fix for immobilizer issue? (2 Viewers)

[Fresnolx470]

wish I would have got on here sooner. I was having similar problems with 2000 lx470 and dealer diagnosed bad ECU. $2700 to replace and they did not seem confident. I pulled it and it visually looked perfect. No corrosion, no bent pins, no burnt spots, no bulging or leaking caps....decided to trust what the dealer diagnosed. Bought a salvage ecu 89666-60170 and had computer guy transfer (solder) eeprom from old ecu to salvage ecu based on video I saw (george Melnik) LOL... it didn't work, so feeling dumb. Still have flashing immobilizer light. I believe I created another problem. I will try the jumper, but now my "fix" may be the problem it it was not done right. In the video George transferred the eeprom and then another chip. I only had one transferred.

 

[BOB F]

I can report that I did the repair on the fuse itself as posted above. I cut the plastic towers away that support the efi fuse clips , exposing them. I soldered a 30amp, 10g fuse holder from the marine store.

The efi no start issue has not recurred since that repair. I had taken the fuse box out as I was going to take it apart and fix it that way. First of all it's a PIA to get out and back in and I couldn't get it apart. The good part is I had it in my hands and I'm a dentist so taking it to my office and doing it there with proper tools and lighting made the dissecting of the fuse towers easy.

This is an easy, cheap fix that doesn't have any down side. I would suggest it for anyone whose issue is resolved by wiggling, reinserting or otherwise fussing with the fuse.

 

[Bryan Mac]

Removing the immobiliser was one of the first mods I did on the Cruza. I know it makes the job easier for the thieves but I didn't want the risk of not being able to start to the truck especially when we travel to some very remote places in Australia that have no cellular communications available. After I removed the connection, I had a warning light on the dash stay on. The warning light on my Cruza happens to be the glow plug light (diesel). To stop this light coming on, you need to remove power from the circuit for about 10 mins. I did that and the light went out pro lem solved.

Hey could you give me some guidelines for removing the immobilizer... did you take it off the back of the injector pump? id like to remove it fully from the system as it will not be used in the donor vehicle. any help on this would be great.

 

[drjman]

So after many months, my bypass fix is failing. It has to do with the increase in temperature in SoCal or something. It was fine all winter. Simultaneously I had a dirty throttle body issue that was confusing the matter. Now with that cleaned, it's definitely the immobilizer issue again, even with my bypass. For now, I have jumped directly from the battery terminal to where the relay sends the 20A power. I am going to put an inline fuse in there to keep the circuit from blowing, but I wanted to see if anyone had any feedback on this fix. This removes the need for the relay entirely. Car starts and runs just fine like this. Does this look ok? Might there be a battery drain from having this jumped?

If this passes the "no battery drain" test, then I think this will be a better permanent fix. It certainly beats a $600 new fuse box (LX470)

 

[drjman]

So after many months, my bypass fix is failing. It has to do with the increase in temperature in SoCal or something. It was fine all winter. Simultaneously I had a dirty throttle body issue that was confusing the matter. Now with that cleaned, it's definitely the immobilizer issue again, even with my bypass. For now, I have jumped directly from the battery terminal to where the relay sends the 20A power. I am going to put an inline fuse in there to keep the circuit from blowing, but I wanted to see if anyone had any feedback on this fix. This removes the need for the relay entirely. Car starts and runs just fine like this. Does this look ok? Might there be a battery drain from having this jumped?

If this passes the "no battery drain" test, then I think this will be a better permanent fix. It certainly beats a $600 new fuse box (LX470)

Truck sat for two days and the battery was completely dead. So don't do this. i rewired the previous fix and it's working properly again.

 

[incudie]

Truck sat for two days and the battery was completely dead. So don't do this. i rewired the previous fix and it's working properly again.

I'm on mobile so I'm not sure what kind of issues you're having with it but if it's because of lack of master keys and you feel technically inclined, you can wipe the ECU and add new keys without having to replace the damn thing. Ex:
DIY: Immobilizer Hacking for Lost Keys or Swapped ECU

 

[drjman]

I'm on mobile so I'm not sure what kind of issues you're having with it but if it's because of lack of master keys and you feel technically inclined, you can wipe the ECU and add new keys without having to replace the damn thing. Ex:
DIY: Immobilizer Hacking for Lost Keys or Swapped ECU

I bypassed the relay entirely (battery terminal to final 20a exit from the relay) and figured out the relay is there so the battery doesn't drain.

Moral of the story: I need a new fuesbox. I don't want to buy a new fusebox.

 

[Paul Sorokin]

Hi Everyone, I have an urgent issue and hope someone could comment on it.
We gave my daughter our old 2002 LC that has about 200k miles on it. All was all working well until one day, according to my daughter, she was standing at the light when the car refused to move forward or backwards and was making strange noise. So she called the towing and the car was towed to her house, where it was sitting for a few days or more at the curb with expired registration. So the cops called the towing and the towing company towed it away. They had to break in, so to say, to shift the gears to nutral to tow it. When we finally picked it up from towing, the battery was dead and the car was towed to the shop. Now the mistery starts that the key that she used was no longer recognized by the car. I shipped them the master key with the same result. After fiddling with it for a few days, they called me and said that they need to replace computer and order a new key (non fob) for $650 just to be able to start the car and see what other issue is. I have 3 questions: 1. Could this issue with the keys cause the car to stop at the light and no longer be driveable forward or backward? 2. Is it possible to use a used computer or does it have to be new? And finally, is there anything else we need to try before ordering a new computer for it? Thanks in advance! Paul

 

[Jimthom]

Hi Everyone, I have an urgent issue and hope someone could comment on it.
We gave my daughter our old 2002 LC that has about 200k miles on it. All was all working well until one day, according to my daughter, she was standing at the light when the car refused to move forward or backwards and was making strange noise. So she called the towing and the car was towed to her house, where it was sitting for a few days or more at the curb with expired registration. So the cops called the towing and the towing company towed it away. They had to break in, so to say, to shift the gears to nutral to tow it. When we finally picked it up from towing, the battery was dead and the car was towed to the shop. Now the mistery starts that the key that she used was no longer recognized by the car. I shipped them the master key with the same result. After fiddling with it for a few days, they called me and said that they need to replace computer and order a new key (non fob) for $650 just to be able to start the car and see what other issue is. I have 3 questions: 1. Could this issue with the keys cause the car to stop at the light and no longer be driveable forward or backward? 2. Is it possible to use a used computer or does it have to be new? And finally, is there anything else we need to try before ordering a new computer for it? Thanks in advance! Paul

Paul:

I don't have a solution, but I would suggest you start a new post for your issue. It will get more visibility and your issue is only tangentially related to the original post in this thread.

Good luck

 

[Paul Sorokin]

Paul:

I don't have a solution, but I would suggest you start a new post for your issue. It will get more visibility and your issue is only tangentially related to the original post in this thread.

Good luck

Thanks! I will do that (not a very straight process) )

 

[bmw635]

Thanks for the detail info of the EFI fuse problem. My receptacle on the fuse box for the Efi fuse had deposits and the fuse leg looks contaminated/corroded. Swap fuse and it lasted few days.

Happened again yesterday so I tried Caig Deoxit spray and it started no problem. Hopefully this spray will last a long time like in my Porsche 928 as I didn't want to butchered up the fuse box and don't think the contacts are any worse since it lasted 15yrs.

The Porsche 928 has the same problem with its fuse box and lots of guys used this Deoxit and swear by it. It worked for me so may be you guys should try this on all electrical contact in the fuse box before trying other means.

Amazon.com: CAIG DeOxit Cleaning Solution Spray, 5% spray 5oz: Industrial & Scientific

 

[bmw635]

Well this Deoxit lasted 2 weeks and it's happening again.

The problem is the socket that the Efi fuse inserted into expanded so if you look straight down at it, you will notice that the spread is pretty wide so it may not touch the fuse.

What I did is twist one of the fuse leg toward the side to touch the socket and it's been good since.

I'll try to use a long dentist pick to push the socket close so both side will touch the fuse leg to ensure good contact.

 

[highonpottery]

I've been doing the bent/twisted/tweeked fuse leg as well and seems to be working for me for the past year or so. I've had to do it twice now - both times I think when the weather changed, so I suppose its the expansion/contraction on a sensitive contact that's the issue.

I like the idea of trying to bend the contacts inside the box with a dental pick. I may have to give that a go next time.

I do now at least carry around in the center console a few extra 20A fuses, a paperclip and an inline fuse holder just in case

 

[carsdad]

Ok I will just throw my 2 cents in here to add to the very large pile of confused and frustrated LC/LX owners. I have also had this problem more than once. I agree with some of the other guys with this. If the truck cranks, but won't fire off and your theft light blinks at the same time with the key in the ignition, IT IS THE PHANTOM EFI FUSE ISSUE. I won't confuse people with any other issues and guesses, but this one I am sure of. I have also read ad nauseam the ingenious and creative/alternative fixes by bypassing, soldering, simply changing the fuse etc... that may or may not have stood the test of time or more importantly, high heat levels. My particular situation got bad enough that the truck would actually stall out while driving (not a happy wife). Easy to diagnose because if you look at the console, the theft light will be blinking away even with the key in place. This issue is worse where I live in Phoenix, AZ when the hell of summer comes on. These things DO NOT like high temps.

That all being said, my most recent wrestling match with the issue, has been solved (very temporarily I would guess) by adding some globs of solder to a new 20amp fuse and pressing it in firmly and hopefully making stronger connections. Again, I don't have huge hopes but it has been working for a couple weeks now despite 120 degree heat (yes I said it... 120 degrees). I have just finished spending $4k on a new steering rack, complete timing belt kit, AC compressor, condenser, one very expensive AC hose, drier and flush. I still have door actuator problems (again summer only) but I can live with this given the labor involved in clam shelling and replacing the tiny motors or the expense of new actuators. At this point I am upside down on this truck in the open market, so I think I am married for life. Love this truck in so many ways but I can say it has had a lot of gremlins to chase down. Next time this happens I will order the $450 fuse block and be done. My extremely knowledgable ex Toyota dealer mechanic at Toyoworks here in Phoenix has seen the issue many, many times and promises the fuse block is the fix. IMHO if you have the cash, don't confuse yourself on numerous other things it could be and just replace the fuse block. If you don't have the cash (been there many times) come up with another ingenious fix and post it with the hopes it lasts indefinitely, but be clear what the problem is (paragraph 1).

Thanks to the IH8MUD community! I have never been on such a knowledgable, friendly and helpful forum. Good luck to the next bummed soul that has this issue!

 

[Northbound]

Solved
Thanks

 

[blatant]

Aggregated threads and how the solution worked with @medtro jumper.

100 series cranks but won't turn over / start

 

[bmw635]

Well, my problem is worse now. The fix above didn't work for long, rigged a relay bypass with an external fuse didn't work. The only 99% reliable thing is the jumper with the paperclip, NOT 100%!

This is where things got interesting: the paper clip lookslike it got burnt from the excessive current heat. Looking at the EFI fuse socket, it got hot and cracked the plastic and melted the area where the paper clip touch. No amount of wiggling paper clip, tapping EFI relay would get it to start. I guess the ambient temperature expand/ contract the metal fuse socket that it made contact again under fuse box is what got my car started. I am suspecting the short in the ECU create the high current, overheating the fuse contact.

You can see the crack, melt, bulge in the overheated plastic of the fuse holder which means the problems is high currents from shorted ECU or somewhere .

More diagnosis to do.........

 

[BoliviasBigBoy]

First - thanks for all of yall's participation and good (if not at least entertaining) commentary.
This problem sucks.
Happily I have been able to resolve (albeit temporarily) by just changing the 20amp fuse for the 30amp that comes as an extra on the original case cover.
Yeah... it was still there.

REALLY hope this works for a good while... I'll be buying extras, just in case. As many have stated: I dont want to have to pay for a new fuse box.

Second - I just want to say how sad I am to find out that there are so many problems with the 100's; I had such high hopes.
But, again, happy to have found you guys and to be able to share your knowledge and experience.

Cheers!
-BBigBoy

'01 Toyota LC J100
'94 Nissan Patrol TB42
'90 Nissan Hardbody D21 P/U
'88 Toyota LC FJ62
'79 Ford F350, CC, STS, D
'78 Toyota LC FJ55
'76 Toyota LC FJ40

 

[BoliviasBigBoy]

Continued from above...

6. Applied a couple pieces of marine grade heat shrink to the fuse holder leads.
7. Soldered the new fuse holder to the tinned tabs, this took some heat...
8. Heat up heat shrink.
View attachment 1311063

9. Job done, car fired right up!

Total time 1 hour, cost, $4.95.

wanna come over to Texas and do it again?

 

[kevin2i]

me too
Well, I mean the immobilizer/fusebox issue. Should have come here months ago - I thought it was my key. Ordered ebay masters, not chipped correctly, returned. Intermittent problem got worse - then I remembered 6 years ago my EFI fuse 'fried' but did not burn out. I got 6 years out of a twisted-blade fuse - better than most. Good to know what the problem is, a truck that won't start really sucks.

Getting worse and worse - started up with jumper as shown here (as mentioned earlier in this thread)
My immobilizer fix
Good to review this thread too
100 series cranks but won't turn over / start

Seems like our 100's share the same problems.
Careful opening up your door - the cables aren't sold separately

Good news my cheapo bent staple fix is still working on my cable end.

Interesting immobilizer / reprogram page
DIY: Immobilizer Hacking for Lost Keys or Swapped ECU