So my '97 Rav went to Toyota because of an immobiliser problem. They said the key simply needed reprogramming (not the remote fob, the key itself) and my cambelt and tensioner needed replacing as well! (Unrelated to immobiliser snag)

So, I did the cambelt with a little bit of help from you guys, but my key still won't start the engine, the grey 'master key' works, luckily! i'm wondering if they recoded my key at all.

Is there a way to reprogram the key or just test it without paying Toyota prices? Do they have a battery inside or just a chip kind of affair?

I'll give the original symptoms for the benefit of anyone experiencing similar problems:
Car locks/unlocks remotely as normal with remote fob.
Key operates ignition as normal.
Engine cranks but doesn't fire .
Spark is present.
Fuel is pumnping to manifold.
There are some electronic fuelly things on the back of each cylinder that aren't letting the fuel in.
(Help me out here with the technical details?!)
RAC man scratches head, phones a friend, then tows it away to Toyota!

We didn't try the grey 'master' key at the time or the penny may have dropped because it starts fine with this which proves it's not an engine problem.

So top tip: IF YOUR ENGINE CRANKS BUT DOESN'T FIRE, TRY WITH THE MASTER KEY!
I didn't know these were anything more than a normal key, there's nothing obvious to suggest otherwise so I suspect this has caught out many people of the years.

Any help appreciated...

Cheers

Sly

Hi...
Well I have a 98 Rav4... mine has two 'black' keys and an alarm fob... both keys look identical to me? Little or no information in the owners manual (a pretty useless waste of paper!). I had to find out from this forum how to replace the alarm fob batteries and re-programme (took 30 seconds). Local Toyota dealer wanted to charge me £40...!

Anyhow... I hope someone has the answer for your rogue key (perhaps it is faulty?)

DaveH



[quote name='slymiloni' post='802402' date='Sep 21 2008, 07:38 PM']So my '97 Rav went to Toyota because of an immobiliser problem. They said the key simply needed reprogramming (not the remote fob, the key itself) and my cambelt and tensioner needed replacing as well! (Unrelated to immobiliser snag)

So, I did the cambelt with a little bit of help from you guys, but my key still won't start the engine, the grey 'master key' works, luckily! i'm wondering if they recoded my key at all.

Is there a way to reprogram the key or just test it without paying Toyota prices? Do they have a battery inside or just a chip kind of affair?

I'll give the original symptoms for the benefit of anyone experiencing similar problems:
Car locks/unlocks remotely as normal with remote fob.
Key operates ignition as normal.
Engine cranks but doesn't fire .
Spark is present.
Fuel is pumnping to manifold.
There are some electronic fuelly things on the back of each cylinder that aren't letting the fuel in.
(Help me out here with the technical details?!)
RAC man scratches head, phones a friend, then tows it away to Toyota!

We didn't try the grey 'master' key at the time or the penny may have dropped because it starts fine with this which proves it's not an engine problem.

So top tip: IF YOUR ENGINE CRANKS BUT DOESN'T FIRE, TRY WITH THE MASTER KEY!
I didn't know these were anything more than a normal key, there's nothing obvious to suggest otherwise so I suspect this has caught out many people of the years.

Any help appreciated...

Cheers

Sly[/quote]

[quote name='daveh_rav4' post='802856' date='Sep 22 2008, 09:47 PM']Anyhow... I hope someone has the answer for your rogue key (perhaps it is faulty?)[/quote]

Yeah, I hope so too!

I also have the two black keys and the fobs. I just have this extra grey master key as well.

I suspect it is faulty, unless it dropped it code (as Toyota diagnosed) and they forgot to fix it as they were so busy trying to write up a quote for doing my cambelt!

[quote name='slymiloni' post='802972' date='Sep 23 2008, 02:57 AM'][quote name='daveh_rav4' post='802856' date='Sep 22 2008, 09:47 PM']Anyhow... I hope someone has the answer for your rogue key (perhaps it is faulty?)[/quote]

Yeah, I hope so too!

I also have the two black keys and the fobs. I just have this extra grey master key as well.

I suspect it is faulty, unless it dropped it code (as Toyota diagnosed) and they forgot to fix it as they were so busy trying to write up a quote for doing my cambelt!
[/quote]


firstly the grey key is not the master key, you said you have 2 x black keys have they both stopped working or just one?

[quote name='gazzaull22' post='803884' date='Sep 24 2008, 09:47 PM']firstly the grey key is not the master key, you said you have 2 x black keys have they both stopped working or just one?[/quote]


It's just one of the two black ones stopped working. I'm only calling it a master key 'cos that's what Toyota called it when it went in to them.

You're right though, I just read the manual a bit more thoroughly to try and disprove you and here's what I found.

The two black keys are in fact the master keys and they open every door and lock on the car. The grey key is the "subkey" which will open the doors and start the ignition but won't unlock the glovebox. This is so you can leave the vehicle with anyone for a service or other reason and secure your stash of chewing gums safely away! It goes on to say that there is a transponder in each key which allows the engine to start and it's coded with a number which I have on a small aluminium tag. This number is needed for them to make you a new key, probably at huge expense!?

So is there a way to test/reprogram these keys ourselves or is there someone else who will do it at non-dealer rates?!

Thanks Gaz for making me read my manual!!!