Programming key and weekend stuff

REPLACEMENT KEY

First I want to acknowledge the source:

Programming New Keys

Lesson learned, look at the driver side door frame, adjacent to the seat back and locate the rubber covered button that indicates the door is closed. You'll need this but I had a little ... trouble:

1. Quickly turn the key from "LOCK" to "ON" 5 times, ends on "LOCK".
2. Open and close door 6 times quickly, ends with door closed.
3. Remove working key and insert new key.
4. Turn key to "ON" position and leave it there for 1 minute (blinking security light on radio stops.)

It didn't work the first few times so I repeated the steps and eventually got the timing right and the security light went out. Great! Then I tried to start the car . . . no joy!

I turned the car off and the blinking light did not come on. I tried to start the car with the original key, no joy. "Uh Oh!"

Well I had other chores and figured I'd work the problem when I got home. About four hours later, I got home and the blinking security light was on. I tried the new key and it worked!

I have no idea why it took awhile for the security light to come back on. However, now I've got a second key, programmed and ready to run. I'd bought the key blank on Ebay, $10 + $5 postage.

Getting the key cut turned out to be harder than expected on a Saturday. Lowels refused to cut my blank key claiming they were afraid of 'risk if the car does not start.' I visited three keysmith shops but they were all closed for the weekend. I tried an autoparts store but they don't cut keys but recommended WalMart.

Now WalMart was a trip. The older clerk wanted to lecture me about Prius keys and didn't seem to hear anything I said . . . selective audio accuity. But the younger clerk went ahead and cut the key . . . success! But they would not take any money for it . . . not even a tip for the clerk. The key mechanical part is a perfect copy.

REMOTE ENTRY FOB

Step 1, replace the CR2016 battery. Without a strong battery, programming won't work. Fortunately, programming the keyfob only requires a master key so I used the new one:

1. Open drivers door and all others closed
2. In 5 seconds: insert key and remove twice
3. In 40 seconds: close and open driver door twice (use button)
4. Insert key and remove
5. In 40 seconds: close and open driver door twice (use button)
6. Insert key and leave in ignition
7. Close driver door
8. Turn ignition ON and then back to "LOCK" and remove key
9. POWER doors lock and unlock indicating 'program mode' (or repeat steps 1-8 until they do)
10. In 40 seconds: press LOCK and UNLOCK buttons together for 1.5 seconds
11. press LOCK button for 2 seconds
12. POWER door locks operate once, success!
13. POWER door locks operate twice, opps, repeat step 10 and 11

So now I have a backup key and keyfob. Total cost, $35 including the CR2016 cell.

TRANSAXLE OIL CHANGE

Fairly straight forward. As it drained, it looks clear but once I got the sample, it looks cloudy but not opaque. It still smells of oil, not the paraffin smell from my first change. I'll send it to the lab.

The gunk on the bottom of the pan was the normal detritus with little chunks of sealant. There was a thin layer of fine, very fine, dark gray sludge. Sad to say, I'd forgotten to put the magnet in on the last change but I found where I'd stored it and put it back in. No doubt it will show up in the oil test results.

I'm convienced the floating material is more like a smoke than anything else. I suspect an electrostatic field could charge the material and deposit it on the pan. The challenge is how to get a couple of DC kilovolts into a point electrode array inside the pan.

ENGINE OIL CHANGE

Nothing remarkable other than the oil has a slight gasoline odor. This has me scratchin' my head but not enough to worry much about it. I know the ICE reaches operating temperature on every drive.

Bob Wilson