1996 Rav4 Immobiliser/alarm Problem

[beejaay]

Hi all,

Just got back from a weekend camping, went to my rav4, unlocked the drivers door, put the key in the ignition, turned the key and the alarm started and the immobiliser kicked in. Cannot clear the problem, tried both sets of keys - same result. Has anyone come accross this problem before and can you help?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[bothwell_buyer]

Have you an alarm fob?

and a welcome to the forum - if you try a search on the alarm in the search bit at the top of the page, theres oodles of posts on the alarm from the early RAV4s.

[beejaay]

Have you an alarm fob?

and a welcome to the forum - if you try a search on the alarm in the search bit at the top of the page, theres oodles of posts on the alarm from the early RAV4s.

[beejaay]

Hi,

No, there are just two standard keys with no 'plips'? on them. The car has central locking but not remote central locking. I called a local Toyota dealer this morning and all they could tell me was to recover the vehicle to them and they would 'take a look at it'.

Jan

[bothwell_buyer]

It sounds to me that the key fobs were lost, and the immobilser/locking fob facility may or may not have been removed or part-removed.

What you need to do is to have the immobiliser removed completely. Leaves you with central locking but the immobiliser is cut out. On the 1994 models, its was a case of tracing 2 wires which are spliced to introduce the immobiliser ecu - one disrupts the ignition and the other does something else but I can't remember what. Its a fairly simple job if you know where to look and an auto-electrician should be able to do it in an hour or less. The last one took me 3 hours when I found that each system seemed to be wired in differently despite the RAVs being the same age. It means you can remove the alarm horn/siren from under the bonnet. If you still want an immobiliser system, then I'd advise getting a more modern one fitted.

[beejaay]

Hi again,

I have been told that I need to check that the starter and Battery are both sound by disconnecting a white connecting block located behind the glove box cover which I have done and the car started first turn of the key!! Obviously when the ignition is turned off the immobiliser kicks in again but at least I know the starter and Battery are O.K.

One thing I did learn from the Toyota dealer is that all immobilisers and alarms are fitted in this country and not in Japan (presumably by independent fitters in different parts of the country) hence the differing wire colours and positions of the ecu. Bearing this in mind is it safe to assume that the ecu and the positioning of any fuses, spliced wires etc. would be somewhere fairly accessible without having to destroy half the dash but not too easy to damage or interfere with?

What is certain is that this problem is not going to beat me - after all, it's an inanimate object without concious thought.

Thanks for your help thus far - if anything else comes to mind with regard to the immobiliser wiring etc. please let me know, likewise if I discover anything of interest I will gladly pass it on.

Thanks again.

[bothwell_buyer]

Hi again,

I have been told that I need to check that the starter and battery are both sound by disconnecting a white connecting block located behind the glove box cover which I have done and the car started first turn of the key!! Obviously when the ignition is turned off the immobiliser kicks in again but at least I know the starter and battery are O.K.

One thing I did learn from the Toyota dealer is that all immobilisers and alarms are fitted in this country and not in Japan (presumably by independent fitters in different parts of the country) hence the differing wire colours and positions of the ecu. Bearing this in mind is it safe to assume that the ecu and the positioning of any fuses, spliced wires etc. would be somewhere fairly accessible without having to destroy half the dash but not too easy to damage or interfere with?

What is certain is that this problem is not going to beat me - after all, it's an inanimate object without concious thought.

Thanks for your help thus far - if anything else comes to mind with regard to the immobiliser wiring etc. please let me know, likewise if I discover anything of interest I will gladly pass it on.

Thanks again.

sorry - I should have said that the alarms are fitted when the cars arrive in this country - or they were back in the early days. It seems that the immobiliser was fitted according to the fitters own preference than to any standard wiring diagram - I have removed 3 and each was different.

In essence, the immobiliser is fitted below the glovebox and attached normally by a nylon tie (hi tech eh?) You can then follow (usually black wires) the wires across towards the connections etc below the dash to the right of the drivers feet... just on the lower upright accessible by removing the plastic kick panel thing. I found removing the glovebox helped access, and on one removing the plastic shroud under the drivers side dash.

Using an ounce of common sense, you should find where the cable has been spliced/cut into to introduce the immobiliser. from memory, all three were in the vicinity of the drivers kick panel, but not that obvious as connectors had been used - remember it was an after-factory fit. i think 1 had a connection actually taped up!! Shock horror.

The early alarms were provided by a company that went bust not long after the cars were fitted with them, hence very little product support.

You might find that the connections are at/near the connection block you mention.