wyngate

Today my wife and I went to downtown Tampa to go to the theatre. When we exited the car it would not lock it by pressing the rubber button on the door or the key fob (yes, all the doors were closed). When I re-entered the car to check the car status by starting it, the start button did not light up when pressing the brake and neither did the start button. Having read the manual, I held my fob close to the start button, and it lite up and I was able to get the car started. After several re-starts (requiring holding the fob close to the button), moving the car, etc. the problem still persisted.

We decided to go directly to the Lexus Dealer in Tampa to see if they could check the computer, etc. On the way to the dealer we called ahead, and the service writer said that there was "an ongoing problem with all Lexus models with smart keys in downtown Tampa and other saturated radio environments, and that there were TSB's on all models re this issue." She also stated that if we were out of Downtown Tampa, that the problem had probably corrected itself. We were and so pulled into a parking lot, and sure enough all features were now working correctly!

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Has anyone heard of a TSB? We had valuables in the car and had to cancel our plans, as we could not leave it unlocked.

Jace7

i hvae heard of instances like that happening. also an issue in bigger cities with cell phones.
In a way, it was jammed, b/c of all the outside interference. yes that can happen.
don't know if it can be fixed permenantly , someday maybe.
sorry for the hastle.

ajcsanders

Next time you're in that situation, why not try locking the car manually using the metal key that's inserted into the fob? (I've never tried it myself but you should be able to lock the car in theory). A TSB is a Technical Service Bulletin.

wyngate

I'm still wondering if anyone knows about a TSB addressing this issues, or if anyone has experienced or suffered from the same problem.

Thanks for the suggestion re the metal key, I thought about using the manual locking method, but as the dealer service department was still open, and we live quite a distance away, I decided to head for the dealer to try and resolve the problem.

ES350Bob

wyn

I have an ES350 and the suggestion of metal key would not apply, there is nowhere to insert it except the glovebox to my current knowledge--though I could be wrong I do not think I am-- and that would not help you in the spot you were in to my knowledge.

We had a lady on ES forum in similar circumstances some time back and here is her post on the subject.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...+start+failure

I have heard of no TSB on this issue, we have a list of current TSB issued on ES forum at top of first page.

I'm just glad you were not stranded.

ES350Bob

Well, strike the no place to insert the metal key, you can detach the back part of door handle, but it seems it is a PIA to re-attach it once off.

wyngate

I appreciate you posting the forum link. My wife is the primary driver of our GS350 and this event with the smart key has her worried. I will address this with Lexus at our first service, along with the cool morning dashboard creaking noise. I have a noise that is clearly rubbing between the center air vent and the top of the touch screen surround. I can just press slightly on the lower middle part of the center vent and the noise stops. This will be easy to fix during the first service.

I am still wondering about other owners experience with radio inteference with smart key locking and starting process. Anyone else??????

ES350Bob

Be sure and ask your service advisor in the am for the actual TSB # on this issue and we can see if it is listed on Tundra website or other yet.

Seems perplexing to me this is attributed to radio interference because Florida has larger cities than Tampa as do other parts of the nation where radio traffic is even greater.

Unless it is the large Air Force base there causing it as out west with the garage door openers, only the garage door companies were not supposed to be using that radio frequency anyway, as it was supposed to be restricted to military.

LexBob2

I live in the Chicago area and have an ES350, and to date, nothing like that has happened to us.

Dr. Jekyll

iTrader: (1)

Just wanted to ask if you have tint on your car. I've heard that metallic based films add to the electrical/reception/navigation problems that most Lexus car owners experience due to the fact that Lexus has so electronics too. The metallic tint acts like one huge antenna on your car. That's why most shops tell you if you have navigation to get the ceramic coated tint. Not sure if this applies but I hope it shed a little light.

freight400

I have had the same problem with my Range Rover when I lived in Jacksonville FL. The remote would not work when I went to a particular shopping area with grocery store, restaurants etc.

I asked the dealer about it, they told me radio interference, nothing they could do. I thought BS, I posted the issue on Rover site and the radio interference issue was confirmed. I was told the culprit could have been a store alarm.

I now live in Dallas TX, and have not had any issue with the Rover or the Lexus.

Marc

ES350Bob

freight,

You and wyn have or had something in common with both cities, each has a significant military installation proximal.

Was the mall-store area you were talking about closer to the Navy base than other areas?

freight400

No, the Navy Base was several miles away. If I were to go across the highway to the other shopping area, everything was fine.

I just made a mental note to use the key whenever I was in the area.

wyngate

Yes, McDill AFB is about 4 miles from downtown Tampa, and the Port area is perhaps 1/2 mile away. I just don't think the Port or McDill was close enough. Also the area in downtown Tampa I was in has quite a few very tall buildings and they all have many radio and cell transmission antennas on them. We were in downtown Orlando today and experienced no difficulties.

ES350Bob

When they give you the TSB# we might be able to determine the cause.


If I hadn't seen the reports on the military base and all those garage door openers failing to open or close or anything I would not have thought to connect the military bases to this.

My money is on interference from military frequency though I admit at this time it looks like a stretch to get there but both you and freight had problems and both of you were/are in cities that have bases though his is a different kind of vehicle.

Orlando has as much or more radio traffic as Tampa and it worked fine and there is no military base.