Lexus roadside assistance exhausting experience
12-27-22, 01:32 PM
#1
Driver
Thread Starter
Lexus roadside assistance exhausting experience
You know the beginning to the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles where Steve Martin has everything that can go wrong, go wrong?
This would be a very long post if I were to describe the complete story so I'll distill it some. Thank god our NX350h is currently parked on our driveway and we have another vehicle to drive because it will likely be a very long time before we drive it again. It begins the early morning of Dec 23 with a dead 12v starter battery. As in zero functionality 100% dead. It's damn cold at -34C but my wife had been driving it extensively every day previously and it was never an issue to start. But something mysterious happened in the 11 hours since it was parked that drained that battery and one can only hope Lexus service can figure it out - if the vehicle ever reaches them.
Dec 23 is a really bad time for something like this to happen as the dealerships are closed for the next 3 days. I didn't really think about that but it probably wouldn't matter anyway as nearly the entire North American continent is under severe weather and Lexus roadside assistance (and everyone else in the business) is utterly over-whelmed. I am capable of boosting and charging a battery but it took me a while to figure out how to do that from under the hood (battery is in the rear right). But that doesn't work at all as that battery is (frozen) toast (reading 3 volts). I waste another day thinking I can just buy a replacement battery and swap it but that ain't how Lexus swings (i.e. your local Toyota dealership ain't allowed to do *****).
Fast forward to early Xmas morning and the long long wait for a call back from roadside assistance. A bit short of a 3 hours later (actually this was within their estimated time frame so kudos for that I guess) I receive the callback. I don't even get to provide my VIN number (hence no case # assigned) before I'm asked to describe the problem and confirm it's not an emergency ... and transferred to the special department from hell that specializes in cases like mine. Another 2+ hours on hold listening to jazzy music. No one answers, no recording about "your call is important to us ..." even. So I hangup and try the online submission form instead. Fill it all out and and describe the problem in some detail. Click the submit button and ... "Error submitting request" is my reward. I decide I prefer to do something with the family on Xmas than deal with this.
2 am Boxing Day I go the online route on my phone this time and it works! I've got a case number! I get a call back pretty soon too, from some poor guy working the really late/early shift in Ontario. He's a nice guy but since there's still an expected multi-day wait for a tow truck and he would have to book one for an all day trip (300 kms from nearest dealer) and they usually wait until they have 3 or so vehicles beforehand. So his advice is I talk to the service manager at that dealership first to see if there's anything else they can do. They don't open again for another 30 hours or so.
That service manager never does call me back - though to be fair I've been on my phone much of the day. That's because I called roadside assistance again. While the estimated callback time was less than 1.5 hours maximum, the actual callback time was more than double that. And as soon as I mentioned I have an existing case number I get immediately transferred and listen to that jazzy music for the next couple of hours. It is truly exhausting and I am beginning to lose all hope. But eventually I do indeed get to talk to someone, and someone else and then someone else who does eventually manage to book a tow truck for me - 71 hours and 58 minutes from now.
BTW, I was told Lexus roadside assistance is currently more than 400 calls behind.
This would be a very long post if I were to describe the complete story so I'll distill it some. Thank god our NX350h is currently parked on our driveway and we have another vehicle to drive because it will likely be a very long time before we drive it again. It begins the early morning of Dec 23 with a dead 12v starter battery. As in zero functionality 100% dead. It's damn cold at -34C but my wife had been driving it extensively every day previously and it was never an issue to start. But something mysterious happened in the 11 hours since it was parked that drained that battery and one can only hope Lexus service can figure it out - if the vehicle ever reaches them.
Dec 23 is a really bad time for something like this to happen as the dealerships are closed for the next 3 days. I didn't really think about that but it probably wouldn't matter anyway as nearly the entire North American continent is under severe weather and Lexus roadside assistance (and everyone else in the business) is utterly over-whelmed. I am capable of boosting and charging a battery but it took me a while to figure out how to do that from under the hood (battery is in the rear right). But that doesn't work at all as that battery is (frozen) toast (reading 3 volts). I waste another day thinking I can just buy a replacement battery and swap it but that ain't how Lexus swings (i.e. your local Toyota dealership ain't allowed to do *****).
Fast forward to early Xmas morning and the long long wait for a call back from roadside assistance. A bit short of a 3 hours later (actually this was within their estimated time frame so kudos for that I guess) I receive the callback. I don't even get to provide my VIN number (hence no case # assigned) before I'm asked to describe the problem and confirm it's not an emergency ... and transferred to the special department from hell that specializes in cases like mine. Another 2+ hours on hold listening to jazzy music. No one answers, no recording about "your call is important to us ..." even. So I hangup and try the online submission form instead. Fill it all out and and describe the problem in some detail. Click the submit button and ... "Error submitting request" is my reward. I decide I prefer to do something with the family on Xmas than deal with this.
2 am Boxing Day I go the online route on my phone this time and it works! I've got a case number! I get a call back pretty soon too, from some poor guy working the really late/early shift in Ontario. He's a nice guy but since there's still an expected multi-day wait for a tow truck and he would have to book one for an all day trip (300 kms from nearest dealer) and they usually wait until they have 3 or so vehicles beforehand. So his advice is I talk to the service manager at that dealership first to see if there's anything else they can do. They don't open again for another 30 hours or so.
That service manager never does call me back - though to be fair I've been on my phone much of the day. That's because I called roadside assistance again. While the estimated callback time was less than 1.5 hours maximum, the actual callback time was more than double that. And as soon as I mentioned I have an existing case number I get immediately transferred and listen to that jazzy music for the next couple of hours. It is truly exhausting and I am beginning to lose all hope. But eventually I do indeed get to talk to someone, and someone else and then someone else who does eventually manage to book a tow truck for me - 71 hours and 58 minutes from now.
BTW, I was told Lexus roadside assistance is currently more than 400 calls behind.
Last edited by Susido; 12-27-22 at 01:39 PM.
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nx450plus (12-27-22)
12-27-22, 01:50 PM
#2
Pit Crew
May wish to put a different 12v in there. I had a 3rd party store do it just after I took delivery. I park every day unplugged outside. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/nx-...v-battery.html
12-27-22, 02:40 PM
#3
I am capable of boosting and charging a battery but it took me a while to figure out how to do that from under the hood (battery is in the rear right). But that doesn't work at all as that battery is (frozen) toast (reading 3 volts). I waste another day thinking I can just buy a replacement battery and swap it but that ain't how Lexus swings (i.e. your local Toyota dealership ain't allowed to do *****).
12-27-22, 04:25 PM
#4
Driver
Thread Starter
Now I'm concerned the hybrid battery could be damaged for sitting so long without a functional 12v battery (reading 2.5v now). I vaguely recall watching a CarCareNut youtube video where he warned about potential damage and recommended to keep a trickle charger if you're not going to be driving a hybrid for week or two. Well nothing I can do about that now.
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Dorsai (12-27-22)
12-28-22, 05:41 AM
#5
I had the same problem as described in a previous thread. Lexus roadside assistance is terrible since they sipposely use a "premium" AAA service now. Lexus will probably tell you there are no issues with the 12v battery or system but there is an issue there that needs to to addressed.
12-29-22, 09:15 AM
#6
It could be a dome light or something that you left on and it drained the battery, or it could be a bad alternator that wasn't charging the battery prior it was completed drained. so you can't contact any of your friends, family members to jump start your car? most auto part store should be able to test the battery for you. I also keeping a Noco booster in my car just in case.
12-29-22, 01:44 PM
#7
Toyota/Lexus Hybrids don't have an Alternator (or starter or belts and pulleys). The Motor Generator starts the Internal Combustion
engine using the 288v Traction Battery which in the case of the OP is almost certainly not dead (it was driven the day before).
The 12v accessory battery is a bit smaller than we are used to because it only trips a relay to actually start the IC engine. It is also
used to power the lights, radio, seat heaters, wipers etc. I grew up listening to a small car radio for a long time from the large 12v battery.
Now the smaller 12v battery carries dozens of computers and those warm and fuzzy accessories...doesn't take long to bring it down.
Short term answer, hook up a smart trickle charger directly to the 12v in the rear hatch area. Give it a couple hours because of the
cold and complete drawdown of the battery. Shut off the headlights and it ought to start up. The "Low Battery" signal was an important
clue, the 12v charge is drawn from the MG unit that is also making the 288v for the much larger driving battery. Once started you should
obviously have it checked out. In no case should you ever use a Toyota/Lexus hybrid to jump start a conventional IC car!
engine using the 288v Traction Battery which in the case of the OP is almost certainly not dead (it was driven the day before).
The 12v accessory battery is a bit smaller than we are used to because it only trips a relay to actually start the IC engine. It is also
used to power the lights, radio, seat heaters, wipers etc. I grew up listening to a small car radio for a long time from the large 12v battery.
Now the smaller 12v battery carries dozens of computers and those warm and fuzzy accessories...doesn't take long to bring it down.
Short term answer, hook up a smart trickle charger directly to the 12v in the rear hatch area. Give it a couple hours because of the
cold and complete drawdown of the battery. Shut off the headlights and it ought to start up. The "Low Battery" signal was an important
clue, the 12v charge is drawn from the MG unit that is also making the 288v for the much larger driving battery. Once started you should
obviously have it checked out. In no case should you ever use a Toyota/Lexus hybrid to jump start a conventional IC car!
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12-29-22, 03:32 PM
#8
Driver
Thread Starter
Unfortunately you don't generally get to successfully jumpstart or even trickle charge a battery reading just 3 volts and almost certainly frozen in -34C temperatures. Particularity when you don't have direct access to the battery and are instead trying to do so through who knows how much vehicle circuitry via the jumpers under the hood. My charager reported an "internal shorted cell battery, cannot be charged" error.
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