this is the first post, i think i put it in the wrong spot so i am trying again

I am new to this forum so please help me out.
when the liftgate and back driver door are both open at the same time...i push the electronic button on the liftgate then close the back door almost at the same time the gate is about to lock
. it prevents the liftgate from latching. the airflow dynamic forces the air out the back and the gate remains unlocked. not noticing this you drive along through a dip and the gate flies open. the beeping does not happen until you are at a faster rate of speed ,this has happened to me 3 times. the fourth time i caught it before i started driving and was able to lock it before i turned on the engine. (hope i am explaining this correctly). i am not sure why the latch doesnt lock (engage)at all(not even one click). it was pretty scary when it happened.
all answers 100% welcome. i am happy to explain further if i wasnt clear enough..thanks


hi, thanks for responding. i took it in to the dealer after showing them the result of the liftgate flying open and damaging the hatch below the rear window(3k worth of damage)
..they said they had never seen anything like it. they dumped me on toyota corporate without even trying to find out the problem saying there was damage and now its not in their domain any longer..SO much for great service from lexus (am i allowed to say what dealership)..
i am getting a run around..they wont even listen to additional information after their engineers came out to look at it. this unlock issue happened four times that i am now aware of.
two of which caused damage when the liftgate went flying up and hit a concrete abutment overhead while i was going less the 5 miles an hour.(the beeps dont start at that speed)
..the antics they are pulling feel like used car sales in the bad old days.

they refused to even look at the car or even write me up.
i have been there a number of times to question them about it and even had the service manager test it out..well guess what..we were able to duplicate a portion of the problem..the gate flew up when we went through a rain runoff .it didnt happen when we went over bumps..that locked it..so if it happened early on and i went over a bump i would not have noticed it. its at least 4 times that i did notice the problem. this car has 3000 miles on it. it had about 1800 when it started. the wagons are circling at the dealership. i am half hour away from toyota corporate..this car is a huge disappointment. i wanted to love it and feel safe in it. i dont.
the beeps when the gate is open only commence beeping when you go above a very slow rate of speed..by then your dog or child can roll out the back or your computer can go flying into the car behind you..not a happy place to be from a liability point of view.
the service advisor who initially called lexus/toyota corporate has now been caught in several lies in my opinion (i dont want this to get personal so i will not go further on that string)
is this a latch issue? a strut issue or a product liability issue? i have always driven new cars..never had such a runaround from supposedly one of the top selling lexus dealers in the country..OMG it was LAUGHABLE AND PATHETIC!

 

Not saying you're wrong by any means but the amount of air pressure it would take to trigger the auto response from the liftgate just doesn't (in my mind) seem to exist from the closing of a rear door. Auto manfacturers include 'air extractors' in every automobile specifically for this reason.

This is due to the fact that most automobiles are almost air tight in their seals to prevent outside noise. Increase in cabin pressure equals lower perceived quality, thus the venting. Sounds like what you're describing would be a design flaw and thus many many more complaints.

Maybe its just a faulty locking mechanism? Sounds more like a sensor is confirming the hatch is closed when it isn't and thus not triggering any alarms or re-raising of the hatch.

Either way, agree that it is a problem that should be rectified by Lexus. Escalate to Corporate without bashing the product, keep it respectful and explain your situation. No reason why they wouldn't want to fix the situation for you. Hopefully under warranty or goodwill.

 

Which Lexus dealership are you dealing with? Is there another nearby? As mentioned previous, do not hesitate to call Lexus Corporate, the toll-free number is listed in your Owner's Manual, to express your concerns and the lack of concern with the dealership and how your problems is being treated.

 

Looks like you may have found a loop hole in the rear hatch/sensor system. I haven't tested it on mine (yet), but if you know exactly when the issue occurs, can you not prevent it? i.e. Can you wait the extra 2-3 seconds for the hatch to close and lock, then close the rear driver's door? Not trying to undermine the issue and if this is important to you, you should pursue it to Corporate as the others above responded based on how the dealer treated you. If I get a chance today, i'll test this strange behavior on mine. Good luck.

BTW, what year is your RX?

 

Call 800-25LEXUS. Mention this being a safety issue. They should be very receptive, considering recent history.
Usually, Lexus has a great service. I always got treated well when calling the corporate.

 

hi vlad, are you a male. makes a difference believe me.

thanks for reminding me of calling corporate. it was on this list of things to do today.
i just got off the phone with corporate. the phone number is easily accessed on the web and i speak to someone about this. waiting to see how they handle it. yes, given the recent 1.2 bil fine i dont think they want me to wrap my car in a giant lemon wrap and drive it around town. i am all for giving them a chance to fix it .
it happens mainly at night with my hatch filled with stuff in the cool air about 8 or 9 pm pacific time. it occured at least 4 times at about that hour. it is hard to duplicate but it does happen. i hope no one gets injured because of this problem with debris falling out the back gate while driving. i think that happened to me early april. no one was hit fortunately but i did lose something important to me.

i can do all the things to stop it from happening like standing there and waiting etc. whats the point of a power gate if you have to wait there in the rain or snow..the beeps are almost like seat belt beeps is you do hear them..not very loud..with all the ring tone apps you would think they could have someone saying gate open etc or god bless america and keep her safe ...lock the hatch...etc..very bizarre for a new car to do this.

.i am sure i am not the only one..has anyone else had this problem?

 

I know plenty of women who can get what they want. It is all about being persistent and remaining professional, LOL.

 

The way you describe it indeed sounds like a safety issue. If no satisfaction with lexus report it to nhtsa.

 

gaga, I'm sorry to hear you're having problems with the tailgate latch. Clearly there's something wrong. The advice vlad gave about being persistent and professional is right on. Since it seems to happen at a particular time, it might be worth trying to video tape it and present it to the service manager and regional rep. I know that shouldn't be something you have to do but it will only help in getting the problem resolved. I wish you luck and please keep us posted.

 

hi anita
dont worry about persistant...try relentless..when i am trying to find out if others have had this issue i am serious..
is it my car or all the rx350 suvs from 2010 to present or just 2013

i dont have a problem being female and dealing with service or sales they do..
.i just want to know if others have had this problem..
as follows:
try closing the gate and back driver side passenger door at the approximate same time when air is cool and you are on level ground..what happens..does the lift gate push out a bit before it engages the lock.
does it not lock .
or does it smoothly close every time you shut( or slam) the back door simultaneously when the gate is about to latch..do you get that push of air out the back?what happens?..thats what i am trying to figure out..
please let me know.
i truly appreciate your replies..i know we can get to the bottom of this if more of you respond..thanks so much!

 

hi afpj,
yes thats on this list if i dont get the issue resolved. my other thought was to get my car wrapped like a lemon and drive it around town with the dealers license plate frame around my plate..i am not proud..i like lemonade ..

 

hi again. can someone try to do the shut the back door and hatch at the same time and see if pressure pushed out the liftgate hatch before it engages..please keep the windows up while doing this and have the other doors closed firmly...i am still not hearing back from anyone. are they in breach of warrantee if they dont want to even look at this at the dealer..thanks

 

Did you see my post #2? Can you imagine the effect it would have on your comfort if any amount of air pressure changed every time the door opens. And then enough air pressure to push out the liftgate?

Instead of using this air pressure scenario to describe it, just tell them that your rear hatch is not locking properly and will raise when driving. Then let them go diagnose the issue and hopefully correct it.

I'm confused about your timeline:

The hatch flew open and caused 3k worth of damage which sent you to the dealer. What happened? Did they not repair the hatch and send you to corporate?

You were able to re-create some of the issue with a service manager present and the hatch flew open while driving? What did the write up say? Why wouldn't the hatch not locking property that one instance be enough for them to take your car in for repairs?

Are the hydraulics in your hatch working? I haven't seen a hatch 'fly' up quickly on any RX.

As was asked previously, is your car under warranty? Have you tried to deal with a different dealership?

Not sure you need for anyone to "re-create" the problem. Your hatch not locking properly is enough of an issue on a single case basis on a safety aspect alone.

 

GAGA: Here's why you are not getting your problem solved here:
You are asking if anyone else is having this problem. A yes answer won't solve the issue, neither will a no answer. You've got your question answered, but no resolution.
I'm going to side with the person that said: "Tell the dealer your hatch opens while you are driving down the road." That's all they need to know. This helps them focus on the problem.
Good luck. Please keep us posted on the final fix. BTW, I'm not willing to slam two doors shut at the same time to find out if pressure fails the back latch.
Ray A.

 

hi, thanks all of you for your input. i appreciate it.
well today the wierdest thing happened..i was loading things into the trunk...gate was open...all of a sudden i hear a beep and the gate starts coming down on my head..hit me a bit but i ducked out of the way..so off i went to the dealer again..did the PERSISTENT thing..as vlad mentioned...
flipped out at the service guys and next thing you know..they were giving me a loaner and took the car in to check..(theres more to this part but i want to get to the point)..they refused to take it in to check it before they threw it into corporates hands..thats the fault of one of the service managers in my opinion....spoke to his superior who got a call from corporate to take my car in and have it checked and give me a loaner.
.thanks to you who suggested the corporate call!
..the number is easily obtained. its in torrance calif...
..that being said there is some progress here.. at least they have the car as of tonight and can check it out..

i am asking if anyone here has similar issues because i want to know what happened to them and how it was handled..i have already told the dealer what the problem was and have for quite a while.
so again i hope that anyone else that has or is having this issue please let me know.i want to know how they remedied the problem. or if its fixable
btw RAY ...why not try closing that back door and the liftgate sort of nearly at the same time..are you worried that it might fail?

i dont know if its a design flaw or if its just my car..that is why i am asking others to let me know. if its a design flaw it would be an awful thing and quite unsafe for children , dogs and of course your stuff as well as you..
your input is truly appreciated..i guess i need to be angry enough to push it..why did i have to even get to that point. they should have taken the car into service in the first place..i totally agree..it took me to blow a gasket(me not the car) for them to pay attention..i hate having to do that..
thanks again for your input..always well taken..btw i passed along the silicone spray to someone else today..