vlad_a

The smartkey access deactivates. Can't use the door handle anymore to unlock. You have to either use a physical lock, or the unlock button on the key fob.
However, if someone was to break the window and open the door, the vehicle will be drivable.

oohpapi44

iTrader: (1)

Gotcha.... So the only way the OP's vehicle locked was someone physcally pushed the lock button on the spare key FOB unit. Or used the phsycal key inserted into the lock to lock the vehicle. And thus no alarms to sound.

rnonwheels

2nd fob was actually in a safe. No, I did not lock the door when I got out. It is just as I stated. Parked the car, turned off my car and went inside with the fob left in it. I normally leave the fob in the car at night--our garage locks and at least I know where it is in the morning. Next morning went out to car and found all doors locked. Thought it was odd and maybe husband took fob. Called husband to find out where spare fob was and he said in safe and he did not touch my fob. Opened car with spare fob and there my fob was inside a locked vehicle. I tested it that evening with fob in exact place and would not lock with fob in car?

rnonwheels

You obviously did not understand me. I did not leave my fob in the car and try to lock it.....I left the fob in an unlocked car and 12 hours later found it locked with the fob insdie

wase4711

only one explanation....aliens...

Speaking of key fob issues, why is it that when I approach my car sometimes, with key fob in my pocket, and I touch the dimple on the drivers door with a bare finger, nothing happens, and the only way to unlock is to push the unlock button on the fob..

Also, didn't there used to be a way on older lexus, that you could get the door to automatically unlock when you got close to it with the fob in your hand?

markrivers

In a normal scenario,
when you UNLOCK the car using the key Fob ( pushing the unlock button/ unlock padlock),
the RX 350 will unlock the driver side ( all doors if the unlock button is pushed twice).
IF NO doors are opened within 20 seconds, the RX will automatically LOCK itself again.

Now, in your case maybe, the unlock button in the key fob is pushed, accidentally ,when you're placing it at the door handle.

anyway, the 2nd key Fob is in a safe? Wow! isn't that extreme?
and all your family members know the combination of the safe right?
just in case you lose the key fob and have to call home and ask someone to bring the 2nd key fob to you.. wherever you are.

Wouldn't it be simpler to have a dedicated place in your garage for all the keys? ( think of a valet box)
it would take less than 15 seconds to access your key fob in the morning.

markrivers

touching the dimple is LOCKING the car.
put your entire hand inside the handle to UNLOCK it.

There are times, in a busy parking lot, like the mall or Walmart when the key Fob is having a hard time communicating with the car. This is when you use the unlock button.
THIS isn't exclusive to Toyota/Lexus. i encounter the same problem with other models.

Only explanation i can think of is frequency interruption.

eveRX

I stopped at a gas station, left the fob in the car and locked the car using the manual lock on the door. I got out and gently closed the door so that it didn't close all the way. That's when I realized that the fob was in the car and I was not, I tried to open the door and found it had locked (big surprise!). I finished pushing the door closed, then heard the car alert me that the key was inside the car. The door immediately unlocked itself. Big relief. I learned my lesson to make sure the key is in my pocket next time.

ggebhardt

Even though the mystery is not solved, it sounds to me that keeping the FOB in your pocket is a good idea.

wase4711

thanks man, trying to remember all 900 pages of the manual is tough on this old brain!

vlad_a

Is your car set to auto-lock itself when the fob is away, by any chance? Also, was it raining that day or was there snow on the door handle?

chuckGS350

It happened to me a few months ago when I broguht my RX350 in for service at dearship.
I left the key fob in the cup holder at center console. There was a line waiting for an attendant to drive the car in. So I parked the car, turned off the engine, and got out of the car with the driver side window down (it was summer time).
Walking around the car then the attendant signalled me to drive the car in. Came back to the car and noticed the door locked. Couldn't unlock the door by touching the door handle.
I had to reach over to get the key fob and pushed the button to unlock the door.
Weird.

I had tried many possible ways to lock my GS350 doors with the key fob inside (even in the trunk), Yes, I could lock the car with the fob inside, but grabing the door handle would unlock the doors.
Then one day I found out this, My wife forgot to leave her key fob in her jacket and the jacket was in the trunk. We walked away from the car and I forgot to lock the doors using the button on the door handle. So I used my key fob to lock the car from the distance.
When we returned to the car later, I couldn't unlock the doors by grabing the door handle.
I had to use the key fob.
When we got home, I took out her jacket from the trunk and realized that her key fob had been in the trunk the entire time when we were away from the car. Lexus has thought about this. Smart thing,

I am going to try this scenario with my RX350 tomorrow. Leave one key fob inside the car, use the other key fob to lock the car and see if I can unlock the car by the door handle.
Or key fob is the only way to unlock the car. If this is the case, then I have an idea what could happen to mysterious door lock to my 2011 RX350.

Browninggo

I copied this from the manual. Found in another thread and thought of you and this scenario.

Do not leave the electronic key on top of the instrument panel or near the door pockets when exiting the vehicle. Depending on the radio wave reception con- ditions, it may be detected by the antenna outside the cabin and the door will become lockable from the outside, possibly trapping the electronic key inside the vehicle.
http://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/do.../sec_01-02.pdf

ggebhardt

Sounds like the most logical answer. There has to be a point where the vehicle sees the fob either in or out of the vehicle. Leaving the key in the door pocket would be very close to that.

Makes sense.

User 41924

I was having the same thought. Also, I wonder if a low battery in the fob would contribute to this odd behavior.

I wish people from Lexus monitored this forum, so they could enlighten us about how it's supposed to work, and what most likely happened. If this had happened away from the safe with the spare key, it might be a serious issue. Knowing the real reason it happened might help others from getting locked out of thier car in a difficult situation. Besides, people come up with some really good ideas to improve their owner experience. For example, you would think that Lexus would be interested in the fact that one of the OEM tire brands they use makes the car more noisy and the ride more harsh.

My last comment is that I find it interesting that we all seem to have our own habits/quirks when it comes to our cars. After spending time on this forum, I have discovered I may have more than most! These are things we have discovered that make life a little more convenient FOR US, that no one else would ever understand. Personally, I'm pretty sure that car keys are the primary reason pockets were invented. According to my wife though, women's clothes often don't have pockets, so they invented purses. Personally, I prefer pockets! I look funny with a purse