Auto Locking After Leaving The Car Unattended

darkoracle · March 5, 2012

I am trying to find out if the current IS250 Advance automatically locks all doors after occupants have left the vehicle unattended for a set time.

Some of my previous vehicles have had this, which is very useful if your mind is on something else and you forget to press the door button or press the fob.

I've worked through the manual and can't seem to find anything - plenty about autolocking after you have moved off.

Any info if this exists and whether there is a programmable time delay etc. gratefully received.

steve2006 · March 5, 2012

I've never seen or heard about this feature, the only one I do know is where if you unlock the car but fail to open a door within 20-30 seconds the car automatically relocks itself.

F.A. · March 5, 2012

Nope. I can confirm that neither of our IS250's have this feature. They both auto lock if you unlock the car but fail to open the door as Steve2006 mentioned

darkoracle · March 6, 2012

That's a shame, even my wife's Skoda has this feature.

It's odd that Lexus go to so much trouble around security but miss what might be described as the very obvious - i.e. a driver simply forgetting to lock the car.

It would surely be a simple matter to monitor the absence of the keyfob/card and perform the locking sequence. Anyone left inside could still unlock from the door switches/levers. The option to lock doors once the car reaches 12mph must require far more complex programming.

dazed · March 6, 2012

From my point of view I'd prefer the car not decide when or if to lock the doors.

Sods law says it'll lock me out one day with my fob being left on the inside. Yes, I know it's not *supposed* to be able to happen, but if the Battery is a bit low....

F.A. · March 6, 2012

I agree. I'd rather not have this option. Sounds completely useless to me. I cant remember a time when I have returned back to the car and found it unlocked

darkoracle · March 22, 2012

Useless until the day comes when you’re standing in a car park wondering where your car has gone.

An option is just that - you can choose to use it or not.

My real point was that Lexus have an option to lock the car after reaching 12mph, when you are already inside the car and quite capable of locking the doors yourself, but is happy to allow the driver to walk away and leave the car unattended without offering a similar option. My previous car (E-class) had this facility, as does my wife’s Skoda.

I don’t believe that I’m the only person who has arrived at a meeting or shopping centre and had that awful feeling of ‘did I remember to lock my car?’

I wish that I had your unshakeable faith that I will never leave my car without pressing that button.

With modern vehicles where it is unnecessary to have either key or fob in your hand to lock and unlock them, it can be all too easy to just walk away.

Purvesh · April 20, 2012

_{The new 12 plate I have auto-locks after your drive the car, can this function be enabled on the 2007 models?}

F.A. · April 20, 2012

_{The new 12 plate I have auto-locks after your drive the car, can this function be enabled on the 2007 models?}

Unfortunately it can't

The auto locking was brought in on the 2008 onward models iirc

noby76 · April 20, 2012

my 300 has this feature! which i have tested couple of times and worked....i filled up at the pterol station locked it then unlocked it after about a minute after queing and paying for my fuel walked back to my car and doors had auto locked its self. just so i wasnt seeing things i tested again at my works car park when i was on my way home. the remote range on these keys are really good as i was able to unlock my car about 50 metres away when walking to the car about 30 seconds later it locked itself automatically and lights flashed that was just before i got to the doors and i did hear the cetral locking activate itself. nice feature though. I think it was really meant for when you accidentally unlock the car within a range when the keys are in say your pocket when walking away from the car, hand bag, baby/kids playing with the key in front room without your knowledge with car parked outside! your car will still be there when you get back to it the next day.

F.A. · April 20, 2012

my 300 has this feature! which i have tested couple of times and worked....i filled up at the pterol station locked it then unlocked it after about a minute after queing and paying for my fuel walked back to my car and doors had auto locked its self. just so i wasnt seeing things i tested again at my works car park when i was on my way home. the remote range on these keys are really good as i was able to unlock my car about 50 metres away when walking to the car about 30 seconds later it locked itself automatically and lights flashed that was just before i got to the doors and i did hear the cetral locking activate itself. nice feature though. I think it was really meant for when you accidentally unlock the car within a range when the keys are in say your pocket when walking away from the car, hand bag, baby/kids playing with the key in front room without your knowledge with car parked outside! your car will still be there when you get back to it the next day.

No it doesn’t. All second generation IS models have the feature you have described where the car locks itself automatically if you unlock the car and NO ONE OPENS ANY OF THE DOORS.

The feature that Darkoralce was asking about is if you forget to lock the car AFTER YOU HAVE OPEN THE DOORS, the car should lock itself.

noby76 · April 20, 2012

will test that and see!

yelena · June 22, 2017

It is really really really inconvenient!

My car has push button to start it and will auto unlock when I stand by with car key in my purse, that means I don't need take out my car key when I need use my car.

Then, THE QUESTION IS Why I need take out my car key when I leave my car?

It doesn't make any sense. The function of press button and auto-unlock try to solve the trouble of finding and taking out the car key in your purse. If I still need take out of my car key from my purse when I leave my car, the whole function becomes useless.

Actually, that is how most of German Cars work. They will auto unlock and auto lock with certain distance or certain period of time.

I was amazed yesterday by recognizing my just purchased Lexus doesn't have that function!!!!

Really Need To Be Optimized!!!

Linas.P · June 22, 2017

On 3/6/2012 at 3:31 PM, dazed said:

From my point of view I'd prefer the car not decide when or if to lock the doors.

Sods law says it'll lock me out one day with my fob being left on the inside. Yes, I know it's not *supposed* to be able to happen, but if the battery is a bit low....

That is not really possible, because there is already system in place to prevent car lock if fob is inside.

Actually, I always though it does auto-lock (probably have left it unlocked several times because of this). One way or another it is strange this is not included, but on the other hand I don't really care, in UK I sometimes even leave the car with windows open. As well if somebody gets in the car it doesn't mean they can steal it, maybe more important if you have any belonging left behind.. but in that case I probably prefer thief to open the door instead of smashing window (I guess they would smash window anyway :D).

C Andrew Green · June 22, 2017

17 minutes ago, yelena said:

It is really really really inconvenient!

My car has push button to start it and will auto unlock when I stand by with car key in my purse, that means I don't need take out my car key when I need use my car.

Then, THE QUESTION IS Why I need take out my car key when I leave my car?

It doesn't make any sense. The function of press button and auto-unlock try to solve the trouble of finding and taking out the car key in your purse. If I still need take out of my car key from my purse when I leave my car, the whole function becomes useless.

Actually, that is how most of German Cars work. They will auto unlock and auto lock with certain distance or certain period of time.

I was amazed yesterday by recognizing my just purchased Lexus doesn't have that function!!!!

Really Need To Be Optimized!!!

My 2007 IS250 is pushbutton start too, the proximity function allows the door to unlock when you touch the sensing strip inside the handle, when leaving it I just press the little black rubber button on the door handle to lock it and leave my key in my pocket. Maybe if it's raining I might dash to my doorway and lock it with the remote but rarely.

Regards, Andrew P.S.. I wish mine had auto locking when in anything other than P or similar.

NemesisUK · June 22, 2017

39 minutes ago, yelena said:

Actually, that is how most of German Cars work. They will auto unlock and auto lock with certain distance or certain period of time.

Most German cars? Neither of my Mercs auto lock as you describe. I've never heard of any German marque do as described.

One always has to touch the keyless sensor on the door handle to lock, just as one does with Lexus.

If you have keyless entry/exit (aka Keyless-Go) one never has to remove the fob from one's pocket/purse...

is200 Newbie · June 22, 2017

1 hour ago, yelena said:

It is really really really inconvenient!

My car has push button to start it and will auto unlock when I stand by with car key in my purse, that means I don't need take out my car key when I need use my car.

Then, THE QUESTION IS Why I need take out my car key when I leave my car?

It doesn't make any sense. The function of press button and auto-unlock try to solve the trouble of finding and taking out the car key in your purse. If I still need take out of my car key from my purse when I leave my car, the whole function becomes useless.

Actually, that is how most of German Cars work. They will auto unlock and auto lock with certain distance or certain period of time.

I was amazed yesterday by recognizing my just purchased Lexus doesn't have that function!!!!

Really Need To Be Optimized!!!

The car will lock itself - if you unlock the doors using the fob but don't open them after a length of time, they will auto lock again

I guess this is a security feature to prevent accidental operation of the button on the fob. Mine does this, 2007 model

dougie175 · June 22, 2017

As NemesisUK says just press the little black button on the door handle as you get out and walk away and it locks, why would you need to get the fob out of your pocket?

If you have folding mirrors purchase a module to fold them in when locked and you can always tell at a glace if your car is locked or unlocked works a treat

Surebet · June 22, 2017

Hi Dougie175, like the idea of module for folding mirrors. Is it a Lexus part , do you have an item code and is it easy to fit.

Wisty · June 22, 2017

2 hours ago, dougie175 said:

As NemesisUK says just press the little black button on the door handle as you get out and walk away and it locks, why would you need to get the fob out of your pocket?

If you have folding mirrors purchase a module to fold them in when locked and you can always tell at a glace if your car is locked or unlocked works a treat

This.

I always look back at mine to see if the mirrors are folded. If they are, I locked it. Always with the button on the door handle, with the 'key' safely in my pocket. Happily, it's a really easy habit to get in to, because our cars are soooo pretty

dougie175 · June 23, 2017

8 hours ago, Surebet said:

Hi Dougie175, like the idea of module for folding mirrors. Is it a Lexus part , do you have an item code and is it easy to fit.

Unfortunately no it is not a Lexus part but it is called a po-40 you want to email a guy called Michael who will go through everything for you MichaelR@ashpoint.com.au basically its a case of buying the module from Australia, as far as making it work it is a job of removing the drivers door car and wiring it into the wiring within the door, sounds worse than it actually is if you a relatively competent its a simple enough task, if not find someone who is and they will soon get it working for you

Surebet · June 23, 2017

Thanks Dougie, certainly food for thought.

Linas.P · June 23, 2017

On 6/22/2017 at 8:28 PM, NemesisUK said:

Most German cars? Neither of my Mercs auto lock as you describe. I've never heard of any German marque do as described.

One always has to touch the keyless sensor on the door handle to lock, just as one does with Lexus.

If you have keyless entry/exit (aka Keyless-Go) one never has to remove the fob from one's pocket/purse...

Bmw 328xi and Passat CC I owned all had auto-lock. In Bmw you could set it in i-Drive how long before auto-lock, I believe I had it at 15s as well it had what is called something along the lines "goodbye lights" where headlights stays on for some time to allow you to say way home, had that set at 30s. Passat had a simple setting of auto-lock which you can set-up on dash menu. Recently rented some sh**** Fiat and it had auto locking as well (but that is 2015 model), as well remember renting Toureg ~ 2008, it had that as well. I am sure it was standard on all BMW E60, E62, E92 (not E90) and optional on others, MBs, Audi and others certainly have something similar.

But to be honest, even without "goodbye lights" and auto-lock I still prefer Lexus system, what I am missing most is auto folding mirrors (which to be fair I had in my 2012 F-Sport). In all other cars you have keyless entry, but you still have to stick the fob somewhere, whereas in Lexus as long as it is in the car, you just press the button. That said obviously Lexus system is not perfect and all above enhancements would be welcome.