Prado 1998 Grande central door locking remote receiver location

[PaulSeries95 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PaulSeries95]

I have a 1998 Prado Grande (VZJ95R-GKPEKQ) which I purchased new and, with 500,000km fast approaching, I am now doing a major refubishment on it.

When I bought the Prado I received 2 long rectangular remote controls with the car which have long since broken and are now lost. I did successfully train a Jaycar remote before my original remote finally died. The Jaycar remote worked for a few months but then stopped working.

I'm now trying to locate the wireless receiver so that I can test to see if it is working and if I can replace the remotes, or replace the wireless receiver itself. I have read these forums and others, and manuals, and it seems that the receiver is in the passenger footwell near the cruise control ECU. But I can't find it there. A Toyota service manager did tell me years ago when I was trying to buy new remotes that these early models had a third party unit installed. I'm wondering whether the 1999 build had the genuine Toyota wireless receiver installed in the passenger footwell and that is what the forums and manuals are referring to.

If anyone has come across this for the 1998 build I would be extremely grateful for any advice!

[mal58 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mal58]

I had a1998 Toyota Prado, but it was the second revison. The second revision is recognisable because the third row seats are removable with a latching arrangement. (No tools required).

I bought a genuine remote control setup a couple of years after I purchased the vehicle.

The receiver is behind the kick panel on the passenger footwell. It is recognisable because it has a black antenna wire that just hangs down from the unit.

I seem to recall a complicated procedure to get the key fobs to be recognised. (Turning the ignition on/off multiple times with the door open or some such thing, I forget the exact details though.)

[PaulSeries95 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PaulSeries95]

Hi mal58, many thanks for that info. My third row seats also click out without any tools. Mine is a May 98 build.

Thanks for the tip about the antenna, I'll have another look today. And most of all thanks for confirming the location, I'll just have to keep digging away in there until I find it!

Did you have the long rectangle remotes? (I can't find a picture of them anywhere).

And did you just change the wireless receiver or did you also change the accuators?

Thanks again!

[mal58 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mal58]

Hi,
The remotes I had were tear drop shaped with only one button. I'll put a picture below in the post.

The original Toyota kit I installed came with the Wireless Receiver and two remote fobs and the instructions for programming them to the vehicle. Mine was a GXL, so if your's is the same or higher spec, thats all you need.

From a hardware perspective it was simply plug and play.

Some years later, the Wireless receiver died because water tracked in the wiring through the left hand firewall. (I hadn't taped up the gromment well enough after running wires for the dual battery etc)

I bought a new genuine wireless receiver and reprogrammed it.

I sold the car in 2018 after 20 years of ownership.

Cheers,
Mal

[PaulSeries95 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PaulSeries95]

Thanks very much again Mal.

My remotes were a different shape. I found a picture (below).

My Prado is a VX Grande. I'm not sure if they just changed the fobs or the entire unit at some point after mine.

But all that you have provided has been very useful in helping me get to the bottom of it!

Thanks again,
Paul