Missing master key fiasco (2 Viewers)

[rule303]

I recently bought a 99 LC with only 62k on it. The seller promised "2 master keys " in his ad. Turned out what I had was two non masters. My wife wanted keyless entry, so we needed another key made. That's how we found out the keys we had were not masters. So the service writer gave me a 1-800 number to call Toyota and get the one time "free" computer that they offer. The service writer at the dealership was totally unfamiliar with the key programming and ended up trying to charge us for Three keyless masters, at $249 each, plus $160 programming. He screwed up and forgot he'd already cut one key at the first visit. He tried claiming we had asked for three. Actually we had just asked for one keyless, but we wanted two masters. One to put in the safe and one to use.That guy told us that only keyless entry keys could be master keys. So we ended up asking for two reluctantly. I'm still not very sure if this is true or not. I have a feeling not. Well while all this confusion is going on, my Wife ended up at the dealer for almost 5 hours with our 3 year old daughter bouncing off the walls. All for a freaking key. In the end my wife just paid for the third key, then marched over to the customer service manager. The manager was very nice and said that the service writer was in trouble big time for A) not giving us the quote first , where the discrepancy would have been caught, and B) Trying to pass off his mistake on me. He tried to claim I had asked for the extra key, when in reality I had only asked for two masters. He was the moron who had forgoten that he'd cut one the last time we were in. Only it wouldn't program with those non-master keys.
So she credited us for the third key, waived the labor charge, and filled up my wife's tank($40!) The dealer who sold me the vehicle agreed to pay the $470 for the two keys I ended up with, so I ended up being out zero out of pocket. But my wife is still recovering from the major hassle and stress at the dealer.

But thats not the end of the story...............

I was cutting grass today and a neighbor comes over and tells me my wife has called and is broken down nearby. You mash the gas and nothing happens, it just idles. From what I've read here it may be a TPS sensor or something like that. But from my trusty Mitchells manual I recently got on Ebay( $6), If the TPS tests OK then you have to replace the computer, ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!!
I do remember reading on the invoice the "FREE" computer was a remanufactured one. ARGGGGGGGH. And I bought a Toyota to have hassle free ownership! Well it gets towed back to the dealer tomorrow, and we'll see what happens from there. I'll hold off posting the name of the dealer until I see how they resolve this. If they don't kiss my ass, I'm going to send them a copy of this post with their name disclosed.

 

[Jukelemon]

I do not recall a TPS failure occurring so early on the 100's. Just for a try, I would remove both the cables on the battery to reset the ECU. I doubt that it will fix it but it is worth a try.

As well, I seriously doubt that your ECU is at fault.

As well, the master key/non master key issue was discussed in very long length a while back. I cannot even remember the result but it is there. Do a search on master key. I will say that the LC keys are not cheap and even more expensive for master key duplication. You should feel, regardless of the hassle, lucky that you got them for free. I would love to send my wife to a dealer for three hours and get two masters out of it ( : I know you're angry, but try and look at the bright side.

Juke

 

[hoser]

In Slee's newbie guide, it mentions the TPS failures...

"1998/1999 Accelerator position and throttle position sensors can cause malfunction and cause a situation where the truck does not respond to throttle input."

 

[jp213a]

I recently bought a 99 LC with only 62k on it. The seller promised "2 master keys " in his ad. Turned out what I had was two non masters.

If you haven't done so, you might want to look under Sticky: 100 Series LC/LX FAQ; Electrical Section to learn more about master keys and programing.

 

[DMX84]

That happened to me once. If you start the engine and try and give it gas it just idles, but if you floor the accelerator it will drive, just slow. I did this to get the code pulled at the local part store. After the second time we started the car, it worked fine, and has for about +-3 months? I purchased the part and have yet to install it, but take it just in case.
Dean

 

[rule303]

I had it towed to Roswell Toyota in GA. Their guy is telling me it needs a new throttle body for $1300!
I think that is a load of crap and they are just trying to rip me off. I had a friend of manages a fleet of Toyota's call three dealers he deals with. NONE of them had ever heard of a bad throttle body on a Land Cruiser. Much less one with only 62k on it. Who the hell can you trust anymore.? I'm having it towed to an independent Japanese repair place across the street. My only hope is the jerks don't get wind of where I'm towing it and try to break it. I told my wife to just tell them we don't have the money to fix it now. I had heard horror stories about Toyota dealers and that was one reason I've never owned one. I'm beginning to regret buying this Toyota.

 

[ace10]

I had it towed to Roswell Toyota in GA. Their guy is telling me it needs a new throttle body for $1300!
I think that is a load of crap and they are just trying to rip me off. I had a friend of manages a fleet of Toyota's call three dealers he deals with. NONE of them had ever heard of a bad throttle body on a Land Cruiser. Much less one with only 62k on it. Who the hell can you trust anymore.? I'm having it towed to an independent Japanese repair place across the street. My only hope is the jerks don't get wind of where I'm towing it and try to break it. I told my wife to just tell them we don't have the money to fix it now. I had heard horror stories about Toyota dealers and that was one reason I've never owned one. I'm beginning to regret buying this Toyota.

did you read this well placed post?

In Slee's newbie guide, it mentions the TPS failures...

"1998/1999 Accelerator position and throttle position sensors can cause malfunction and cause a situation where the truck does not respond to throttle input."

 

[ff347]

what part did they quote you for? A sensor or the whole thing? just for kicks i looked and found this price on http://www.partznet.com don't know if that helps or not! good luck, if this thing is an easy fix you will love this vehicle, of course it might help to find somebody that you trust to take it to.


throttle position sensor, Land Cruiser 98-03 $79.94 $0.00 $62.35
Electrical - Powertrain control - throttle position sensor

 

[Jukelemon]

Just sell me the car and don't worry about it.

 

[rule303]

I'd gladly sell you the car if you'd pay me what I have in it now after a full servicing, keys, etc.lol. It looks beautiful. It just won't run.

The price he quoted was for the THROTTLE BODY, not just a TPS . My wife finally called the Garage her step-brother used to work for and they are going to take a look at it tomorrow. He also said it did not sound like a throttle body problem, but more like just a sensor. Dealers suck.

 

[rule303]

And yes Ace I had read that post already. I've seen that elsewhere too. That's why I was shocked when my wife called and said it was a $1300 repair and not just a $62 sensor and an hours labor. I should know something tomorrow. That dealer will have some serious explaining to do if it turns out to just be the TPS.
I see that type of BS in my line of work all the time. I own an Electrical contracting company and I see misdiagnosed problems and downright cheats all the time.
My cousin called last week and said the Electrician she called said she needed a new panel for $1800! I drove the hour over there and all it had was a little soot on the bus bar from a breaker tripping. So I just charged her $900 for the service call. Saved her $900! Just kidding.

 

[CPJONES1231]

Throttle Body

THere is a TSB for replacing the throttle body on certain Cruisers, Tundras, & 4Runners....Im not sure of the years but I know we have replaced 2 in the last year. I'll look up the TSB tomorrow when i get to work.

Casey

 

[DMX84]

I had it towed to Roswell Toyota in GA. Their guy is telling me it needs a new throttle body for $1300!
I think that is a load of crap and they are just trying to rip me off. I had a friend of manages a fleet of Toyota's call three dealers he deals with. NONE of them had ever heard of a bad throttle body on a Land Cruiser. Much less one with only 62k on it. Who the hell can you trust anymore.? I'm having it towed to an independent Japanese repair place across the street. My only hope is the jerks don't get wind of where I'm towing it and try to break it. I told my wife to just tell them we don't have the money to fix it now. I had heard horror stories about Toyota dealers and that was one reason I've never owned one. I'm beginning to regret buying this Toyota.

I hope that all this towing is done on a flat bed.
I take it you didn’t try pushing the accelerator all the way to the floor so you can drive it?

 

[rule303]

My wife said she did try flooring the accelerator, but it did no good. Then suddenly it would work again. The independent shop we took it to said it was running fine for them and the dealer had erased the code so they didnt' even know where to start. They drove it twice now. I'd be interested to hear about that TSB on the throttle body. If there was a problem with the TB, would it be intermittent like that? I'm an Electrician, and I run into intermittent problems mostly with electrical issues, not mechanical ones. The dealer said the throttle body would open when the accelerator was pushed, then close all by itself. Is that even possible? I need to get the vehicle back and just fix it myself. At least I could verify how the throttle body is working. I think its a little strange that they would go ahead and clear the code before they fixed the problem. Most likely sour grapes about not getting the job. I told my wife to call and ask them what the code was, but I'm sure I'll get the runaround with that too.

 

[rule303]

Yes, the towing was a flat bed. Thanks Casey for looking that up for me. Were those throttle bodies you replaced on vehicles with only 62,000 miles like mine? Could a hamfisted mechanic cleaning the fuel injection system have damaged the TB? We just had that done a few days before this happened and the next mechanic even mentioned that when my wife called.

 

[DMX84]

Sounds exactly like what mine did. I can’t remember what the code was but its only a $200 part. I have mine still in the box. LOL I’m too busy putting on a lift, DTR disable, pin 7 mod…etc.

 

[hoser]

DMX, are you referring to the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)? If so, that part has a list price of $79.

At $79, maybe it's not a bad idea to keep a spare with me too.

 

[i4c4lo]

rule303,

Did the motor get wet anytime before this happened?

I ask because sometimes when I have been in "deep" water this happens to my truck (99-100) and I do have a OBD-II scanner and it tells me that the throttle position sensor is bad. The symptoms are the same, you floor and the motor doesn't respond but all the way to the bottom it will respond and just be barely moving. Anyway, I was on Usal Beach when this happened and there was no one around and the dealer will be at least 100 miles away if they even had it in stock which I doubt.

I unplugged the throttle position sensor harness and noticed it was wet. I took a Q-tip and dried it as much as I could and blew on it. Plugged it in and the check engine light was still on but the truck was back to normal. I erased the CEL code and it hasn't done it since but then again I haven't been in any water lately. Well not with the truck at least, with the wife that is for another thread.

Amando

 

[rule303]

I'm going to replace the TPS myself. At $79 I figure its cheap insurance and it seems they are prone to go bad anyway. So I won't have to deal with that later on. I just wish I had gone to this forum first, before I had it towed to Toyota. I would have saved some anguish and money. There has to be a special place in Hell for lying mechanics.

 

[DMX84]

Yo!, From what I’ve been told, the throttle position sensor will not cause the car to go into limp mode. Although the code that comes up is for the TPS, (what mine did) it’s not the cause.
I thought it was on the 100 series FAQ like someone mentioned, but I couldn’t find it. I’ll try to explain as best as I can.

The part that will cause the car to go into limp mode (no throttle, unless pushed completely to the floor) is a Throttle Lever Assy, people have said it was a throttle control motor, but the Toyota part (Pn# 22060-50011) is called Throttle Lever Assy. I paid $189.12 and I paid tax = 201.89 form C-Dan.
This part basically talks to the throttle position sensor, thus when it flaks out will throw the TPS code & causes the car to go into limp mode.
Mine did this once and I did all this research, (I wished it was the $79 part!) but it has not done it since. I talked to several people on this and it may have been Slee that told me he changed the TPS and it didn’t fix it, and ended up with the TLA.

The problem is you may put the TPS on and won't be able to tell if it actually fixed it until it messes up again….Mine’s been working fine since the first part of March and I didn’t replace anything,& I didn’t even clear the code!

I hope this helps, Hopefully someone will chime in that remembers doing this very same thing.

Dean