Dave Egg

Daveegg · August 21, 2019

I took my 2014 Lexus GS300h which I have owned 3.5 years to a local Lexus dealer to investigate an intermittent early morning starter problem. Hitherto the GS300h had been totally reliable. The Lexus dealer initially changed the 12 volt starter Battery even though the existing Battery was new (not from Lexus) and had tested OK. I would add a new 12 volt Battery from Lexus is £240...! They justified changing the Battery as though the existing Battery tested perfectly OK "it wasn't a Lexus battery"....??? The exact same starter fault was there again the following morning and I called the AA. They got the car going and diagnosed a connector fault behind the dashboard. I took the car back to the Lexus dealer to investigate. This time the Lexus dealer called me with news "the car has a load of wiring that shouldn't be there and needs expensive rewiring". The sent me photos of the wiring they say needs to be removed, see below. I was in total shock. But after getting a refund on the "Lexus" Battery I took the car back and had a reputable firm of auto electricians examine the wiring on my GS300h. Their verdict: the wiring on my GS300h is in pristine condition and appears exactly as it left the factory! They stated the wiring in the photos sent me by the Lexus dealer shows perfectly standard connector wiring options that Toyota/Lexus include during the manufacturing process. The vehicle electrician (with 30 years experience) had seen similar wiring options countless times on Toyotas and many other makes. The auto electrician fixed the starter problem - just a slightly loose connector and charged me a reduced fee, including a 12 month warranty. I wrote to the General Manager at the Lexus dealership with a complaint including the photos they had sent. I received a brief reply stating their technicians are "Lexus trained" and stood by the original diagnosis that my car needs rewiring!! After this disgusting experience I now wonder who I can trust with repairs my Lexus....?

NemesisUK · August 21, 2019

Those wires look as if they have been cut and repaired. I would have thought factory loom would have been totally wrapped, why leave joints like that exposed?

Second image seems to show a loom terminated after removal or non-fitment of an optional piece of equipment. Didn't think looms were multi-purpose, certainly not in Mercs where even just one wire would be missing if an option wasn't spec'd in the build sheet.

Obviously I don't have the 30yrs experience of your auto electrician, so just my first impressions

Daveegg · August 21, 2019

Initially on seeing these photos I thought that the wires looked cut with green insulating tape wrapped around. But apparently Toyota (and others) do that at the factory. Still wondering if this could possibly be right for a second opinion I took the photos to a local garage and showed a mechanic. He immediately confirmed what the auto electrician reported I.e. normal factory wiring. The green tape is so either a connector can be used (which these wires lead to) or they can undo the tape and wire direct. The other photo shows a taped-up lamp option for a more expensive Lexus model. In my book the Lexus dealer should know this.