Valet Key

[MidLifeCrisis]

Hello all, i am new here, and would like a little guidance/knowledge regarding the master/sub key, i've brought a 1989 mr2 which came 1 key (the valet key) i have now locked the boot shut and cannot unlock it, my question is can i get a master key blank cut from the 5 digit number on the valet key or is there something else i can do before causing damage?
ps the previous owner of 8 years says he only ever had that 1 key

[jimi]

How did you manage to lock the boot with just the valet key ? If it is just a valet key it won't lock the boot (or unlock it)
If the key will lock/unlock the glovebox then I'll it's a master and the boot lock is probably just stuck, if that's the case WD40 or similar and a lot of wiggling should free it.

[MidLifeCrisis]

I checked out a post from 2014 titled "Boot lock stuck in valet mode" it says valet key will lock the boot and mine is definitelylocked, because it's disabled the interior boot release pull

[jimi]

AFAIK, that's not true, there's a thread with pics that shows the difference in the keys. A search will find it, it's a quite common thing to happen, boot gets accidently locked with the key and won't unlock, again a search will find several threads about it.
I know for a fact that on a MK1 the valet key won't lock or unlock the boot/glovebox only the doors and ignition.
Have you tried locking/unlocking the glove box with the key ?

[jimi]

https://mr2oc.co.uk/forum/topic.html?p= ... t#p1771550

https://mr2oc.co.uk/forum/topic/how-to- ... 69220.html

[MidLifeCrisis]

the key doesn't lock/unlock the glovebox(this is a mk2 btw) Funny thing is as soon as i got the car,I got a spare key cut, the man in the shop had a exact match to my key(all metal Silca brand not Toyota) and said if he could read the digits off the Toyota key the machine could cut the blank key without the wear of the of the original. so now it seems i have 2 valets and no master. I am wondering if I can get a blank master key cut from the same numbers? i will be going back to shop at some stage see if he can do it

[jimi]

Going by the pictures in this thread https://mr2oc.co.uk/forum/topic.html?p=1736870#p1736870
the master and valet key have different tips, ie the key blanks are different. See how your key compares with the pictures of the 2 blanks in this thread. Possibly you need to get a master key blank and get it cut.

I also compared both keys visually and can't see any difference in them, they look identical.

Are you 100% sure you're comparing a master key with a valet one?
AFAIK the valet one has a different shape to the tip of the blade.
That's why it does not engage with the boot release mechanism.

Master blank


Part number - http://oemparter.com/oem-parts/8978517020.html

Valet blank


Part number - http://oemparter.com/oem-parts/8978617020.html

[MidLifeCrisis]

Success !!! Went back to the hardware shop , told the shop owner about the master & valet key system, he got out big thick key book(as big as yellow pages remember those?) and he said it only list 1 key, and his system had 60 million combinations stored, so computer says no. So he give me a key for a later model ( plastic top with a cut out for the immobiliser chip) we cut the master blank using the 5 digits from the original valet key. the shop owner didn't think it would work, but it does, feels nicer in the locks and works the glovebox too. £15 well spent, thanks to everybody who offer advice

[jimi]

Excellent well done
If you don't mind could you put a picture up of the 2 keys side by side so we can see the difference.
IIRC the Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue list 2 keys with different part numbers, but I'll check it out and post the numbers.
Edit.
Non Transmitter
90999-00149 master key
90999-00150 sub key

Transmitter
89785-17020 TRANSMITTER, TRANSPONDER KEY MASTER
89786-17020 TRANSMITTER, TRANSPONDER KEY SUB

[MidLifeCrisis]

replacement key on the bottom (silca brand) for a later model to accommodate a immobilizer chip, cut this key from the digits on the valet key

[jimi]

Thanks for that, looks like the new key is much wider at the tip, TLF's post that I quoted above shows much the same thing. Good to know that if the valet key has a number on it, the number can be used to cut a master as long as you get the correct blank !
I suspect that even if the valet key doesn't have a number, a good locksmith it should be able to cut a master blank from it as long as the tip is left uncut

[JRD93]

I locked my boot on a mk2 with the valet key as that's the only key I had also. If you turn the key anti clockwise it will lock the boot and you're unable to turn the key the other way to unlock it. I went to Toyota and they cut me a new master using the reg, was £40 if I remember correctly.

On the Mk2 the valet key is greyish, the master is black.