NX 450+h F - Door 'freeze' at low temperatures

JHRyan · April 1, 2023

Hi

I have had the drivers door 'freeze' on a number of occasions when the air temperatures reach minus 2oC - and i see that a number of car owners of the NX model have had similar problems

What is the update as to solving this problem from Lexus? Lexus are well aware of this serious problem - its a design fault of their own making. As purchasers of goods which do not comply with basic standards of a new car - and in particular a new car from Lexus .......there must, in the absence of a permanent solution, be the possibility of a 'class action' ?

If a pair of shoes or an electric kettle were faulty - i'm sure that a replacement would be forthcoming !

Anyone any idea of whats actually happing in the minds of the Lexus / Toyota executives?

Additionally the Lexus Link with respect to my car - has not been operating properly for months - again another embarrassing technical fault from Lexus!

NiCoRe · April 1, 2023

I would first have a polite chat with my Lexus dealership.
It seems that they are aware of the issue which has been reported in all cold climates. It seems to be related not only to temperature but also to the fact that some water may gets under the rubber pad and freeze. So a dry minus 5°C could leave the door fully functional and a not so cold but wet - 2¨C plus wind chill could stuck the opening mechanism.

They will probably try their best to find a solution. Some drivers have had their opening mechanism changed for a revised / new version.
Considering the record of Toyota group regarding to quality management, I have no doubt they will fix the issue.

Lexus Link is glitchy, that is a fact but it seems there are recall campaigns going on with some updates made by the dealership on top of OTA updates. User feedback reports improvements

They will probably try their best to find a solution for both of your issues. Some drivers have had their opening mechanism changed for a revised / new version.
Considering the record of Toyota group regarding to quality management, I have no doubt they will fix the issue.

JHRyan · April 1, 2023

Hi NiCoRe

Thanks for your contribution - its appreciated.

I only hope that the door freeze issue is attended to and sorted soon. We had planned a road trip this Feb to Switzerland and Austria - for some skiing & curling - but we had no confidence that we could manage with the door freeze issue and so went by plane - which to be honest went against our hopes of a post retirement road 'jolly'.

Anyway - lets hope the Toyota / Lexus brand live up to their image and get this issue sorted.

Incidentally how are NX drivers overcoming this problem in Germany, Austria & other Central European countries - not to mention Scandinavia or Canada or North America?

Surely the boffins in Lexus / Toyota did all the necessary due diligences on the NX before they decided to present the NX to the paying public?

In short its a bit embarrassing for such a vital process to fail when air temps reach only a few degrees below OoC.

I wonder who / what dept signed off on this and indeed who went ahead and advertised the benefits of the Lexus Link app - when plainly there are too many errors associated with it.

These issues (and other well documented poor functionality issues) - cannot be allowed to tarnish the Lexus / Toyota brand and hence need to be closed off and dealt with as soon as possible.

NiCoRe · April 1, 2023

I do reckon that a post retirement road-trip or even any road-trip should be an occasion to enjoy the travel per se...I feel truly sorry for both of you.

Exchanging with French owners wo live in the Alps, they have use pieces of clothes to protect the handle, even some insulation foam to enclose it and hair dryer at low temp to get the latch working.
Not very premium indeed.

Some already managed to get their handles replaced with apparently modified system.

On the Lexus Link front, I think they wanted to do too much too fast (not very much the Toyota way)...

BTW, congrats to Ireland for its 2023 6 Nations Grand Slam...See you for the World Cup this fall !

JHRyan · April 2, 2023

Thanks for those highlights - perhaps Lexus should have supplied 4 sponges when we bought the car! If i bought a pair of Wellington boots and the supplier gave me two plastic bags "just in case" - i more than likely wouldn't buy them. In the same light - if NX purchasers had been offered four sponges at the initial stages - i think Lexus would have a lot of unsold NX's on their hands. As things stand they don't - we the purchasers do, and we didn't even get the sponges!! Terrible shabby and unprofessional treatment of its customers from Toyota / Lexus.

Re: Grand Slam - thanks for the congrats - hope we haven't given everything - hope there's more in the tank!!

Eggie · April 2, 2023

20 hours ago, NiCoRe said:

I do reckon that a post retirement road-trip or even any road-trip should be an occasion to enjoy the travel per se...I feel truly sorry for both of you.

Exchanging with French owners wo live in the Alps, they have use pieces of clothes to protect the handle, even some insulation foam to enclose it and hair dryer at low temp to get the latch working.
Not very premium indeed.

Some already managed to get their handles replaced with apparently modified system.

On the Lexus Link front, I think they wanted to do too much too fast (not very much the Toyota way)...

BTW, congrats to Ireland for its 2023 6 Nations Grand Slam...See you for the World Cup this fall !

Has anyone on the forum had their door handles replaced with a modified one.

SA1 · April 2, 2023

1 hour ago, JHRyan said:

Thanks for those highlights - perhaps Lexus should have supplied 4 sponges when we bought the car!

Given that I have a sponge to push open the fuel flap that doesn’t open, can I request 5 please? 😂

Ken R · April 2, 2023

2 hours ago, SA1 said:

Given that I have a sponge to push open the fuel flap that doesn’t open, can I request 5 please? 😂

Replacement fuel flap mechanism now available. I had it replaced when the car was in for it's annual service. Working fine so far!

JHRyan · April 3, 2023

Hi SA1

I also had a problem with the fuel cap - but thankfully it was made right and is now operational thanks to my Lexus dealer.

Eggie · April 3, 2023

My fuel cap failed last week. In at my dealership this coming Thursday for replacement.

JHRyan · April 3, 2023

Hi Eggie

Thats a very valid question and one i and i'm sure a lot of other drivers would like to know the answer to - "....has anyone had a replacement for their 'low temp faulty door opening mechanisms' or does anyone actually know anything about such a replacement?

I'm sure that the 'powers that be' within Toyota / Lexus have access to the threads in these forums and i would like to know what their thoughts are as to a speedy solution to this door freeze fault.

Eggie · April 6, 2023

I have been into my local dealership today to have the sticking fuel flap issue sorted. I asked about the suggestion around updated door handles supposed to have been fitted to the NX due to freeze issues. They said, and I believe them, that they have heard nothing about any replacements nor have they had any bulletins about it.

Ken R · September 17, 2023

Lexus now have a fix for the frozen door handle issue on the NX. My 450h booked in with the dealer early next month to have this attended to. Don't know what will be involved.

Hayzee · September 17, 2023

52 minutes ago, Ken R said:

Lexus now have a fix for the frozen door handle issue on the NX. My 450h booked in with the dealer early next month to have this attended to. Don't know what will be involved.

Ken....is there a campaign number for this?

Don C · September 17, 2023

Funny how the first post was April fools day.

MarcG · September 17, 2023

On 4/1/2023 at 4:20 PM, JHRyan said:

Hi

I have had the drivers door 'freeze' on a number of occasions when the air temperatures reach minus 2oC - and i see that a number of car owners of the NX model have had similar problems

What is the update as to solving this problem from Lexus? Lexus are well aware of this serious problem - its a design fault of their own making. As purchasers of goods which do not comply with basic standards of a new car - and in particular a new car from Lexus .......there must, in the absence of a permanent solution, be the possibility of a 'class action' ?

If a pair of shoes or an electric kettle were faulty - i'm sure that a replacement would be forthcoming !

Anyone any idea of whats actually happing in the minds of the Lexus / Toyota executives?

Additionally the Lexus Link with respect to my car - has not been operating properly for months - again another embarrassing technical fault from Lexus!

Oh great!

I had this on my BMW 5 Series and it was a pain. I thought with Lexus I had left all that behind.

If it is the door 'freezing to the car then spraying the door seal with WD40 should help

Ken R · September 17, 2023

7 hours ago, Hayzee said:

Ken....is there a campaign number for this?

Not that I am aware of. I just kept in touch with the dealer who in turn kept me updated.

HMT · September 17, 2023

Hope the had this fixed when they came to the MY24 release - time will tell “Winter is coming”

Biffo · October 27, 2023

I have had the door freeze issue on my 2022 NX350h, on annual service in September I asked the service department about any solutions, and there is:- ref Bulletin BE-00971L-TME

Parts were ordered, and I have just had 4 new door handles fitted - hopefully problem sorted ready for the winter!