sells all the RAV4s with two smart key fobs. Many people leave the spare at home, which is why we showed you how to start your vehicle and reach your destination.

If one of the key fobs is not working, you can try the second one. It will help you to isolate the problems. If the second key fob works, then your key fob is the problem. However, if both the fobs fail, your RAV4 may be causing the malfunction. Either your 12V battery is dead, or the onboard computer system malfunctions and cannot interpret the key fob signal. You can check the battery and the ECU of your Toyota RAV4.

Conclusion

In most cases, your Toyota RAV4 key fob will fail because of a depleted battery, which is why the manual key will come in handy. You can use the mechanical key and the procedure mentioned earlier to start your vehicle. This procedure can only work if your fob runs out of juice or you have a damaged key fob.

If the problem is external, you must fix it externally for the key fob to work. Visit the nearest mechanic or your dealership for assistance.