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Programming a replacement remote fob on a 3.0TD version Colorado

knicko

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Having recently bought my 98 Colorado with two keys but only one remote fob, I have just bought a second remote fob (ebay £20) and obviously it needed programming to be recognised by my car's ECU.

In case it helps anyone undertaking the same, here's what you need to do, if all you are looking to do is programme a new/second hand remote fob that is alien to your car (this is NOT a guide to programming the actual keys):

1. Remove fascia and radio.

2. Look into the dash and you will see a substantial steel bar that runs across the width of the car. Behind the area occupied by the radio and slightly towards the near side, you will see a black plastic box which is partially 'framed' in a metal case and you will also see that it is partly wrapped in black sponge. This is the ECU for the immobiliser and there will be a sticker on it saying 'TVSS'. The ECU is cable tied to the front side of the aforementioned steel bar.

3. Snip the cable ties so that you can start to pull the ECU outwards towards the hole where the radio lives. I found that there wasn't enough slack in the cables to do this, so I removed the lower dash under the steering wheel, so that I could detach the immobiliser flashing lamp (mine is mounted in a switch blank in that part of the dash). You can also disconnect a white cable connector that leads back to the ECU itself. I then also removed the glove box and black plastic trim that is fixed (three screws) between the glove box and the underside of the passenger airbag area as this gave me access to the main set of cables that go to the ECU. I snipped some more cable ties to release a bit more slack and eventually got the ECU far enough out of the dash to start dealing with it.

4. You will see that the cable connectors that go into the ECU are protected by a metal plate. If you peel away the black sponge, it becomes apparent that this metal plate is held in place by a small screw and a rivet. Remove the screw and then drill out the rivet (this is why you needed to create enough slack to get the ECU out of the dash). You can then slide off the metal plate from the ECU and if you peel back more sponge, you will see a small green 'reset'button. There is no need to disconnect any cables from the ECU body.

5. Put your key in the ignition and turn to the 'ACC' position.

6. Have your new remote fob handy

7. Press and hold the green ECU reset button for more than two seconds and you will see your immobiliser security lamp light up and stay solid. Release the reset button and the immobiliser light will stay solid for 5 seconds, and then it goes out. You will need to re-programme the fob during this 5 second period.

8. Within the 5 seconds (while immobiliser security light is solid), simultaneously hold down BOTH buttons on your new fob, until the indicators on the car flash.

9. You're done !! Just test that all your fobs work ok, then put it all back together. I stuck in a self-tapping screw where the drilled out rivet was, re-cable tied the ECU and cables back in place and reassembled radio and dash (making sure any connectors were plugged back in). Apparently, the ECU can only be paired with four fobs and I believe the latest four will just replace any previous pairings.



Apologies if someone has already posted this advice, but I couldn't find a guide when I searched - although the process for re-programming a remote that had just lost it's pairing with it's own car is well documented. I cannot say how the process might be different for the D4D vehicles I'm afraid.

Nick
 
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Hi, I need to do the same thing but I cannot find the ebay seller of the remote fob - all I seem to get are the empty cases for sale. Do you have the link to the seller please?

Thanks

John
 
Hi, I need to do the same thing but I cannot find the ebay seller of the remote fob - all I seem to get are the empty cases for sale. Do you have the link to the seller please?

Thanks

John


I've just done eBay search on 'toyota remote fob' and there are a couple on there which match my type.I appreciate there may be other types though. Here are the links (one of them has just four hours left as I write):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-CO...651?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d2ef3dd63

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-CO...147?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d2f2762d3


There were three eBay adverts when I was looking for a replacement, so presume these do come up fairly regularly.

Alternatively get your existing fob(s) repaired as Shayne suggests.

Good luck.
 
I found this very useful and it worked for my 99 KZJ95 (took a couple of goes so my timing probably wasn't quite right). Also my father had fobs fixed for his SEAT by the St Helens Keys dude recommended by Shayne and he did a great job.
Thanks very much guys.
 
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Many thanks to knicko for the original post, helped me considerably today. I had to reprogram a remote fob after I had left the battery out of it for three weeks while I replaced one of the switches that had become "sticky".

Took a couple of pictures of the elusive green reset button.

20180405_090700475_iOS-medium.jpg


20180405_090652836_iOS-medium.jpg


The remote buttons are available from CPC-Farnell for 34 pence each (five minimum order); they call them tactile switches, order code sw04414 if anybody needs them.

IMG_7681-medium.jpg


IMG_7754-medium.jpg
 
Sorry to jump on this thread. But I think I've started enough of my own of late.

I've been given a spare black Toyota key [ie. not the grey valet one] with my truck. The seller said it's not been programmed yet. So is there a guide anywhere on how to do this? The info in this thread specifically says it's about programming the fob not the key. So I'm assuming this is not what I'm after.
 
Further to above: Part of my confusion lies in the terminology used. When I hear the word 'key fob', I think of something like this ie. AKA a keyring. Which is why when I read this thread, I thought there also existed some kind of separate keyring type gadget that worked to lock/unlock the truck....

SS 2021-06-08 at 13.55.34.png


But, when I search for 'key fob' in the auto parts category on eBay, I see things like this, which I'd have called the key [or at least part of it]....

SS 2021-06-08 at 13.56.20.png


So, given that I have two keys with this bit on the top with the lock /unlock buttons, then it seems this thread is what I need after all. I do have a spare 'fob'. So, I'll give the 'Toyota dance' a go and see what happens.
 
Those are all you get now and they are junk , after she broke the third i bought two , one i put the key in and filled with epoxy putty making it just a solid key and the other i put the electrics in so its just a fob on a ring .
 
I think the one I've got is a genuine Toyota spare. It's a full key, not just the fob bit, looks the same as the original and has the Toyota logo on it. Not that that's any guarantee of authenticity. The £3 eBay ones probably come with whatever logo you fancy..
 
Yeah the genuine one that came with her 2001 90 lasted longest before it broke but my 1998 still has genuine key and fob connected by chain which is far more robust .
 
Sorry for still being a dumbo about this but I'm still not sure whether the info in this thread will work for what I've got here. Because it specifically says [my highlighting]:

here's what you need to do, if all you are looking to do is programme a new/second hand remote fob that is alien to your car (this is NOT a guide to programming the actual keys):

But, as per my previous confusion, what is being described as a 'fob' by various eBay sellers and others on here seems to be the top half of the key. So, here's what I've got. On the left my working key. On the right the spare I was given but told needs programming. They look identical to me...


20210712_163624.jpg


20210712_163644.jpg


So, is my spare a "fob"? In which case the above should work. Or is it a "key"? In which case, what is the procedure for programming that?
 
Maybe that number identifies the key/fob part number ?
The chip you have inside, if there is one ?? maybe from another lc, so will need programming to what you have, assuming the maximum number of keys is not exceeded, which will need a delete, to programme another. Can't help with any of that stuff though, many have, hang in there.
 
Hello folks, stumbled across these recent additions to my post.

To clarify, I was talking about reprogramming the remote unit that alarms/locks doors, as per the image attached (which I just found on an eBay search, if you need a replacement). This 'pairs' the remote with the TVSS box, allowing remote central un/locking and alarm dis/arming.
colorado remote key fob.jpg


To programme a replacement key so that it will be recognised by the vehicle and allow it to start, you will have to look elsewhere.

Good luck,

Nick
 
I know a bit about how this works on the 120, don't know how similar it is to the 90. But here's the info I have anyway, just in case its any use.

There are two separate operations - one to program the lock/unlock buttons on your fob, and another one to register the keycode with the immobiliser on the car, so you can start the car with it.

Both of these operations can be done via Techstream, or there is a special procedure you can use (opening/closing doors, key in/out ignition etc etc) if you don't have techstream.
 
... there is a special procedure you can use (opening/closing doors, key in/out ignition etc etc) if you don't have techstream.

That rings a bell and I'm sure I read a description of that procedure somewhere, a while back. I cant find it on here though, so maybe it was on PradoPoint, or some other forum?
 
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