Have You Been Locked Out Of The Car?

jayt13 · June 4, 2015

HI Guys,

I was just wondering whether anyone else has been locked out of there Lexus?

Today I was at work on my break walked over to the car and even thou i had they key fob on me i was unable to unlock the car, doors/or boot wouldn't open neither would the hazard lights come on when you try unlocking the car, i tthen tried to unlock boot with actual key no result. I tried to do take door handle cover off but it seemed stiff so didn't want to break it. so ended up calling the AA via Lexus they were out to me within 25 mins :) he then managed to open the door handle with flat screw driver which took a bit off force however the door would just automatically, evening starting the engine was struggle maybe it was engineer not sure, but the alarm kept going off.

Finally got engine started but key alerting key not being recognised after resetting the ECU it managed to clear the error however still wouldnt let me lock/unlock car so we drove to lexus literlly 2 mins drive parked up car started working fine, managed to unlock relock, starting the car without holding the key fob next to button.

AA and Lexus put it down interferance from another vehicle or object.

I thought i share my experience with you guys.

Dean8788 · June 4, 2015

Dodgy Battery or interference as said I would guess. Some Lexus's have the sensors for detecting the key inside the car in the drivers footwell to start the car. Also normally to start a brand new car before its even been in the workshop you have to hold the fob next to the button.

jayt13 · June 4, 2015

Yeah He did check the Battery with the meter seemed to be ok, he even tried resetting the ECU by disconnecting Battery for a min to see if that help which it didn't.

ColinBarber · June 4, 2015

Certainly some kind of interference, not common but a number of members have experienced similar over the years.

jayt13 · June 4, 2015

yeah the AA guy called one of his senior who said they saw one car where it was interferring with the someone home boiler at that point the moment they moved the car off the drive way it started working fine, I didn't believe when he first said it, but from speaking to a few people it sounds like its common issue with Lexus, but hasn't been noticed or any other manufacturers?

If not what is Lexus doing differently?

jayt13 · June 4, 2015

dont worry this hasn't put me off from keeping or buying another lexus.

ColinBarber · June 4, 2015

I don't believe it is anything unique with Toyota vehicles. Most/all vehicles in this country use the 433 MHz unlicensed spectrum for remote locking. Anything transmitting strongly enough on that frequency can interfere with any vehicle.

Here's an example where a Ford is affected:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9346846.Mysterious_force_locks_drivers_out_of_cars_at_filling_station/?ref=mr

is200 Newbie · June 4, 2015

On a similar theme - can you lock your keys in the car or the boot?

ColinBarber · June 4, 2015

I thought there was a system in place to prevent that on the series II? Certain on the series I IS200 you can lock your keys in the boot.

ChumpusRex · June 4, 2015

On a similar theme - can you lock your keys in the car or the boot?

You have to try.

If you close the boot with the keys in a warning alarm goes off and the doors unlock. You can only lock the doors with a key in the boot, by pressing the lock button on another key. Freaked me out when I was moving house and forgot I had the spare set of keys in the boot - couldn't work out why the locks were going crazy and I was getting an alarm buzzer going off whenever I closed the boot.

Similar sort of thing with a set of keys in the passenger comparment. Press the lock button on a door handle and a warning alarm goes off and the doors don't lock. You have to lock the car with a button on a different key.

Also, just a word of warning, although the car should give you a warning when the fob Battery is low - it doesn't always work, and I nearly got stranded once, until I worked out how to open the car and start the car with a dead fob. I got one "Battery low" warning the day before, but the next day it started fine to get to work, then at the end of the day I couldn't get in. Changed the fob Battery, and it's been fine since.

AmbroseJohn · June 4, 2015

I put my coat, with keys, in the boot. When I tried to retrieve it, the boot wouldn't open. I thought because the keys were there it would open but no. Luckily I hadn't locked the doors, so was able to unlock the boot from inside the car.

Maybe the doors wouldn't have locked but I'm not going to try it because I've only got one key.

is200 Newbie · June 4, 2015

I will give it a try at the weekend - need to dig out the spare key and check the Battery anyway

cheers

toffee_pie · June 6, 2015

I got 2 master keys, out of interest I locked the car, chucked 1 key into the boot and it shut, the doors stayed locked.

so.......

AmbroseJohn · June 18, 2015

I really must get a spare key. :)

jamesm182 · June 18, 2015

I've had interference a couple of times where it wouldn't unlock. Kept trying and eventually got in. Drove to another location and all was well again!

Also, my Wife and I have a key each and on a number of occasions she has left her key in her bag in the boot. On trying to lock the car, it makes a beeping sounds and will not lock.

madasahatter · June 18, 2015

Brother inlaw has an avensis when i went to unlock my car while cleaning his my fob did not work either, when i put his fob away from mine it worked fine

i just took it one was interfering with the other.

In york tesco people were filling up their cars came to restart would not restart had to be pushed off forcourt and started fine.

It was a transmitter near by AA and Rac lived on that site.