Sitting at 12,745 with storms rolling in and the FJ won’t start. That is the scenario I found myself in on a short weekend run with Daniel M. from Denver. We had stopped at the top of Red Cone Pass and when ready to go I could not start the FJ.

Stranded FJ

Hmm, maybe vapor lock. Out came the starter fluid and attempts were made to get the FJ running, no go. Maybe no fuel, we checked all the fuses and found no problems. It was time for a little outside consulting. With the cell phone amp fired up Daniel was able to contact a mechanic friend in Denver. After some questions and go arounds he asked an offhand question about the key. The button remote had fallen out of the key on the way up the hill and was somewhere under the seat. He informed us that the code chip was in that part of the key and the FJ will turn over but not be allowed to start without the chip… Wow, impacted by new car security features, I never even considered the chip.

I crawled under the FJ pulled the spare key and voila, a running FJ. This is one to file in memory. These new computerized vehicles either run or don’t and there is not a lot that can be done on the trail to fix them.