99RX300AWD

I have a 1999 RX300. Earlier in the day my kids were listining to the radio in the car. I got in the car and inserted the key but it resuses to turn. The blue LCD turn on, but no of the displays turn on. None of the Lock or unlock buttons on the key or in the car work. It feels as tho the ignition is locked or something. Anyone have any ideas? Could this be part of the theft system? HELP I'm stranded!

NeverSatisfied

I'm not sure what your situation is, but...

1) Your key can't turn (is your steering wheel locked?)

2) None of your displays turn on (is your battery dead from the kids listening to the radio?)

jfelbab

Try turning the key while you turn the steering wheel one way or the other. Perhaps one of the kids tried to steer the car while the ignition was off.

Rx900

hmm weird...?!?!?

HarrierAWD

Try two things: 1) Make sure the shifter is in Park, 2) Turn the steering wheel left and right a few times. Your kids might have played with those.

Another possibility is the battery is very low on juice.

rl9905

Hmmm, it could be that your car battery is now dead or at the end of its life now. Just get a new one. Oh yea and when you replace your "car" battery. I suggest that you should replace your "Key Remote" battery also.

Good Luck

- Robert

mattogu

had this happen to my rx 330, hold brake pedal down and then try key.

Gojirra99

Shifter may not be in "Park".

mooretorque

As mentioned above, try turning the wheel (and holding it); if the wheel is slightly turned when the car was last put in "Park", it may recoil slightly against the steering lock, enough so that the key can't be turned. If there is NO play in the wheel in one direction, that's almost certainly what has happened. Pull the wheel in the opposite direction and hold it (otherwise, it recoils right back to the original position); try key whilst holding wheel.

One other think, tho: we, too, had a 99AWD which would very intermittently lock the key in place. Happened to me on two occasions, so I am certain it was not just "female nut loose behind the wheel" at fault. Lexus replaced the ignition cylinder lock (and all the keys) and we had no more problems. Have not heard of this any other time, however, so I don't think it's a problem common to early RXs.

salimshah

... them fighting words when taken out of context.

Salim

mooretorque

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be accused of being a chauvinist (nudge nudge wink wink)!!!

There is no turth to the stereotypic statement that women can't drive (except for the ones that drive into fresh concrete, drive off with gas pump nozzle/hose still attached, misapply pedals, put on makeup while driving the interstates, etc etc).

fifty1chev

Same thing happened to my '99. The key refused to turn the switch....it was like the switch was jammed. Had to have the RX towed to the dealer. They replaced the switch and had to give me all new keys. They said it was going to be $1100...........but offered me a one time goodwill and fixed it for free.

jfelbab

Here is a nice graphic showing how these cylinder locks work. If a pin gets stuck or a spring breaks it is easy to see why the lock won't turn.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/lock.htm

Fern