Think key!

[Dave2000]

The aftermarket alarm I fit when I purchased the car back in 2010 has performed flawlessly since however, it does have one annoying feature, once the engine is started it locks all the doors. No big deal if your sitting in it at the time. Of course on one occasion I started the engine and closed the door while outside and was locked out. I borrowed a friends car and popped home and got the spare and all is well.

I decided to be extra vigilant since that event and around three years later I have not been caught out. Tonight I was the 'taxi dtiver' for friends and had taken them all complete with their cowboy and cowgirl outfits to the venue and it was a great night. As it came to an end I popped down the road to get the car and realised the key was missing from the ring, bearing in mind we are in the middle of nowhere, no public transport, and no taxi's after midnight not that we had a phone signal anyway, the remote allowed the doors to be opened which enabled me to get the Maglite from the centre console. I had not moved into panic mode but was anticipating a very embarrassing situation.

I knew the key was within about a two hundred yard circle but this included grass and loose soil, after about fifteen minutes I gave up and started to look for a lift home and prepared to make my apologies, and then I remembered the spare key, it should be in my wallet and it was!

Crisis averted I started the engine and as I pulled out of the parking space I saw the key lying on the dusty track, the key had broken on the plastic where it attaches to the ring, the key does actually have a hole drilled in the metal part but is not used by Toyota?

So moral of this storey, ALWAYS have a spare key, you know it makes sense!!

Regards

Dave

 

[frank rabbets]

I have a spare key inside the chassis rail on a small chain I can pull out. The alarm will go off if I use it but then I can get to the spare fob hidden inside the car. Not needed it yet.

 

[StarCruiser]

Hmm, some good ideas here. Probably better than leaving the key and fob at home on the shelf…

 

[frank rabbets]

Especially if you're in Mongolia lol.

 

[Chris]

I found the original skeleton key still in its case for mine. It was taped to a chassis rail. Never seen one before. It's back on the vehicle in a safe place.

 

[chapel gate]

This one chris?

 

[StarCruiser]

For 12 years I had only one key. It only came with one from Japan. Then the bar across the top broke and I realised just how close I was to losing access to the truck. Spare key now cut! Original key now has a hole drilled through the metal part for the keyring to go through. The only time the key has been locked in it was on the forecourt before I bought it. That resulted in some numpty damage to get the key out by the vendor

 

[Towpack]

Mine came with only one key, thankfully it was the master key so I was able to order a sub master from Toyota (£50) and get it programmed into the ECU, the memory of which turned out to be full (4 keys stored) and wouldn't initially accept another one. This required the wiping of the ECU which, according to the dealer, could disable it completely requiring a replacement ECU and lockset at over £1100! This is on the last 24v models with separate OEM immobiliser and the TVSS3B alarm system.

 

[chapel gate]

Mine came with only one key, thankfully it was the master key so I was able to order a sub master from Toyota (£50) and get it programmed into the ECU, the memory of which turned out to be full (4 keys stored) and wouldn't initially accept another one. This required the wiping of the ECU which, according to the dealer, could disable it completely requiring a replacement ECU and lockset at over £1100! This is on the last 24v models with separate OEM immobiliser and the TVSS3B alarm system.

I was quoted the same tp. I tryed getting the full transponder kit from japan but they wont sell you one, even with vin number.

I will be working on removing the ecu and transponder ring when i get some time so i can fit the complete kit shown above.

At the moment i have one bent key and the only lock that works is the drivers door, which will only unlock. I have to lock the vehicle with the master locking button on the drivers door..

 

[Chris]

Yes that one.

I also managed to source another TVSS fob for one of my 80s recently and this week did the reset on it from the main alarm module so now I have a full set of keys and two bingers.

 

[froggy Steve]

Lola our old dog, was good at locking us out of cars. I had a Ford Ranger and was on top of a mountain in south east Spain, when we saw a notice board so hopped out to read it, leaving the air con on for dogs................Lola hopped into the drivers seat standing on the central locking button in the process........smashed rear window.
2nd time was locally. I was returning a plate to the local campsite (they do fish and chips on a Friday & wife was in UK, hence the owner plated them up for me!) and same thing....smash window as spare keys in hand bag inside truck.........
Try and keep a spare outside if you can!

 

[Towpack]

I didn't get any TVSS bippers with the car either. According to the previous owner his dog destroyed the last one so he just unplugged the sounder in the NS wing. I was quoted £60 for 1 bipper or £160 for new TVSS ECU with 2 bippers fitted and working so went for the latter but this was around 12 years ago and I don't think they're available new from Toyota anymore. They crop up on Ebay from time to time though and there are people who refurb them.

 

[Chas]

I have two key rings clipped to my belt, one for house keys and one for truck. I chopped the plastic 'head' off my spare key, drilled a hole for a ring and that has been put on the house keys ring. Before that I would keep the spare under the mattress in the roof tent but it's more convenient now having it on my belt.

 

[Dave2000]

Mine had an OE alarm but no remote, I cut it out and fitted a decent system, IIRC there is the ability to increase the time between start and lock? I do not have a clue where the programming books are so it will stay as is, and the spare back in the wallet. Nowadays most brands expect to see the car move a few feet before the locks engage, a much more sensible idea.

regards

Dave

 

[Dave2000]

I did the same getting rid of the plastic, the profile better suited to the wallet, not so bad if there was money in it to pad it out The key has what appears to be hole from manufacturing process, four sided hole with one side curved, certainly not drilled or filed.

regards

Dave

 

[Chris]

The bippers also came with Collies and some Corollas too. They weren't unique to the Cruiser. There are fewer around on the web nowadays. Took me some time to get one and it cost me £20. Previous ones have been a tenner. If anyone has one, don't throw it out! Programming an new one to an existing system is child's play

 

[Dave2000]

I think I would have hunted around for a remote back then Chris but, when looking at the alarm system there was a lot of green corrosion around the terminals/connections, I guess caused by the leaking windscreen? Tearing the lot out and fitting my own system made me feel a little more comfortable if it ever went wrong.

Having said that if it was a 'proper' Texan night I would have took a horse!

regards

Dave

 

[goodoldboy]

One of my Remote fobs/ blipper has just died & a cursory search didn't turn up anything - maybe having a Spanish I.P. address influences this ? - so if anyone has a blipper or a decent lead....also any info on repair would be gratefully received.