I've searched unsuccessfully. Does anyone know the magic sequence to hit on a 2009 Scion xB key to reset/turn off the immobilizer if you have the original key?

Purchased a 2009 Scion xB a few weeks ago. It has been acting like a dream until I took it to the DMV to have the VIN inspected, left the doors open and the DMV guy hit the unlock and lock buttons to door and BOOM - car wouldn't start.
The lights would come on and engine would go but not catch. Thought I needed to call AAA until a kind Driver's Ed instructor came out of the DMV crowd, calmly took the key from my hand, hit some buttons on the key, sat down in my car and it started right up.

He said "these cars have immobilizers. If you hit unlock buttons from inside the car and one door is open they can get upset. Next time it happens, step out of car and hit unlock, lock, unlock on key and this will reset and fix your problem."

Last night the driver's door was left open. The batteries aren't dead. My keys were upstairs and who knows what unlock/lock buttons my two year old hit on the Scion key. The immobilizer seems to be ON again. I can't start the car.
I tried to replicate the Scion Sage's key manipulations, but I can't get it to work.

I have the original key. The car has been running and working great. It was hotter than HADES that day and horribly hot yesterday but still, I don't think that has anything to do with it.

Thank you for your help.

 

We have that? You sure it's not an aftermatket thing?

 

I'm not sure. I didn't know my car had it either. I thought my car was broken but he said the key and security were confused and needed to be reset. I don't know if it was an immobilizer. It's the closest thing I can think of to what happened.

The car wouldn't start - it almost sounded like a starter motor issue - but then he pushed a sequence on my key and it started up and ran great until this morning.

 

I would normally expect the unlock button or at worst an unlock, lock, unlock with all the doors closed to clear something like that. How about popping open the hood and disconnecting the battery ground for say ten minutes as a generic reset? May be something in the owner's manual -- haven't looked.

 

Your owner's manual has a section on the theft deterrent.

To sumize. Does the Security light go off when you place the key into the engine switch?

If it does not go off, can you seperate the key from the other items on you keychain as it can be "blocked" by mettallic object and other imobilizer keys on the keychain.

If the light goes off when you place the key in the engine switch...

Shut the doors. Press on the remote Lock, Unlock, Lock, and Unlock twice and then get in and try to start car.

If you still have a no start then shut the door and use the key in the door to lock and unlock the car and then try to start it.

 

08+ xB's don't have an immobilizer built into the keys. I know this for a fact as I drive my car everyday with a key I bought from eBay. Just the tC key's have them built into the metal part of the key itself.

Plus we looked it up at the Toyota dealership when I went to get my key cut to make sure.

 

So, KaisaJ, please get back to us -- what's the status of your car?