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New smart key problem

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by blueberry, Oct 13, 2008.

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  1. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    Hello all, my smart key has quit. I didn't find quite this problem, so I hope it isn't a duplication. Had the car two months, got in today and got the amber key and exclamation light. Car won't start without key in dash, doors won't open automatically, doors won't lock with the door button. The under-dash button was tried to no avail. Doors don't respond with the fob buttons to lock or unlock. The fob red light comes on, so should I try a battery anyway? I am taking it in to the dealer tomorrow unless I get a fix here. Both fobs same way, like something blocking the signal.
    Help! :confused:
     
    #1 blueberry, Oct 13, 2008
  2. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    Hmmm. Weird. All of your problems are consistent with something wrong with your fob. Have you tried your second fob? Even though the light is on, I might be tempted to try a new battery; it's cheap and easy to replace and you don't have to deal with the dealer. There's no way that a 2 month old fob should have a dead battery, but I'd still start there to see if that fixes it.

    If your second fob doesn't work either, than that points to a system-wide problem with the SKS; definitely something your dealer should fix. If only one fob works, then that suggests a problem with the other fob; also something your dealer should fix. But I'd try the battery first. . .
     
    #2 Betelgeuse, Oct 13, 2008
  3. ceric

    ceric New Member

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    From what you described, my guess is that the central unit of SKS has failed. You need to bring it to the dealer.

    P.S. Central unit is the electronic unit that collects inputs from all SKS sensors (3 exterior, and 2 interior) and grant various accesses.
     
    #3 ceric, Oct 13, 2008
  4. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    Ouch, hope they don't have to tear it apart for that! I should have stopped on the way home today for a battery, too late now. Both fobs are involved, so it would seem system wide. Glad it still starts to drive anyway. Ah, the wonder of computers! Thanks for your input.
     
    #4 blueberry, Oct 13, 2008
  5. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    If both fobs are affected, I would think it has to be something significant with the car (and not the keys). The fact that the fob lock/unlock buttons don't work is pretty significant; this suggests that it's something beyond the SKS button being turned off (or some other small problem). I suspect that this is something that the dealer will have to deal with, unfortunately.
     
    #5 Betelgeuse, Oct 13, 2008
  6. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Have you tried it at a different location? Radio interference would prevent both keys from working.

    Tom
     
    #6 qbee42, Oct 14, 2008
  7. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    Yes, discovered the problem at home, on to a good friend who is also a prius owner, we didn't come up with anything there, then ran it by the dealer to no avail. Dropped it off this morning, and as of about 6pm my time, they were having no luck at all. I'm not happy with that development, said they will continue troubleshooting tomorrow.
    Should I suggest checking the central unit for the SKS? They would sure wonder where I came up with that! Surely they will be able to fix it. :eek:
     
    #7 blueberry, Oct 14, 2008
  8. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Sure, they will be able to fix it. If it is the main SKS controller, yours wouldn't be the first to fail.

    Tom
     
    #8 qbee42, Oct 14, 2008
  9. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    That is good to hear...we had an Excursion that had issues for 4 or 5 trips to the dealer, finally found a sensor that was malfunctioning. Wouldn't post a code in the computer, they had a terrible time. I hope this resolves itself quicker than that, like tomorrow! I'm driving my husband's Camry hybrid, but I miss my little car.
     
    #9 blueberry, Oct 14, 2008
  10. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    So two days into diagnoses...still nothing. A SKS ecu (I believe) on order, should be in tomorrow and we'll see. They do have another prius there to "borrow" from to try other things he said if the ordered ecu doesn't cut it. The plot thickens.
     
    #10 blueberry, Oct 15, 2008
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I expect the new ECU will do the trick.

    Tom
     
    #11 qbee42, Oct 15, 2008
  12. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    I wish it were so...several things they tried did not fix it. Now they are awaiting a "Toyota guy" on Tuesday to brainstorm it. Heavy sigh! I suppose if they do not remedy the situation after a day or so next week it may be time to try a different dealer? :eek:
    I would hope after a week in the dealership somebody could figure it out!
     
    #12 blueberry, Oct 17, 2008
  13. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    Yeah. My dealer HATES my SKS by this point. Just the mere act of replacing a key took them ~4 hours (I wrote a post on this somewhere). I think that some dealers are better than others at diagnosing and fixing these types of problems.

    Something that wasn't clear from your post is whether they actually replaced the SKS ECU or if they just ordered a new one in case it was broken.

    All of your issues strongly point to some big failure in the SKS ECU. If they haven't replaced it yet, they should have. Another dealer might be in order; unless you have experience with the service department, it's impossible to know if its a really hard problem or if the service department doesn't know what they're doing. You could try another dealer to get another data point. . . :)
     
    #13 Betelgeuse, Oct 18, 2008
  14. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    So this is not a new problem, that gives me hope they will fix it next week! I am not sure what they did...the service guy said the "smart key computer" as I recall, and a couple other things. I will go down Tuesday and find out for sure. I'm hoping to find some other things for them to look at in my research here. Surely there is a checklist they should be following on this, not just guesswork...
     
    #14 blueberry, Oct 18, 2008
  15. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    stellar diagnostic ability is not, shall we say, common. the good diagnostic types are worth their weight in gold- once you find them!
     
    #15 galaxee, Oct 18, 2008
  16. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    Okay, current update is...the dealer still is unable to get the car to read the smart keys. I stopped and retrieved a list of what was replaced so far. Here we go.
    1. TO89745-47010 Battery, Trans (Descriptions from paperwork)
    2. TO89994-47061 Transmitter, E
    3. TO89741-47110 Receiver, Door
    4. TO89990-47023 Computer Assy,

    The service manager referred to #4 as the "main computer". I asked about the "SKS ecu" and the "Transponder ecu" and that was met with an unknowing look. The Toyota rep should be contacted tomorrow morning I hope.
    Any suggestions for additional questions to them??? All input greatly appreciated! :D
    Penny
     
    #16 blueberry, Oct 22, 2008
  17. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    I have no idea about the part numbers (someone more knowledgeable than I will hopefully respond), but I would hope that #4 would be the SKS ECU. Have you talked to the mechanic yet? Service writers can be clueless, but if you have a good mechanic, it doesn't matter too much. If the mechanic didn't know what the SKS ECU was, I'd be very concerned.

    As far as I'm concerned, it's completely unacceptable that it's not fixed by now; I hope they've at least provided you with a loaner/rental car. My next question to them might be "When can I take this car to a competent dealer?" Of course, I'm (mostly) kidding, but I would definitely lean on them to get it fixed. They owe you either a fixed car or a reasonable explanation as to why they haven't fixed the car yet.

    BTW, who is this dealer? Others may have had experiences with good/bad dealers in your area and will be able to tell you either, "Oh, yeah. That's a well-known incompetent dealer," or "Oh. They're a good dealer. It must be a really tough problem."
     
    #17 Betelgeuse, Oct 23, 2008
  18. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    #2 is a fob and #1 is probably the fob battery.
    #3 is one of the smart key receivers.
    #4 is the smart key ECU.

    What quantity of #3 was replaced: just one, or some larger number?
     
    #18 Patrick Wong, Oct 23, 2008
  19. blueberry

    blueberry Junior Member

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    Hello all, thanks for the replies. To Patrick, only 1 of the #3 door receivers shows to be replaced, and I don't know which one. Also, they said no codes were in the computer. I have not heard from my service rep yet this morning, they are waiting to talk to the Toyota Rep and then let me know.

    The dealer is Bill Wright Toyota in Bakersfield, CA. I bought the car down in Indio at I10 Toyota, but too far to go for service. I live here in Bakersfield and chose Bill Wright for being the established dealer. We also have a new dealer, North Bakersfield Toyota, so there is an alternative.

    The dealer at I10 also installed XM radio and Lojack for me, could that have loosened a connection somewhere? They asked, I said I didn't think so, the installation was Aug. 25th. The XM radio did have a hiccup come to think of it returning from Colorado last month. Quit working, then after I was home and restarted car was fine. ??? I should tell them that, hadn't thought of it.
     
    #19 blueberry, Oct 23, 2008
  20. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The smart ECU is located behind the combination meter assembly (this contains the speedometer, odometer and various warning lights) in the dashboard. Hence to replace it, it is necessary to remove the black plastic dashboard cover pieces. It is certainly possible that installation of the satellite receiver may have disturbed the existing wiring harness, who knows.
     
    #20 Patrick Wong, Oct 23, 2008
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