Security key and total lock down now and again

I have what I've been told is a rather unusual security key system on my 94 Corolla.

It's an electronic type key (but there is no battery in it). It has with three small brass contacts on the end. It fits into a small letter box shaped hole that has three brass contacts to marry up with the contacts on the key.

The key does not turn, but is jiggled up and down until the red security light on the dashboard goes out; then the car can be started.

This system has proved troublesome, the key slot and the contacts seem very cheap and flimsy and after a while have to be prised out to again for them to make proper contact with the key.

The key slot is connected to three different coloured wires. Red, White and blue. Because this system is troublesome I would like to get rid of the whole thing, but understand this might be difficult because like all security systems are designed to be not easily by-passed.

It was not factory installed, but was installed on the car at a later date by a Toyota dealer. ( I know this because it has a Toyota sticker on the window, but have no idea what dealer or where). When I mentioned it to a local Toyota dealer they didn't seem to have any familarity with it at all.

What would be my best way forward to deal with it, do you think? I know this is a maintenance newsgroup, but I am so totally out of my depth here. Might anyone know of some specialist of some kind around north west London that might be able to deal with it. Grateful for any advice.

Reply to
sam coleridge
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follow the wires back, you will almost certainly find some of the original wiring is cut and the doobrie added in. close inspection of the unit may find a make, but removal is the best option.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

I had this system on my Skoda Favorit M reg. Bloddy nightmare it was. Some days , it would take 30 mins of faving around to get started. SOlution for me was to go to a local car electrics bloke and he took it out at a cvost of £45. However on the way home , a boy racer rear ended me and wrote the car off.

I upgraded to a rover 600 from there

Reply to
Brian

If the 'letterbox' has a small cutout on the top bit then the wife's Nissan Micra has a similar system.

Sorry to say but it's a bitch .. when it works it's fine .. when the contacts get dirty then it's a bastard. We've looked to take it out, a colleague has looked to take it out and a garage has looked to take it out. Best cost estimate so far is £350 ish ....

While it still works we're not prodding it too hard .... but I'll be very interested in any more helpful replies ... ;)

Reply to
Paul - xxx
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HFM!? I might have to dig my tools and multimeter out!

Usually,these devices intercept two or three electrical signals by means of cutting into the loom. This is usually done behind the instrument panel, so that needs removing. Often, the "key" device switches a relay (or two), which is what usually fails.

Armed with a circuit diagram and a bit of persistence, any competent electrician with a bit of auto knowledge should be able to remove it. (I've done several of them in the past; my background is as an industrial electrical technician.)

Main dealers will always price anything non-OEM so high that you go elsewhere; they don't want the hassle. Independents usually use a local mobile auto electrician for anything other than the basics.

Try to find someone mobile, and local; shouldn't cost more than 100UKP.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

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