2001 avalon not starting/ecu reprogram?

[frk203]

hi guys im new here and i was wondering if i could get some help with my problem

i bought a 2001 avalon from an auction, the car had no key in it and it was sold as is, i checked all oil's, spark plugs and everything seemed fine.

i had a regular key made for it, and the car would crank but it wouldnt start so i had it towed to the dealer to get a key made for it, later on the dealer called me telling me that the car needs a new ecu if i dont have the master key, which will cost me about $1000+ to get not including labor, he told me that sometimes toyota will replace it for free. after he called the main headquarter he told me that it will not be covered for my car which didnt make sense to me (how can it only be covered on certain models of same year)

so i asked for the headquarters number and spoke to them myself, after talking to them they told me that since my car dosent have the xxx option (forgot the name) they dont need a new ecu to reprogram the key.

i called the dealer back and told him what they told me, he said he'll talk to them again and see, later on he called me back saying that they need to replace the module that controls the key programing and get a specilized key which would cost me about $600, i told them to go ahead and do it.

after they supposedly programed 2 new key i still had the same problem, engine would crank but no start, they told me that they would need to do a complete diagnostic which would be another $500+ just for the diagnostic + whatever parts.

feeling like im getting completly ripped off by idiots who dont know what they are doing, i decided to take the car to my friends mechanic shop, after he did little bid of diagnostic on it he pulled off the ecu and it had some burned curcits on it. i ordered a used ecu of ebay (same part #) and had it installed.

the car is still having the same problem, my questions are:
1. does the new ecu need to be reprogramed to the car?
2. if they do is there any other place other then the dealer who can do it?
3. now the spark plugs have no spark could it be the crank sensor or something else that is also bad?

thanks in advance

[frk203]

just wanted to add after reading a couple of posts

the security light does not turn on.

also the obd2 scanner dosnet show any codes.

spark plugs are getting no power

[edbro]

Yes, the key needs to be programmed to the ECU. The car will not start without a programmed key. There might be others that can do it but the dealer is the best bet.

Once you have a working master key then you can get replacements from third party sources.

Sorry, but this is going to be expensive. How did you drive it out of the auction lot?

[frk203]

Originally Posted by edbro

Yes, the key needs to be programmed to the ECU. The car will not start without a programmed key. There might be others that can do it but the dealer is the best bet.

Once you have a working master key then you can get replacements from third party sources.

Sorry, but this is going to be expensive. How did you drive it out of the auction lot?

i didnt drive it i had it towed.

i dont have a problem paying the dealer couple hundred to fix the car but to me it seems like the dealer i had the car taken to have morons working on it who have no idea what they are doing, and on top of that they are charging up the wazoo without fixing anything