1998 LS400 wonīt start - immobilizer problem?
03-01-12, 01:58 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
1998 LS400 wonīt start - immobilizer problem?
Hi guys, I need your help 
I just grabbed a 1998 LS400 for litle money with a "little" problem:
1.The car cranks but wonīt fire up and shows "VSC Check" and a red light on the left of the display
2. The wireless key wonīt open/close the doors
I could pass all steps to get the keys activated, but even when the car show me the one "lock/unlock" at the end of the procedure, the key wonīt open via wifi
I could imagine something is wrong with the immobilizer and I tried to learn the key new to the car.
I checked all fuses in the engine bay and inside the car, I replaced the battery with a new one, I read all the stuff in the internet about programming the keys (and it works till the end) but the wifi does not work and the car cranks, but donīt start up.
I can smell no gas coming of the exhaust and the sparks wonīt fire ( I checked), so I figure out, it must be something with the immobilizer? Anyone out here with an idea?
The car is in good condition, 156000 km on the odo ....I got 2 black keys (oem Lexus ones) with the car, one without battery and the other battery was empty. The car was sitting for about 6 weeks outside in Austria where they had a hard wintertime with lots of snow in the last 2 month. The owner was an older man, he bought a good LS430 in perfect condition, so he didnīt care about the car when he got his new baby. The LS400 should have been running until he parked the car at his dealers garage, where I picked it up 2 days ago and brought it home ....
Could both keys lost their wifi codes to deactivate the immobilizer?
Any hints/advices are usefull?
Thanx from europe!
Flo
I just grabbed a 1998 LS400 for litle money with a "little" problem:
1.The car cranks but wonīt fire up and shows "VSC Check" and a red light on the left of the display
2. The wireless key wonīt open/close the doors
I could pass all steps to get the keys activated, but even when the car show me the one "lock/unlock" at the end of the procedure, the key wonīt open via wifi
I could imagine something is wrong with the immobilizer and I tried to learn the key new to the car.
I checked all fuses in the engine bay and inside the car, I replaced the battery with a new one, I read all the stuff in the internet about programming the keys (and it works till the end) but the wifi does not work and the car cranks, but donīt start up.
I can smell no gas coming of the exhaust and the sparks wonīt fire ( I checked), so I figure out, it must be something with the immobilizer? Anyone out here with an idea?
The car is in good condition, 156000 km on the odo ....I got 2 black keys (oem Lexus ones) with the car, one without battery and the other battery was empty. The car was sitting for about 6 weeks outside in Austria where they had a hard wintertime with lots of snow in the last 2 month. The owner was an older man, he bought a good LS430 in perfect condition, so he didnīt care about the car when he got his new baby. The LS400 should have been running until he parked the car at his dealers garage, where I picked it up 2 days ago and brought it home ....
Could both keys lost their wifi codes to deactivate the immobilizer?
Any hints/advices are usefull?
Thanx from europe!
Flo
03-01-12, 02:53 PM
#2
there's no "wifi" involved, the keys use RF signals for the alarm system, and the immobilizer is a passive RFID tag (no battery power required in the key itself).
is there a Check engine light? there should be... i've never heard of a case where an LS (or any other lexus of that era) spontaneously "lost" a key code before...
is there a Check engine light? there should be... i've never heard of a case where an LS (or any other lexus of that era) spontaneously "lost" a key code before...
03-01-12, 11:28 PM
#3
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Hi Pure Drifter,
no "Check engine" light comes up ...
Some electronic gizmos wanna test my patience....
Hmmm, normally the car should start up even when the remote control does not function.
no "Check engine" light comes up ...
Some electronic gizmos wanna test my patience....
Hmmm, normally the car should start up even when the remote control does not function.
03-02-12, 12:17 PM
#6
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First do this...
When you lock the car and close the door see if the security light blinks... It's the light that is on the left side of the cluster...
Okay then unlock the doors, and get inside and see if the light is still blinking... Yes? Okay well insert your key in the ignition and don't start. If the light goes off then your keys are programmed correctly. If the light stays on well the keys are not programmed correctly. Remove ECM, flash, and go.
If the light turns off, check your fuse under the dash.
When you lock the car and close the door see if the security light blinks... It's the light that is on the left side of the cluster...
Okay then unlock the doors, and get inside and see if the light is still blinking... Yes? Okay well insert your key in the ignition and don't start. If the light goes off then your keys are programmed correctly. If the light stays on well the keys are not programmed correctly. Remove ECM, flash, and go.
If the light turns off, check your fuse under the dash.
03-03-12, 11:48 AM
#7
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Well,
Iīm confused... ther is absolutely no light flashing, when the car is locked.
When I open it, still no lights flashing, tunring the key one step, the car wakes up, wit step 2 ("on") all dashlights come up like they should.
I checked the fuses down the kickpanel, everything is ok.
Took out the battery and put in a brand new one with 74Ah, then flashed the ecu.
Still the same thing, no security light is flashing when the car is locked.
The security light is always dead...
When cranking, no spark, no fuel, I double checked this again....
Iīm confused... ther is absolutely no light flashing, when the car is locked.
When I open it, still no lights flashing, tunring the key one step, the car wakes up, wit step 2 ("on") all dashlights come up like they should.
I checked the fuses down the kickpanel, everything is ok.
Took out the battery and put in a brand new one with 74Ah, then flashed the ecu.
Still the same thing, no security light is flashing when the car is locked.
The security light is always dead...
When cranking, no spark, no fuel, I double checked this again....
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03-03-12, 11:51 AM
#8
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Just thought about the timing belt, could it be totally cracked an lying down in there?
So, the cam sensors will get no signals, could this be the problem.
How can I check the belt ? Is there somewhere a spot to get a look?
So, the cam sensors will get no signals, could this be the problem.
How can I check the belt ? Is there somewhere a spot to get a look?
03-03-12, 10:54 PM
#9
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car is cranking though right?
also if you lock the door with the key, still no alarm light comes on? this is odd... and how come you cant use your key to unlock the door? bad remote? battery? or just never worked?
also if you lock the door with the key, still no alarm light comes on? this is odd... and how come you cant use your key to unlock the door? bad remote? battery? or just never worked?
03-04-12, 01:24 AM
#10
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Car is cranking, but no spark and no fuel
The remote doesnīt work since I picked up the car. Before, it worked properly...
New battery in both master keys....
The remote doesnīt work since I picked up the car. Before, it worked properly...
New battery in both master keys....
03-04-12, 05:37 AM
#11
Just a dumb idea, cause it happened to me in my 92. You may have a problem in the door lock immobilizer itself. Just an idea, use your key in the passrnger door to unlock and disable the immobilizer. Then try to start the car. I have instances where this has happened, went to the passenger side to unlock the car, and was all good. I realize your car in a younger model than mine, but it might work.
01-04-14, 07:56 AM
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Hi guys, I need your help
I just grabbed a 1998 LS400 for litle money with a "little" problem:
1.The car cranks but wonīt fire up and shows "VSC Check" and a red light on the left of the display
2. The wireless key wonīt open/close the doors
I could pass all steps to get the keys activated, but even when the car show me the one "lock/unlock" at the end of the procedure, the key wonīt open via wifi
I could imagine something is wrong with the immobilizer and I tried to learn the key new to the car.
I checked all fuses in the engine bay and inside the car, I replaced the battery with a new one, I read all the stuff in the internet about programming the keys (and it works till the end) but the wifi does not work and the car cranks, but donīt start up.
I can smell no gas coming of the exhaust and the sparks wonīt fire ( I checked), so I figure out, it must be something with the immobilizer? Anyone out here with an idea?
The car is in good condition, 156000 km on the odo ....I got 2 black keys (oem Lexus ones) with the car, one without battery and the other battery was empty. The car was sitting for about 6 weeks outside in Austria where they had a hard wintertime with lots of snow in the last 2 month. The owner was an older man, he bought a good LS430 in perfect condition, so he didnīt care about the car when he got his new baby. The LS400 should have been running until he parked the car at his dealers garage, where I picked it up 2 days ago and brought it home ....
Could both keys lost their wifi codes to deactivate the immobilizer?
Any hints/advices are usefull?
Thanx from europe!
Flo
I just grabbed a 1998 LS400 for litle money with a "little" problem:
1.The car cranks but wonīt fire up and shows "VSC Check" and a red light on the left of the display
2. The wireless key wonīt open/close the doors
I could pass all steps to get the keys activated, but even when the car show me the one "lock/unlock" at the end of the procedure, the key wonīt open via wifi
I could imagine something is wrong with the immobilizer and I tried to learn the key new to the car.
I checked all fuses in the engine bay and inside the car, I replaced the battery with a new one, I read all the stuff in the internet about programming the keys (and it works till the end) but the wifi does not work and the car cranks, but donīt start up.
I can smell no gas coming of the exhaust and the sparks wonīt fire ( I checked), so I figure out, it must be something with the immobilizer? Anyone out here with an idea?
The car is in good condition, 156000 km on the odo ....I got 2 black keys (oem Lexus ones) with the car, one without battery and the other battery was empty. The car was sitting for about 6 weeks outside in Austria where they had a hard wintertime with lots of snow in the last 2 month. The owner was an older man, he bought a good LS430 in perfect condition, so he didnīt care about the car when he got his new baby. The LS400 should have been running until he parked the car at his dealers garage, where I picked it up 2 days ago and brought it home ....
Could both keys lost their wifi codes to deactivate the immobilizer?
Any hints/advices are usefull?
Thanx from europe!
Flo