I would like to convert my "regular" trunk on my Luxury ES to an automatic, open-all-the-way trunk.
Are there any suggestions out there?
Thanks,
Jim

 

Are you handy and wanting to do it yourself? Sewell parts probably has all the components you need. Otherwise, a Lexus dealer might be able to do it.

 

I had to special order my ES to get the trunk opening ($500 I think) and would do it again - it's great, but to do the conversion looks like a lot of parts and may be cost prohibitive.

I am hopeful that this will soon either be standard or at least more readily accessible and maybe I would not have to special order my next car and endure the wait.

Dave Mac

 

Mac, it was easily/readily available last July when I got my car in the market I live in - they had quite a few in inventory. I also think it comes with certain trim/luxury packages too. I go the ES300h's version of the ultra luxury package and I think it is included with that trim/package level. I agree that it is not something I would want to put in myself and I really do like that feature.

EDIT: It was much harder finding a car with the adaptive cruise control than any other feature and in the end I decided I did not want that bad enough to special order a car.

 

As much as I like my power opening trunk, why doesn't it allow you to close it from the FOB, like other manufactures?

 

i sometimes wonder if they "phase" some features in to make you want the newer model when the thing you wish they had included on your model becomes available on the next. There certainly is no tech reason they couldn't have included it. I have to say I always thought of the the auto trunk option as a soccer-mom feature until I had it and then used it. It is very handy - not literally.

 

I think that, when Lexus sets up production runs, they build vehicles with common option combinations, and I've also noticed that the combinations of options varies from one point of the model year to another when, I'm guessing, Lexus changes its production set up. I notice, for example, if I go on the Lexus site and use the "build your Lexus" feature, the combinations of options available were not identical to the ones available 6 months ago. Also, I think that the packages and combinations of options that are usually shipped to dealers in one region may be quite different from those shipped to dealers in another region. When I bought my ES, for example, it seemed like most of the vehicles that the dealer had were equipped with the remote starter. When I went back to the same dealer several months later, it seemed like they had no ESs with the remote starter. Also, when I've been to my dealer, I've seen virtually no ESs with the UL package. At other dealers, possibly in other regions, I think that there might be a much larger number of UL vehicles.

With regard to doing a retrofit installation of the power trunk opener, I always hesitate to make any modifications to the factory build that require taking apart lots of panels, wiring, etc. I am of the belief that the more times you take things apart in a vehicle, the more you are inviting squeaks and rattles and, perhaps, other problems. Thus, unless I felt I really could not live without a power trunk opener, I think I'd wait to get one in my next vehicle.

 

Here's an interesting video regarding automatic door and trunk closers.

 

I have often thought it would be nice to be able to close the trunk with either the fob or the inside button but being able to see what is happening when you close the trunk is probably a safer position and Lexus always takes the safe side with their technology.

Dave Mac

 

True, but can you imagine if, while you're driving, you "accidentally" pressed the trunk open button (e.g. scratching your left leg and your knuckles bump the button) and the trunk opens and you'd have to physically get out of the vehicle to close the trunk. I tested this when I was reversing, and pressed the open button. To my surprise, the trunk did open

 

I would like to have a button on the fob to: Turn the car off; close the trunk; and lock the doors. About twice a week, I have to park the car, get a wheelchair out of the trunk, assemble the wheelchair, then transfer an elderly person from my right seat to the chair. I want to leave the air-conditioner running while I assemble the wheelchair and get her transferred to the wheelchair. But then I have to set the brakes on the wheelchair, walk around to the drivers side, and turn off the car, while the elderly person sits in the sun...

The reverse (transfer into the car and stow the wheelchair) is also a problem, but the remote-start and remote-trunk-opening are helpful.

It seems like "turn off and lock up" would be a basic key-fob function.

 

You have to be at a very low speed - almost stopped - to open the trunk while going forward but I have never tried it backing up. And I have hit the wrong button at a gas station but not while moving.

I did reposition my trunk and gas buttons some time ago after reading a thread here which makes it easier to always hit the correct button.

Dave Mac

 

SLH, the remote starter would allow someone to remain in the vehicle with the a/c running until you opened the car door to do the transfer, at which point the engine/ and ac would shut off. Not a perfect 'fix' but it gets you 95% there.