Jump to content
Do Not Sell My Personal Information


Frankenstein-ing car keys...?


CaffeineAddict
 Share

Recommended Posts

My '51 Corolla T-Sport has found a new way to make my life difficult - the "unlock" microswitch has disintegrated on one of the keys. Prices for new electronics for the key are frankly eye-watering, and I have a reputation for "releasing the chip spirit" so don't really fancy trying to solder in a new surface mount switch.

Looking at the key, there's an unpowered solid black block inside that green square which I assume is the immobiliser transponder.

Does that mean I should be able to cannibalise a second hand key, drop the circuit board in, and then do the resync dance of keys in, wave the doors around, stand on the bonnet, and sing the Japanese national anthem? Or am I looking at a couple of hundred quid for a new key?

key.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites


There are repair services for this sort of thing.

I went through this with my Mk1 Yaris, and discovered there are three different incompatible 'blocks', so double check what yours is before you try the 2nd hand route.

I never got the 2nd hand block to work with my first Yaris, but with my second I just bought a blank block from Toyota - If you just get that without the key and without cutting or coding it's relatively inexpensive, and with the original you can program it yourself if you can find the correct programming procedure.

I'm not sure how it'd work with only one key blade though - I guess you'd have to just have the key in the ignition and palm the module blocks and swap between the two of them as needed.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Microswitch is a replaceable part.

Go to some local electronics repair shop, and ask if they can solder a new one.

It's just a simple switch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, furtula said:

Microswitch is a replaceable part.

Go to some local electronics repair shop, and ask if they can solder a new one.

It's just a simple switch.

I think you might be a couple decades too late... I don't think those exist any more, not in the UK anyway!!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Cyker said:

I went through this with my Mk1 Yaris, and discovered there are three different incompatible 'blocks', so double check what yours is before you try the 2nd hand route.

 

I was actually meaning the other way around - pop the clear case open, keep the block, and replace the circuit board with the electronics from an old key.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I had a guy who repairs TV's mend a bunch of items. 

Money is money, and just replacing a microswitch is few minutes of work for them.

In my opinion, you are taking a very long way around this issue, when only problem is a switch.

If you check on eBay and alike, there are bunch of switches for key fob's.

Maybe a local key shop can also do it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share





×
×
  • Create New...




Forums


News


Membership