Previa 2002 Auto

[Garry Grant]

As you'll see from the heading I'm not entirely certain what the problem is. And as there doesn't seem to be too many Previa owners out there I'm not sure if there is a database to help. Although looking at previous postings for other Toyota models the problem or something similar seems fairly common but one which no one has quite nailed yet. Without that is opening and shutting your doors various times, putting your key in and out numerous times. pressing buttons for exactly 1.5 seconds with your trouser leg rolled up etc etc

Anyway it all started with my lights flashing as if the alarm was going off but for no apparent reason and no sound coming from the alarm either. This happened over a period of 2 or 3 weeks and I ignored it as I could use lock/unlock on the FOB to stop it. All would be well until the next time it happened. Anyway to cut a long story short it seems this action must have eventually drained the Battery and on the morning when I needed the car most . Fortunately a jump start worked and there have been no starting problems in the 3 weeks since then. But I now have a continuous flashing immobilizer light on the dashboard, which I'm sure wasn't there before, all the time the engine is off. The key fob no longer works in any shape or form and to get around the absence of FOB central locking I have to let everyone out of the car and then lock all the doors via the locking/unlocking button on the drivers door finishing up by locking the drivers door from the outside with the key!

Now I had a brake light that wasn't working and it may be possible that this was about the time of the onset of the periodic flashing lights but I've replaced the bulb and it works just fine but I'm left with a FOB which doesn't do what its supposed to.

Without going to my local Toyota dealer, Arnold Clark. Who I know will charge an arm and a leg has anyone seen this problem before and been able to sort it without use of the Da Vinci code.

I know there are a few guys in the know out there so please give me the fix . Thanks in advance for your help