Lexus Dealer Lost My Key!

[excelerate]

Hi everyone,

Took my '03 LS430 to the dealer yesterday for some warranty work. When I went to pickup the car in the afternoon, I was shocked when the service adviser told me that they've lost my key! This is the key with the smaller head without the remote control. They were somewhat apologitic, and offered to order another key for me. After calming down for a few minutes, I begin to think: what if someone at the dealer has the key? Not only that, that person can probably get my home address and just come over and drive the car away from my driveway without me knowing it. At this point I didn't think the dealership's offer to simply replace the key was acceptable.

I then asked to have them replace the entire lock/key system, which I know is VERY expensive. They came back with another offer: they will reprogram the keys and the lock system for us.

The question for the forum is: is this a reasonable "compromise"? With doing this also "invalid" the lost key? In another word, the person who has the lost key should NOT be able to unlock the door and start the engine after the key system has been reprogrammed, correct?

Any info. you can offer is much appreciated.

[Steve ( West Mids )]

You may well find people not to happy to comment on the security issues you have asked ................ for obvious reasons ......

If the dealer is happy to reprogam it all and will put it in writing that it is now secure from the lost key than that should suffice.

[TonyGoose]

OK, that's fair enough that they delete the current keys and add new ones ...

BUT, is the LS like other cars in the range ?

A finite number of keys before the whole system has to be replaced ?

See what i mean ? They've used up one of your 'oops, lost a key' lives ...

If you then lose a key and the 'finite number' is reached... You're stuffed.

And no doubt they won't then volunteer to pay for the new lock system.

We're not talking pennies either - i think it's thousands.

Worth at least asking whether this is the case.

If so, i'd be inclined to insist they restore the position prior to loss of keys.

WITH written proof it's done (comeback in case they just say they've done it).

Think of it as an incentive for them to be a little less 'sloppy' in their work :D

[TonyGoose]

Oh and an entry in the 'dealer reviews' would seem appropriate ...

Once the matter has been sorted one way or another.

[Matthew_McNally]

hmm - if they lost the key to my 3 (?) month old 55k car I would want either

1 - the key back, in very short order

2 - the entire locking system changed so that there was no risk of someone driving away in my car.

I would not be worried about the cost - as it would not cost me a penny.

And if it is very expensive - maybe it will be an expensive enough lesson to teach them not to loose the keys to peoples 55k cars.

I definitely think a name and shame job / dealer review is in order too.

[Fidgits]

Personally, I'd tell them they either replace the locking system... or the whole car!

It might put things into perspective for them.

[javadude]

I'd be happy with a new key and the system being reprogrammed so that the missing one would no longer work. But that's just me. Don't make them hurt too much now and that way they'll forever feel they have to try to make up.

[wildrnes]

i agree with java dude

[Matthew_McNally]

would be intesting if the car got stolen using that key.

wonder what the insurance company would say?

PS

obviously it wouldn't be interesting - it would be appalling.

word "interesting" used in a rhetorical sense

[Claire G]

I agree with Javadude and Wildrnes. Be all reasonable then sucker them into giving you a few Lexus goodies into the bargain too....!!!

[james2210]

Correct me if I'm incorrect, but even if they do reprogram a new key and de-program the old one, you could still use the old one to unlock the doors by sticking it in the lock and turning it. You are now inside the car. Once in the car, you could move the gear lever out of park, release the handbrake, and then tow it away. Or you could simply trash the interior, or rummage around and see if there are any mobile phones, keys, loose change etc. for the taking. I think it unlikely that any harm would come, but I know that if it were me, I'd not sleep too well for a couple of months knowing that someone might come and relieve me of my motor.

If your insurance company refused to payout, it would be up to you to recover your loss from the garage by taking them to court. Could get messy.

[excelerate]

JAMES2210 brings up a good point. I think we all agree that a key with the wrong code will not start the ignition. But will this key with the wrong code be able to open the door?

[Brian Berry]

I am not sure about the Lexus key systems but if a de- programmed key opens the car but does not start the engine then the excercise is useless and the only option is for a new system which defeats the original key.

Have Lexus some strategy in place to deal with such issues? They should have.

[james2210]

I don't see how them de-programming the old key could somehow change the configuration of the cylinders in the lock barrels-but you never know, these are pretty clever cars after all. Maybe they would be willing to swap the door, boot and ignition barrels from one of their used stock cars (provided all it's keys were accounted for) and then sell their stock car on with one of it's keys unaccounted for.

[excelerate]

Just called Lexus and they told me that the key with the wrong code will be able to unlock the door, but will not deactivate the alarm. Of course, the key will not be able to start the ignition either.

[Matthew_McNally]

Just called Lexus and they told me that the key with the wrong code will be able to unlock the door, but will not deactivate the alarm. Of course, the key will not be able to start the ignition either.

so when are they giving you a completely new locking system?

[Matthew_McNally]

to wander slightly off topic - I was told my a Lexus mechanic that if the alarm went out of sync on my IS, that I should use the key to open the door, and keep the key in the ignition for around 30 seconds.

The alarm would sound etc - but after those 30 seconds, the key and the car would re-synchronise.

This is totally un-corraborated by me - I am merely passing on what I was told.

Wouldn't hurt to ask them if this is true for the LS as well

[willthecdeverwork]

Think you should report this to your insurance company and then will the legal cover you have claim back the cost to you getting the locks replaced etc from the dealers insurers. This is considered an unisured loss.

I'm a claim handler for uninsured losses and this would be the best way to go. Insurers can be very picky if anything happened to your car in this situation, and they would probably not pay out.

Find out who covers the legal cover on your policy and speak to them, also tell the dealer what you are doing as he may then do the job complete for you. They don't like claims made on their policy!!