WTFFF. 09 won't start, NEED HELP ASAP

hey so they replaced the immobilizer computer and it's working fine now. hopefully this'll be the trick for me. good luck to everyone else.
-Bryan

 

Seems like a few 09 are having this issue, mine included, although not to the extent of the OP. In the 6 months I've had the truck it's done it probably 4 times, but I can always get it to start after I key off and try it a second time. Sounds/runs like shit for a couple seconds after it fires up after one of these occurrences though....

 

Update: made it back to NM ok... just kept it running for the whole 10 hour drive. never shut it off, even during fill-ups, for fear it wouldn't start and i'd be stranded...again. Been home a few days, with no issue, but i'm taking it to the dealer monday morning, ill update.

also just a side note: the commonalities thats all 4 times it hasn't started have been when i parked it for the night and it was colder than 20 degrees F. when i went to start it the next morning... could be realated, who knows.

 

My 2009 wouldnt start on a few occasions since I bought it. It always started on a second or third try. It would run rough for a little while and be fine. I never thought much of it untill reading this thread. I will be keeping an eye on it.

 

It's cold here. My scenario is it started this a.m., afternoon, but not this evening. Not sure what's up. Will mention it to dealer when i decide to take it in. Not sure if it's cold or key related. Mine is a 2010 about 3 months old. Barely 2k on it.

 

I had the exact same problem several years ago one Winter with a Honda Accord I owned. Apparently i'd gotten some water somewhere in my gas line probably due to some bad gasoline. Every time the temperature went below freezing it would have trouble starting.

I ran a couple of cans of that gas line anti-freeze stuff through the tank and never had a problem afterwards.

 

I don't think it's necessarily weather related. I had my 09 parked outside in the dead of winter in Montana for a few nights and it started right up. Couple months prior it wouldn't start up in the 40 degree weather here in Washington.

 

dude, is a Lemon!! Just get a lawyer involve and they will get you a new car bud!

 

x2 or is it 8 now?

x3

I don't know the Taco's that well, but on the BMWs there is a coil that powers the key when it's inserted in the ignition. It can cause these exact whacked out problems too.

Glad you made it back.. Sadly, you have the motherfucker of all Taco problems.. one that the dealer can't reproduce.. A part that does what it is supposed to some of time, and it may never fully fail. Have you personally spoken with Toyota about your concerns? Sounds like you have been to several dealers, and no Tech really wants to own that problem. You might need one of their Toyota Guru Techs...

 

Man that really sucks. Like I mentioned before, my girlfriend was having a random issue like this one with her wipers and they eventually just had to take a guess and start replacing some parts that would most logically be the problem. This was GM. I would expect even better service from a Toyota dealership but it doesn't look like you've gotten that from the ones you went to.

 

Sure sounds like an immobilizer problem, my mom's civic went through 3 immobilizers and it is still acting up. Honda has a set of instructions by pressing the brake pedal a certain amount of times and turning the key after every sequence of brake pedal pressing that bypasses the immobilizer. The mechanic told me about this after having to tow the car to the dealer. Works fine to start the car, just wondering if Toyota has a similar thing for the tacomas.

 

^^ +x

You should look around and be sure nothing that could cause EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) is turned on when the problem occurs. Could be a faulty cell phone, PSP, etc. that is causing interference with the key/immobilizer communication.

 

Valves freezing even sounds like a load of BS. Hope to hear the solution to this one soon!

 

thanks for all the helpful tips everyone.... here is the latest. ive had a hectic schedule the last couple of days, havent had a chance to take it in, but get this.

early saturday morning, i go outside, load my truck for N.G. drill weekend. what do ya know. same shit new day, wont start. i try and try. so i load my wife's car and go tell her the truck wont start again and i need her car for the day, naturally she is pissed. so as im about to leave i thought i'd try her key to the truck. tried it, holy shit it started right up. WTF. no problems the rest of the day useing her key.

next morning, sunday. wake up go outside, load truck, now it wont strat with her key. so i try mine and it starts right up. So does this mean we can all conclude it is the key immobilizer computer? or is my truck a lemon?

 

Sorry this is happening to you. Though I do not know what your issue is, FORTECH is a good source along with some other smart folks (I did read all the postings), so yes engine immoblizer gets my vote. Here is a bump & Good luck and get the dealer to fix it pronto!

 

It Definitely has to do with that Immobilizer circuit. Probably the Module or computer/brain that controls it. Continue to swap keys whenever the other won't work, and share that Great piece of info with your local service department.. that should raise big falgs for them.

 

Dustin,

Take it from someone with the experience, stop messing around with it. Take the rest of the steps to get your lemon law activated. Fighting a lemon dispute is a pain in the ass and very drawn out (at least it was with GM). The sooner you get the three mandatory service attempts out of the way, the faster things will get going.

I don't know how it works from state-to-state, but here in Florida the lemon law card gets sent to the state's attorney general's office. When they get it, the dealer starts doing backflips to help out. In my case I ended up with a new truck. It took eight months, but it was finally resolved.

 

I don't know if that is conclusive. Did you have your taco key with you at the time your wife's car key worked? I know of keyless systems that only require that the key card only needs to be close to the car in order for it to start. They use the same technology as the immobilizer.

lastly, it does seem that the problem is consistent with a problem with the immobilizer. I know some recent BMW motorcycles that used this technology and had difficulties that would strand the rider.

I agree with the other poster who suggested starting the lemon law process. There is no reason you should have to continue dealing with this and that will put pressure on the dealer and Toyota to resolve this to your satisfaction, either by fixing or replacing the vehicle.

good luck!

 

Like others have said, I would be using the lemon law to hold their feet to the fire. There is no reason you should be subjected to this.


For the record, mine does not like cold either. It will usually not start unless I leave it on "ACC" for a moment, and often requires taking the key out and trying again.

 

well, thanks once more for the suggestions. i think i a going to go forth with the lemon-law dispute. my truck has been at the dealer two days now and i have called yesterday and the day before, they never called me. when i dropped my truck off, i found my salesman explained the issue and he lead me to the ASM. i gave the ASM the letter from Brent Brown Toyota in Utah (SEE ATTACHED PICTURE SCAN). and explained the issue. He proceed to ask me a few questions about aftermarket mods. such as my CB, when did i install it, and if the problem happened after i installed it. and if they could trace the cause to aftermarket maods that it would not be covered under warranty. I received a rental car (2010 corolla s) from them free, if the problem is covered under warranty.... so i called them yesterday, they said they had started it numerous times, and had done multiple tests and could find nothing wrong. They could do NOTHING until the issue duplicates. I asked why they couldn't just replace the immobilizer computer, based on what brent brown said, and the specific times it does it. they said its not enough of a guarrantee that, that is the issue, and they "...cant just fix it by throwing parts at it, what if we replace it and the issue still happens, then we replaced a good part."... "you need to just be patient". So i call today at 4:30 right before close, since they didn't call me all day, and they said that they have opened another case with toyota, but made no progress, and are closed until tuesday, but he expressed that i would have the rental car at no charge for the 3 day week end.... So tomorrow i will begin the Lemon- Law Process, and enjoy the next three days beating the shit out of the rental car.