Lexus UK statement on vehicle theft - RX continued

[GSLV6]

I have no doubts that they will offer the promised fix and that they want to do right.  It would be suicide if half their customer base was lost on the canbus issue....remembering it affects their largest market too (USA).  There are no guarantees that thieving scumbag criminals won't overcome 5th gen security either, so no amount of bribery would make me consider switching.  I detest touchscreen only (or more heavily dependant upon its use), the little things like lack of hinged cavernous door bins, HVAC button controls and the increased use of more hard plastics in general on newer models, and the use of the underwhelming 2.5L IL4 (too small and weedy for the 2.2t RX unless turbo charged and then we're into more regular oil changes and over stressed engines....no thanks).  I found the 5th gen more buzzy and lacking in the low down effortlessness of the more serene and torquey 2GR. Only with the plug in and turbo'd hybrids was there any real shove.  Not for me, but I can see how some may prefer the newer one, because it's the newer one.  Personally, I don't care for the styling,touchscreens or engines used for them.

[Brian R]

Just to add my experience following a service last Friday.

When asked about the "fix" I was told no news, but when and as Lexus will contact me by post. It seems to me Lexus have no intention of releasing any sort of fix other than plates which aren't in themselves available for all models. It also seems these are offered on an ad hoc basis and one could be forgiven for thinking if you don't ask, you don't get.

My take on the matter is that Lexus responded to the TV program (that cited the security flaw(s)) with a response designed to placate owners and protect the brand. Thereafter, they waited for the dust to settle before basically doing nothing. All very disappointing and remind me when the fix was supposed to be available..........

[GSLV6]

Well, I'm having my Ghost tracker fitted FoC next week, so that's one step in the right direction and they called me...

[jim neal]

Does anyone know exactly which model tracker is being fitted and who the monitoring company are?  Is it an immobiliser and tracker unit  combined or just a tracker unit ? Does it need input codes or carry a card or fob separately. Also which OBD port lock ?     Regarding the tracker unit people should be made aware that most units can`t be tracked or traced if underground or in container units and many on the market today can still be jammed.  Experience from previously owning Abarth`s for 12 years.

 

[GSLV6]

No, its just a tracker, one of the Ghost models.  They're keeping details of the software fix off line and your dealer, if reminded, should be updating you of when this is due for roll out.  I was told Q3 this year for that but it's definitely aimed at the canbus vulnerability.

[talaipwros]

Lexus announcemnet my a$$

 

in the meantime we have insurers making anouncements

 

Hi Vasileios,

 

Thank you for choosing to insure your LEXUS RX 450H TAKUMI VVT-I AUTO with LV= over the past year.

 

We’re writing to you to let you know that, unfortunately, we’ve had to make some changes to our underwriting approach for your vehicle type.

 

Over the past year, there’s been a rise in thefts of the LEXUS RX 450H TAKUMI VVT-I AUTO. As a result, we’ve seen a large increase in the number and cost of claims we’ve received for these types of vehicles and have made the difficult decision to stop insuring them.

 

This means at your next renewal date on 03 September 2024, we won’t be able to offer you a renewal price. We will send a letter confirming this again in advance of your renewal date, the letter will explain that this is due to a change in our underwriting criteria. Please rest assured this won’t class as your insurance being declined, cancelled or voided, and you won’t need to declare it to other insurers.

 

We never want to leave our customers in the difficult situation of having to find cover. However, we feel that continuing to cover certain vehicles would create a greater overall detriment to our customers by increasing pricing overall.

 

Your insurance will remain in place until your renewal date. We wanted to write to you in advance of your renewal date to give you plenty of time to get quotes from other insurance companies and to arrange suitable cover elsewhere. There are FCA authorised and regulated brokers who may be able to help. Please visit the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) www.biba.org.uk/find-insurance to use their 'Find Insurance Service’. Or alternatively, our friends at Gallagher’s may be able to help, you can call them on 0161 529 1458 for a quote.

 

If you wish to cancel your cover in advance of your renewal date, please give us a call and we’ll waive cancellation fees.

 

We appreciate you may wish to call us to discuss this now, however we won’t be able to discuss the contents of this letter until you’ve received the confirmation letter we send in place of your renewal documents. This letter will be sent approximately 3 weeks before your renewal date when our systems have been updated and will include your proof of no claim discount.

 

 

Will you insure me if I use additional security features, such as steering wheel locks or trackers, or if I park my car in the garage?

 

No. Unfortunately, the criminals stealing these vehicles are very knowledgeable about tracking devices, often using signal-blocking devices or simply removing them from the vehicle, leaving it with no tracking functionality. Physical security, although a deterrent, can still be bypassed.

 

Do I need to tell another insurer you have declined my insurance?

 

No. We won’t log any records stating your insurance was declined.

[talaipwros]

so obviously trackers ( which I already have anyway) will do nothing

[Steve]

On 7/15/2024 at 6:26 AM, Brian R said:

Just to add my experience following a service last Friday.

When asked about the "fix" I was told no news, but when and as Lexus will contact me by post. It seems to me Lexus have no intention of releasing any sort of fix other than plates which aren't in themselves available for all models. It also seems these are offered on an ad hoc basis and one could be forgiven for thinking if you don't ask, you don't get.

My take on the matter is that Lexus responded to the TV program (that cited the security flaw(s)) with a response designed to placate owners and protect the brand. Thereafter, they waited for the dust to settle before basically doing nothing. All very disappointing and remind me when the fix was supposed to be available..........

Remember watching a youtuber on a similar issue with LR security and he had a point when he said " why would they rush to fix it, they sell more new cars" which makes you think. 

 

[GSLV6]

Like all other 4th gen owners, I am as frustrated as anyone about the length of time it's taken Lexus to get to grips with this issue and do something about it.  My dealership was very positive and convinced me that this is what Lexus Uk intend on doing and I received assurances that it would be dealt with this year in the form of an announcement following the roll out of the Ghost tracker fitting.  Like others here, I commented to my dealership that a tracker would not affect theft risk, just aid recovery, which won't help insurance premiums but they made the point that Lexus UK want to see the completion of the roll out of steel plates and trackers up front of the CANBUS vulnerability fix and as there's a class action pending, I do believe that its in their interests to do what they say they will do.  I also fully understand why they don't wish to make announcements online about this, in order not to provide any useful information to would be thieves.  Lets wait and see, whilst not holding our collective breaths!

[talaipwros]

Just to let you know that LV doesn't insure ANY lexus vehicle any more

[GMB]

52 minutes ago, talaipwros said:

LV doesn't insure ANY lexus vehicle any more

More fool them - baby and bathwater?

[talaipwros]

9 minutes ago, GMB said:

More fool them - baby and bathwater?

Well, can't tell , but that is what Lexus told me when I visited earlier today.

[FredD]

It seems to me that the best option is to ask Lexus UK to give us an additional financial incentive to upgrade to a newer model that does not have (yet) the same issue. There is not yet a class action (the law firm involved said it is considering doing such an action and is gathering information) and a permanent fix can take a long time to come (if it ever comes)

[Dippo]

39 minutes ago, FredD said:

It seems to me that the best option is to ask Lexus UK to give us an additional financial incentive to upgrade to a newer model that does not have (yet) the same issue. There is not yet a class action (the law firm involved said it is considering doing such an action and is gathering information) and a permanent fix can take a long time to come (if it ever comes)

So what happens to all the cars they take as trade-ins when people upgrade? Are they just not going to tell the prospective buyers about the problem, hold them in stock until there is a fix, or scrap them?

[talaipwros]

4 minutes ago, Dippo said:

So what happens to all the cars they take as trade-ins when people upgrade? Are they just not going to tell the prospective buyers about the problem, hold them in stock until there is a fix, or scrap them?

Ship them to other right hand drive countries

[FredD]

I cannot see any other solution than the one I am suggesting unfortunately. The financial incentive however must make the upgrade worthwhile and it is a decision that Lexus UK will need to make (not the Lexus centres)

[Spock66]

5 hours ago, GSLV6 said:

Lexus UK want to see the completion of the roll out of steel plates and trackers up front of the CANBUS vulnerability fix

Surely the plates would be redundant if there is a proper fix to the Canbus vulnerability, also a waste of money for Lexus to even fit them?

[talaipwros]

2 hours ago, Dippo said:

So what happens to all the cars they take as trade-ins when people upgrade? Are they just not going to tell the prospective buyers about the problem, hold them in stock until there is a fix, or scrap them?

Also another questionis what happens to all the cars that their PCP expires, cause I doubt that even one owner will keep it.

22 months old Takumi, list price 68K, WBAC gives 33K, BMW gives 29-32K subject to condtion.
GFV at 42 months is 27.5K.

 

It's a no brainer really

 

And to think I bought this one as a forever car, until EV's fully replace ICEs....

[Steve]

9 minutes ago, talaipwros said:

Also another questionis what happens to all the cars that their PCP expires, cause I doubt that even one owner will keep it.

22 months old Takumi, list price 68K, WBAC gives 33K, BMW gives 29-32K subject to condtion.
GFV at 42 months is 27.5K.

 

It's a no brainer really

 

And to think I bought this one as a forever car, until EV's fully replace ICEs....

wow, 2 years ago they were desperate for used cars. A family member of mine sold their RX for 4k more than they bought it from a dealer for. They actually turned a profit.

How the tide has changed.

[GSLV6]

1 hour ago, Spock66 said:

Surely the plates would be redundant if there is a proper fix to the Canbus vulnerability, also a waste of money for Lexus to even fit them?

Not really as it was a quick fix solution to plug the gap between "do nothing" and the permanent solution.  It was also a cheap option (for them).  It's not wasted as such as it adds another layer of protection.  I don't think they figured on it taking so long to get the steel plates out in the first place so as it happens, there may not be that big a gap between those being fitted and the software fix being rolled out.  I know there's a lot of justified angst against Lexus but some of the other manufacturers in exactly the same boat have done exactly nothing to date.

[talaipwros]

1 hour ago, Steve said:

wow, 2 years ago they were desperate for used cars. A family member of mine sold their RX for 4k more than they bought it from a dealer for. They actually turned a profit.

How the tide has changed.

they weren't uninsurable 2 years ago...

[Pinkfish]

On 7/12/2024 at 1:15 PM, GSLV6 said:

Just had an email from Lexus who are now rolling out the "fix" which is NOT what they said they would do.  It's just a Ghost tracker with a free three year subscription as reported earlier in this thread with no measures to prevent theft.  I have now registered my interest in a class action against Lexus UK.  I would urge all 4th gen users who have not yet registered to do so...

I have too. I am keeping a track of all the extra costs, including the costs of repair, insurance, extra security, etc and will enjoy getting every penny I have lost back.  The reason I am angry - is no one warned us about the cam bus vulnerability - first I heard about was when someone tried to nick my car. 

[GSLV6]

I had this happen too, just a week or two after buying it.  I only became aware of the vulnerability shortly before purchase, I wasn't warned about it by Lexus.....I picked it up on here first but still elected to go ahead on the promise of a fix, not believing that such a well regarded manufacturer would leave its customers out to dry.  I registered just in case...

 

[GSLV6]

3 hours ago, Steve said:

wow, 2 years ago they were desperate for used cars. A family member of mine sold their RX for 4k more than they bought it from a dealer for. They actually turned a profit.

How the tide has changed.

Indeed but they're still selling and judging by turnover, Lexus (locally) don't seem to have any problems shifting them.

[PDM]

5 hours ago, GSLV6 said:

Indeed but they're still selling and judging by turnover, Lexus (locally) don't seem to have any problems shifting them.

It is interesting, however, to look at RX gen 5 sales figures.  They are much lower than when gen 4 was launched, so perhaps many RX3 customers upgraded quickly but very few RX4 customers are changing to RX5, perhaps because of the engine, or the thefts. Lexus sales figures are now dominated by the LBX and UX rather than the larger vehicles. NX also significant.