Lexus canbus theft solution for the LC is here... maybe...

[eightk]

I was in my dealer for my car's first MOT today and I enquired (again) about theft protection - the LC is now on the list of cars deigned worthy, together with the NX, UX and RX.

The 'solution' is a Tracker. I think they said it was a Cat S5 - which I already have - althought there's talk on other forums of an S7 and eventual software changes. Either way S5/S7 are official Thatcham classifications so they should be fitted to a certain standard.

Dealer has now emailed me :

Quote

The tracker we are fitting is free from Lexus but as you said it may be a pointless exercise if you already have a tracker fitted. We are going to speak to Lexus about a potential other option so I will update you on that ASAP.

From here https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/147497-lexus-announcement-imminent/?&page=5#comments it looks like the other option could be an OBD geofence device.

On 7/26/2024 at 2:47 PM, Spock66 said:

Following a number of emails to Lexus Customer Relations I received a phone call today, I have summarised a few key points:

• The Tracker and OBD Geo Fencing enhancements (along with the protection plates) are the current offering from Lexus
• Currently not all dealerships have trained staff to fit the Tracker
• The Tracker company have their own recovery agents so are not solely reliant on the Police and recovery rate is around 95%
• The OBD Geo Fencing will work in combination with an app and give an alert if the vehicle is moved outside of a specified area
• A "Can Blocker" solution is being worked on but no details or timescales are currently available (got the impression that the Customer Relations agents have not been briefed with any additional information at this stage)
• Very apologetic and accepted that the Tracker solution does not prevent thefts, but they are hopeful a widespread deployment would be a deterrent to thieves and they hope will also help with insurance premiums
• I made the point that the press release back in March was now woefully out of date and an update on the latest status was required, the response was the CR agents are well aware of this and have raised with Senior Management multiple times

Don't shoot the messenger, I am just relaying the information I have and it's source.

 

So... get onto your dealers! LC won't get the steel plates but they're useless anyway as thieves have learnt they can just cut the wires anywhere instead of trying to access the plate-shielded canbus multiplug.

My dealer clearly didn't have as much info as Spock66's dealer, maybe because I did put them on the spot a bit just asking there and then, but they're confident things are happening.

I'll update if/when I know more, and if anyone has any info please add it here or on the other thread.

[jim neal]

The tracker offered by Lexus UK is a S7 variant, very basic , no geo fencing etc.   

For anyone that has paid out of their own pockets for a tracker contact Lexus UK Head office and push for a refund of the cost of the tracker unit purchased. I`ve just had confirmation from a friend who has just received a full refund for the cost of his tracker from Lexus. Apparently he pushed hard and won.  A small victory but everyone counts. Don`t be pushed around by corporate Head Offices .

[eightk]

35 minutes ago, jim neal said:

The tracker offered by Lexus UK is a S7 variant, very basic , no geo fencing etc.   

For anyone that has paid out of their own pockets for a tracker contact Lexus UK Head office and push for a refund of the cost of the tracker unit purchased. I`ve just had confirmation from a friend who has just received a full refund for the cost of his tracker from Lexus. Apparently he pushed hard and won.  A small victory but everyone counts. Don`t be pushed around by corporate Head Offices .

Having now googled S5 and S7 the S5 seems superior - an S7 is less than £200 fitted.
I’ll wait and see what my dealer comes up with on their ‘potential other option’ from Lexus - if I can get at least some of the £499 back that I spent on the tracker so I could get insurance and sleep at night I’d be happy with that.
Thank you for posting 👍

[jim neal]

37 minutes ago, eightk said:

Having now googled S5 and S7 the S5 seems superior - an S7 is less than £200 fitted.
I’ll wait and see what my dealer comes up with on their ‘potential other option’ from Lexus - if I can get at least some of the £499 back that I spent on the tracker so I could get insurance and sleep at night I’d be happy with that.
Thank you for posting 👍

Contact Lexus UK directly , tell them you have a far superior unit fitted and see no reason to accept anything less than what you have paid for. It`s not your fault they are suppling vehicles with security failures. If you tally up what its going to cost Lexus to fit an S7 tracker plus 3years subscription plus the cost of paying the dealership cost for fitting, them refunding you your £499 is a better option for them. But be warned, you may have to push them for it. My buddy has got over £600 refunded, so its well worth pushing hard.

[IronLizard]

Tracker isn't going to stop someone gain entry and drive off, OBD geofence useless, I don't want an app, I won't use an app.

This is all utterly useless posturing and not fixing the issue at hand.

If someone can still gain entry and drive off the proposition is not a "solution"

Disklok diamond for the foreseeable then!

[eightk]

Completely agree.
Being able to track the car minus its front bumper to whichever container port the thieves use isn’t an acceptable anti theft solution and nothing like whats been offered by JLR - they’ve spent millions and upgraded the software on their cars as far as I know. Mine has an immobiliser as part of the tracker - you’d expect at least some form of immobilisation to be part of this famous and long awaited post-Watchdog ‘solution’.

I'm speaking with the dealer again next week so I’ll see what they have been told by Lexus. £600 cashback would suit me very nicely - I’d invest it in a Clifford/Viper alarm with shock sensors in the front wheel arches.

[Toyota Owner]

21 hours ago, eightk said:

I’d invest it in a Clifford/Viper alarm with shock sensors in the front wheel arches.

Much better options available on the market then a Clifford / Viper now.

The company I used to upgrade my Toyota last year have very recently also secured an LBX with an upgraded alarm & immobiliser where other security installers the owner contacted could only offer a Ghost immobiliser. 

[Flytvr]

A tracker? Ffs! Better off fitting a steering lock!

 

[eightk]

Forgot to update this - dealer said

“Lexus have come back to us saying there will be an OBD device available for models which we can fit a tracker on but the parts are unavailable as it stands. ”

I’ll update when I know more - I’ll be back at Lexus soon as mine needs a new fuel filler latch as it’s rattling. 

 

[eightk]

I have been emailing and speaking to Lexus UK - they can offer us a cat S7 tracker which allows the tracker company to track the car when it’s been stolen PLUS an OBD geofence device that alerts the owner when the car is moved unexpectedly. A ‘can blocker’ is in the pipeline.

My S5 tracker already allows me to track the car, plus it’s got an immobiliser, so the S7 and OBD device sound like they are pointless, but Lexus are going to fit the OBD device anyway and I will see what it does once it’s fitted. Note Lexus are not offering an immobiliser - I’d argue immobilisation is essential.

Lexus have offered to cover half the cost of my S5 installation after seeing my invoice - it would have been the full amount if I’d had it fitted through Lexus. I’ve accepted the offer. Thanks Jim! 

[wendle]

On 8/2/2024 at 6:09 PM, IronLizard said:

Tracker isn't going to stop someone gain entry and drive off, ODB geofence useless, I don't want an app, I won't use an app.

This is all utterly useless posturing and not fixing the issue at hand.

If someone can still gain entry and drive off the proposition is not a "solution"

Disklok diamond for the foreseeable then!

Total agree, the bottom line is that if they attempt to steel your car you will still have the damage and repair cost, it doest matter what type of security you have, you could remove the engine, unless the thieves know they can't steel your car they are going to attempt to, and at the moment most Lexus models can be stolen and the thieves know this, yes a ghost will stop them from driving it away, yes a tracker means you can find your car once it has been stolen, but as i said the damage and cost to the owner is the same, and in fact is you have a tracker and they do take your car the possibility of more damage being done to you car is much higher. i have a ghost fitted on mine which stoped them from taking the car, it would be better for me to leave the keys on a hook out side my house with a note saying " please use the keys provided to attempt to steel this car, when you have finished please replace the keys on the hook, thank you", this may seem a ridicules thing to do , but they won't get the car due to the Ghost and no damage will be done, that will save me £4000 damage and in my case £1200 excess on my insurance.