eightk

No 😁

Yep - my dealer emailed me back last week as I thought it worthwhile to try and get near the front of the queue : "Good Afternoon Mr Eight, As per the article you have highlighted, we are awaiting Lexus to advise us which models are affected. I have kept a log of your enquiry and will be in touch as soon as we have an update, Lexus have advised we should have this by the end of April this year."

Yeah, I've fitted the Etsy controller and can't tell the difference. I need to mess around unplugging the valves and see if that does improve it a bit. Sticking a custom made mid pipe on to delete the secondary cat is still legal I think - the GPF is upstream of that somewhere I think - cheaper than a full catback and maybe a bit more subtle than an Armytrix or similar. There are loads of youtube videos on different exhausts but all the american/non-EU stuff is still without the GPF which really doesn't do the engine justice.

Get some pics up here - you never know - selling to someone who 'gets' these cars already would make it easy. Pistonheads could be a possibility too.

Good point - mine were ok with PPF but I did tell them about every 'modification' - PPF, tracker, immobilser etc. @Sadz definitely 110% check with Lexus, your dealer etc, that you're canbus theft proof - the '24 model should be ok but I'd definitely make sure.

If you're on the affected list below, contact your dealer ASAP. Until we're all protected, we're all still vulnerable to attempted theft/damage. Andy (LC). Lexus models Affected years/months Lexus LC / LC-C 2017/03 – 2024/03 Lexus RC 2017/03 – 2024/03 Lexus RX / RX L 450h 2015/10 – 2022/10 Lexus ES 2018/10 – 2024/02 Lexus GS / GS-F 2015/11 – 2020/11 Lexus NX 2017/09 – 2021/10 Lexus LS 2017/10 – 2022/09 Lexus UX / UXe 2018/10 – 2023/12

And my dealer replied last week : "As per the article you have highlighted, we are awaiting Lexus to advise us which models are affected. I have kept a log of your enquiry and will be in touch as soon as we have an update, Lexus have advised we should have this by the end of April this year." Shame they didn't read the article as it lists the models that are affected, but at least they're aware of it. So here's hoping!

On Saturday I added a polite (honest!) comment to the Lexus mag article linked to above. It was waiting 'moderation'. I specifically asked about : 1 - the discussion over on the RX section over type 1 and revised type 2 canbus protection plates i.e they don't work do they? 2 - if they don't work, what will? 3 - whether Lexus's April solution (note I left out the word Fool there) would be compatible with my existing tracker and immobiliser. Guess what? Comment has been 'moderated' off the website.

I do like that 'Ultimate Edition' plaque. More pics!

The comments are entertaining - "Why is this statement released on the very day my NX was stolen. My car was stolen this week Wednesday and the utter lack of care and total nonchalance is shocking. I had the vehicle for almost 3 years and never received any communication from Lexus about this very well known issue. This article link was sent to me, else I wouldn’t have seen it – once again indicating total lack of communication to Lexus owners. I won’t buy another Lexus" "My Lexus 300NX got stolen from my drive last week, CAN bus attack, I came across this article regarding the fitment of the plate and also this was highlighted on the BBC One Show. My car was serviced in January and I was not told about the plate. This is really bad customer service. Now my insurers are not paying the full value of the car. I was told, I should have put a put a steering wheel lock, so you pay £45000 for a car and have to purchase a £50 steering lock. !!!! This had caused so much frustration and inconvenience." "We designed something with a vulnerability, yet “costs are under review and customers may incur a nominal charge.” What a load of BS." "I have had 6 lexus’s. 50% of them stolen. One RX450 in November 2022 and then BOTH UX250’s in August 2023. Lexus just wrote me a Dear John letter when I contacted them. I worked so hard for those cars and always aspired to have a Lexus. I will never buy Lexus ever again. I have the CCTV footage.. took them 45 seconds to steal my RX450 and less than 2 minutes to then drive off with mine and my wife’s UX250’s" Maybe employing Gerald Ratner as Head of PR might improve things. Another point - on the RX section of this website there are people discussing second generation canbus protection plates. That clearly suggests the first plate design doesn't work!! My guess is any steel cover can be got around by accessing the loom at a different point, or instead of connecting to the pins in a multiplug just tapping into the correct colour wires further along the same cable. Solution : immobiliser for all, or an upgrade to the canbus hardware so we have 2024 spec systems on all older cars.

When they arrive - PICS!! (pretty please with cream on top). I'd imagine the last of the line (in Europe at least) will be collectable one day. Congrats!

That's lovely. Well worth the effort - those wheels do look better than the 'reversed' ones I think. That green just comes alive in sunshine too. I'm reliably informed summer will be from 26th July to 27th July this year - get a pic if you can!

Please come back to us with what your dealer have offered. I’ve emailed my dealer today… LC here. Already got tracker and immobiliser on mine but as I’ve said previously until every car is protected our bumpers are still at risk ! This statement from Lexus resulting from the BBC article could be very positive news.

Some injector cleaner, quality 99ron petrol and an italian tuneup might help but I'd guess using the Relax warranty and getting Lexus to check the injectors would be the best option.

Well, nearly two years later we've finally reached the 'mid-40's' point I reckon, if you're looking outside the dealer network. Cheapest petrol, silver, base model, 36,000 miles is just under 43k, and there's a couple of others around 45 to 50k. The engine, the build, the warranty - all seem to be helping the LC keep it's head above water in a tough market. Still can't think of anything I'd replace mine with.

That's one I haven't heard of before. I'm hoping the 20 hours labour was covered under Relax! Just checked mine but it's all black canvas 🙃

Another regular customer gone - 4 to 5 previous Lexuses. I'm looking at ebay sticker printers - just a little custom printed vinyl decal for each front bumper corner politely listing the measures they'll have to defeat before nicking my car. Real shame a second LC has gone - the first one was recovered on the south coast in a shipping container bound for Dubai but I seem to remember the ex-owner didn't want it back. Do please keep us updated here if it turns up - I'll bet if recovered it'll be showing signs of front passenger side bumper damage.

Yeah, this. My insurers required a Tracker so I added an immobiliser for an extra £100, plus a windscreen sticker instead of flashing leds, plus I use a Milenco steering wheel lock when away from home. Not a deal breaker but be aware extra security is essential for peace of mind. Sounds like you know exactly what you're after stating a 17/18 model - the pre GPF exhaust! They're utterly fantastic cars, you won't be disappointed.

Just a little info to brighten up you lucky ES owners mornings. From the clublexus American forums : looks like the headlamp canbus access point isn’t the only place thieves can gain access. Why kneel in a puddle and get rained on when you can sit inside the car and steal it from there? ”I have seen theft recovery new gen ES, highlander and RX4s piled up at dealership lots The ES and highlander had the headliner consule with sunroof buttons ripped out and connector dangling. My guess is they connect through that to start the cars. But the worse part is that they rip the center console and Instrument panel to rip the Data communications module and GPS out and cause significant damage there. Some highlanders had the sharkfin antenna smashed as well.”

ENHANCED PLATES? What the actual f k? The RX is the ONLY Lexus with a canbus theft solution so far - the rest of us are clearly not valuable customers - and they’ve had to enhance their ‘solution’’ already? It’d be funny if it wasn’t so serious. Lexus UK : recall : now. Proper canbus system upgrade that fixes the substandard comms, or a free immobiliser fit to all cars, or just give up and pack your bags. You won’t have any customers left at this rate.

If they’ve forked out for a pair of driveshafts and some axle bushes and paid the dealer to fit them before realising it was a known problem anyway I’d hope they’ll see sense and come up with a better solution than greasing and nipping some bolts up. Who knows, they could even fix the canbus vulnerability while they’re in there…

Now you need to start making some serious noise with Lexus - via social media or physically at your dealer (Saturday afternoons are quite busy) to make damn sure they know you’re not happy. This is completely fixable but we really don’t want to get to the Land Rover stage where cars can’t be insured before Lexus get a grip and issue a recall to upgrade the canbus system or fit immobilisers to all cars. Even the RX canbus plates aren’t publicised - it’s down to the owner to firstly know about the problem and also that theres a solution and then to beg and plead to get them fitted. Not good customer service!

I have a Scorpion S5 fitted with an immobiliser - no fob present, no start. It was a £100 upgrade to add the fob and immobiliser. It’s also worth considering that any half decent auto electrician could add a hidden switch for the brake pedal - no brake light switch engaged = no start.. or the fuel pump relay is easy to find and add a cutout to that. Also add stickers to advertise the fact an immobiliser is fitted - it might (might!) stop your bumper being damaged.

I have an LC with tracker, immobiliser and ‘stuff’ - Lexus offer non-RX owners the square root of f all so far. I’m confident my car cannot be stolen without a flatbed and winch. However… A Lexus with protection won’t vanish but it will get damaged… over and over again until Lexus issue a recall and upgrade every affected car.

Funny you should say that. I’ll start a thread on my mystery shopper experience soon. Suffice to say, when asked about canbus theft risk, dealers blatantly lie.