150 Starting issue.

[Strider Member Find all posts View Profile Close Strider]

Hi all, yesterday I jumped into my Prado hit the start button and NOTHING!. Well not quite, the dash lights all lit up but it refused to turn over. I tried locking and unlocking the car just in case it was an immobiliser issue, checked it was in Park, even moving to Drive and back to park. Still nothing. The only thing out of the ordinary I noticed was the light on the start button flashed green.

Out with the manual and I find an emergency start procedure that instructs to turn on accessories and then push brake and start button for 15 seconds. Still nothing.

Just about to give up and call RACQ when after several more movements of the automatic shifter and locking and unlocking it started. Nearly 15 minutes all up.

Called Mr Toyota and he said bring it in and we will plug it into the computer.

Computer recorded the following errors.

1 Loss of communication with body control module.

2 Loss of communication with Instrument Cluster

3 Startability issue

Mr Toyota cleared all errors, but said there was nothing he could do unless it happened again and remained in fault.

Good news is he has recorded the issues on the system.

Bad news is I am off to the Cape in 3 weeks and am now very nervous this issue will surface in the most remote spot I can find.

Has anyone else had experience or heard of similar issues?

Cheers
Alan.

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

i find that extremely worrying... hopefully its just a one off thing, and doesn't happen again to you, or anyone else.

[Bazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bazza]

I sorry I ca'nt offer you any solutions, but be buggered if I'd be heading for the cape without sorting that one out first. I believe in Murphys Law, and that could could turn into a very expensive recovery. I sincerly hope it does'nt in you case. I would be making arangement to have the last available Toyota dealer check it out again before getting too far off the beaten track.
Bazza

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

Call Robert or Justin at Chip-It and get them to send you a scan tool that can read and erase fault codes. There about $130 from memory.

But yeah that is concerning..

[barajak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barajak]

This is one of the concerns I had with a vehicle so reliant on the computer. My answer was to order and plug in a ScanGauge. At around $200 it is a little dearer that the previous suggestion but is has a great set of gauges four comprehensive trip computers and the ability to scan the vehicle for faults and clear fault codes. This would have started the vehicle ten minutes earlier and you could give the dealer the fault codes. A fella could be called foolhardy for taking a highly computerised vehicle into remote areas, hopefully this little piece of equipment makes it ok as I did not buy a Prado to stay home.

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

I also had concerns, and was told numerous times to be worried, lexus has tested this technology for years, from multiple dealers. I think I might invest in the scangauge for peace of mind.

[gxllouie Member Find all posts View Profile Close gxllouie]

i've been told that if you hold the remote fob against the start button it will override the wireless function. this has been set up in case the battery dies n the remote. try this next time - although hopefully there won't be a next time.

check out pages 572/573 of the manual for exact instructions.

louie

[Strider Member Find all posts View Profile Close Strider]

i've been told that if you hold the remote fob against the start button it will override the wireless function. this has been set up in case the battery dies n the remote. try this next time - although hopefully there won't be a next time.

check out pages 572/573 of the manual for exact instructions.

louie

Tried that at the time Louie. Didn't work, as you said this is just incase the fob dies.

I am not sure how the scanguage would of helped. The car eventualy started with the codes still registered so I am unsure how clearing the codes would help start the vehicle?

Cheers
Alan.

P.S the day the fault occured the vehicle was parked outside as I was at my brothers house. I left the vehicle out again last night just in case it was the cold that caused the problem. But with 0 deg on the dash display it fired up like a champion.

[allanjennison Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close allanjennison]

Tried that at the time Louie. Didn't work, as you said this is just incase the fob dies.

P.S the day the fault occured the vehicle was parked outside as I was at my brothers house. I left the vehicle out again last night just in case it was the cold that caused the problem. But with 0 deg on the dash display it fired up like a champion.

Is there the possibility of RF interference at your brothers place via overhead power lines etc?
We have locations in Brisbane where remote unlocking does not always work effectively on a regular basis which i understand relates to RF issues.
Just a thought if everything seems to be OK now.

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

Sounds like a dodgy switch/sensor/whatever in the gear shifter area to me. I reckon all these issues are a sign of the poor QC (and or cheap parts) in thses vehicles in general.

[Strider Member Find all posts View Profile Close Strider]

Sounds like a dodgy switch/sensor/whatever in the gear shifter area to me. I reckon all these issues are a sign of the poor QC (and or cheap parts) in thses vehicles in general.

I don't think that would explain the fault codes displayed.

Thanx anyway
Alan.

[gxllouie Member Find all posts View Profile Close gxllouie]

Is there the possibility of RF interference at your brothers place via overhead power lines etc?
We have locations in Brisbane where remote unlocking does not always work effectively on a regular basis which i understand relates to RF issues.
Just a thought if everything seems to be OK now.

just thought of something else - my doors won't open when my fob is in the same pocket as my iphone.

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

just thought of something else - my doors won't open when my fob is in the same pocket as my iphone.

i've had similar problems too, and if i place phones and keys together in car sometimes it starts losing its shit saying that there is no key....

[alfie1 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close alfie1]

This has happened to me a few times now, reported to Toyota and they have been unable to find the fault. Each time i've been able to start relatively quickly after trying various combinations of either lock / unlock the shifter, move to drive park and back or other actions triggering electrics e.g. windows and door locks. The exact trigger to start appearing to be different each time.

[Strider Member Find all posts View Profile Close Strider]

This has happened to me a few times now, reported to Toyota and they have been unable to find the fault. Each time i've been able to start relatively quickly after trying various combinations of either lock / unlock the shifter, move to drive park and back or other actions triggering electrics e.g. windows and door locks. The exact trigger to start appearing to be different each time.

Hi Alfie, did your ignition come on or was it a Fob issue?

Alan.