Secure Or What!

[ambermarine]

Hi fellow Lexuns

Just been reading a very interesting article written by a New Zealander who specializes in fitting the Ls400 engine bought second hand from breakers in Japan in all kinds of vehicles and boats.He goes into great detail on re-using the engine ECU and in particular analising the component parts and functions and what the end result is with regard to managing the engine and the various faults that occur.What struck me as awesome was the fact that although he can play around and interchange all the ecu's prior to the introduction of the vvt-i engine in 97 when he starts the vvt-i engine he cannot get the engine to run longer than 3 seconds as it as a chip in the ignition key that sends a signal to a transponder in the ECU, without that chip the ecu switches the engine off ,the car is effectivly dead.There is no way you can interchange ECUs on these cars as you could on earlier models.

The only solution is the factory codes for that car and they are only obtainable through Lexus with positive proof of ownership and probably at great cost.So while us Mark 4 owners bask in our extra security we must also take very good care of our keys .

[black400]

Thats interesting as my mark 4 00 reg , did not come with remote keys as the locks were changed , so how did they get around that , plus i would like to get a remote key ???

[ambermarine]

The article refers to the imobiliser system not the remote locking function .I suspect your remote locking as failed and you are using a Lexus key that the chip from the former key as been transferred too or it may be the third key which as no functions other than opening the doors and starting the car.

You should be able to get the remote locking function up and running but you will have to go to Lexus.

You have to bear in mind that this guy in New Zealand only gets an engine he does'nt get any ignition keys and sometimes does'nt get an ECU so he keeps away from vvti's that have this anomally.

[brendangeorge]

I'd rather have an un-nickable car than one with an engine I can put in a Dune Buggy after I scap it.

It depends on your priorities.

Bren

[cruisermark]

Best to check you have 2 remote keys when buying and if you only have one then buy another remote key and programme it - so in the event you lose one key atleast you have another - recently I bought a 2nd hand key for a 400 total cost

£25 for key - £10 to cut and £3 for a new blade = £38

[brendangeorge]

Best to check you have 2 remote keys when buying and if you only have one then buy another remote key and programme it - so in the event you lose one key atleast you have another - recently I bought a 2nd hand key for a 400 total cost

£25 for key - £10 to cut and £3 for a new blade = £38

Definately the best way to go and if you lose a key get a backup made immediately. I think you can have 4 connected to the car.

Bren