Dx3

iTrader: (13)

Unfortunately the reason they have that key is for when the battery dies so it is purely mechanical (I believe.) Hopefully I am wrong on that. I'm at a loss as to what might cause this to happen. With the interior door panels being $1600 each I wouldn't want to destroy it to get it open. Maybe a body shop can remove the exterior door handle from the outside and that will give you enough access to get it open?

jmcraney

My "frozen" comment was not entirely tongue-in-cheek.

Your door problem may be related to the formation of ice crystals in your door latch mechanism. If that is the cause, it may take several days of continuous-above-freezing temperatures to clear up, especially if the car remains shaded from the sun. After it has several days to thaw, you should try the key again and it might need some pushing and pulling on the door too.

elsonido

thank you jmcarney, It'll be a while lol! NY upstate right now is 3 degrees. Keep ya posted.

jmcraney

I'm putting my money on Friday, 12 Jan as "The Day The Door Opened."

All bets are off if it is currently buried in snow.

elsonido

So, the latest on the drivers door that won't open. I called the Lexus dealer up here in Middletown ny where I live and asked if they had the plastic clips that are on the rods inside the door that break in all these Lexus doors but they wanna sell me the entire actuator assembly cuz the clips come with it. Speaking to some of you guys here on the forum, I understand they can be purchased separately for a few bucks. Anybody have a part number lol! Still climbing across from the passenger seat. Has anybody heard of the top portion of the door panel being pulled out? I read in the forums of a guy who did that but not sure the type of car. Ok, til next time!

jmcraney

I guess I lost my money on the ice.

You should try a Lock Smith service. They might know how to get your door open. They will probably charge you less if you are able to bring the car to them.

elsonido

Ya know what, I'm gonna do exactly that. Makes the most sense. Oh BTW, yeah, da money gone lol! End of the week the weather gonna be in the 50's so that's when Ill see the locksmith. Keep ya posted !!

Falbz

elsonido

So hey guys, hope all is well with everybody. Latest on my door situation, goes as follows. Called a local reputable locksmith and he recommended my giving the lock cylinder a bath with straight contact cleaner with no lubricant and work the key in and out a 100 times or more. I did that and same results, lock cylinder still won't turn. A thought came to me. Let me try the trunk and low and behold, it won't turn there as well. My conclusion is, it's the wrong key for the car. I call Lexus and ask for service so I can pic their brain a bit. I tell the guy the entire story and he tells me that the battery in the fob is on the way out. I said ok, if that's the status, why does everything work as it should except my drivers door? Shouldn't the mechanical key work? He says no, the key only works when the battery is good but I said, you just told me the key is for when there is no power. I'm not getting it, he's the pro on this but I don't wanna keep hearing bring it in for service and we can figure it out. This is a $100,000 car and you have a problem answering a couple questions, c'mon now. He says I can come there and order the key from someplace where they cut them (MUST BE A SECRET) and pick it up when it comes in and it's $85.00. I'm ok with that even if it doesn't work, at least I get a key made for the car. The only thing he didn't do is hang up on me cuz he didn't know or doesn't have the experience on how to answer my questions. Should I call back and speak to a manager? WTF!

FatherTo1

I can understand your frustration with the service tech's response, elsonido. What he told you is contradicting. Th at was a good idea to try the trunk. Although the wrong key is a possible conclusion, I wonder how you received the wrong key in the key fob. Do you have another key fob (with mechanical key) to try? I still think it is an ice issue as jmcraney suggested. With it being so frigid in your area, perhaps all locks are frozen? Have you tried a hair dryer to possibly warm up one of the locks? Good luck and please keep us posted.

elsonido

Hi FatherTo1, car been in the sun all day and it's 40 plus out there. Ran the car for a couple hours and it's Florida inside lol, still not getting a good result. I think I'm gonna take them up on the $85.00 key, just to have it. Gonna head out there to Prestige on 17 in Ramsey Monday and do that and try to talk to somebody with some real experience. I will keep all you guys posted on my progress. Thank you for your ears lol, enjoy the weekend!!

jmcraney

Wow, yours is one of the better sagas of our forum. Thank you for keeping us up.

When I suggested a Locksmith, I was thinking someone who has the fiber optic tools to look inside the door and see what is wrong. Maybe a proctologist would be a better choice.

Since you are trying the key around: have you tried the key in the glove compartment?

elsonido

Ok, we're back! I have a question but to keep you up to speed. I ordered a key to be made and it had to go through 2 dealers cuz the one I thought could and would,,, can't. It cost $85.00 plus tax and it gets here when it gets here. I'm so shocked at how a great deal of money is involved with a purchase of these cars and it don't mean **** when it comes to trying to find out some simple stuff. Either they just don't know their product as they should (which is what I'm gathering) or they have been told to get the car in here at any cost because we can make a ton of money. So that being said, can somebody tell me if I disconnect the main battery and remove the battery from the fob, try my mechanical key (because I still think it's electronically working against me) then re-connect the battery, will everything reload? I know I'll have to program the radio and clock and that's a none issue. I mean the software for all of the rest of the systems. Just trying whatever I can to see if this mechanical key is really the key for this car. Ok folks, I await some input but enjoy this 50 degree weather otherwise lol! Thank you in advance as always!! BTW, the mechanical key did not open the glove box.

jmcraney

I am confident in telling you that you do not have to disconnect the car's battery or remove the battery from the wireless electronic key to use the mechanical key to unlock the trunk, front doors, or glove compartment.

Since there seems to be some confusion about the pedigree of you electronic/mechanical keys, you should check the feature that allows you to start your car when the battery in the electronic key is dead. You will have to remove the electronic key's battery to test this feature. The electronic key has an NFC device in it that will operate the car's ignition interlock if its battery will not power it if it is registered in the car's electronics. Be sure to check this feature for both electronic keys as they require separate setup. Instructions for starting the car with the NFC method are in the owner's manual.

No problem in disconnecting the car's starting battery. Be sure the car's ignition is off before you disconnect the battery. And be sure that the battery is charged before you connect it to the car. When you first turn the ignition on the car's electronics will be initialized, except for the radio presets and the TPMS.

elsonido

So jmcraney, thanks for the reply. I read a few things here that make me think about the battery disconnect. Locks didn't work properly, windows worked funny, the trunk wouldn't unlock and just a bunch of strange things. All they did was disconnect the battery and wait, reconnect and wait and WOLLA, the car didn't have to goto the dealer and they be a happy campers because by just doing that, things went back to normal. I'm wondering if I do that the lock system on the drivers door would have reset itself so the key would turn it. Any thoughts on that?