How to open the car or hood when battery is dead
01-11-22 | 08:34 AM
#31
Racer
OK, you talked me into it.
I went out and used the key to unlock the doors with the battery connected and I could hear the solenoids fire and the door/doors unlocked. So, if the battery is good and you use the key, it will electronically unlock the doors.
Next, I disconnected the battery negative cable and tried the remotes to unlock the doors - nothing. Lock, of course didn't flash the parking lights either. Then I used the key and it mechanically raised the door lock button. Then I was able to open the drivers door. I have a video of it with me fumbling in the cold with the key...
My thoughts are that something is mechanically wrong with the OP's vehicle and the rod connection between the lock cylinder and the door latch mechanism is broken or not connected. Lexus DID provide a way to unlock and open the drivers door if the vehicles battery is totally dead.
I went out and used the key to unlock the doors with the battery connected and I could hear the solenoids fire and the door/doors unlocked. So, if the battery is good and you use the key, it will electronically unlock the doors.
Next, I disconnected the battery negative cable and tried the remotes to unlock the doors - nothing. Lock, of course didn't flash the parking lights either. Then I used the key and it mechanically raised the door lock button. Then I was able to open the drivers door. I have a video of it with me fumbling in the cold with the key...
My thoughts are that something is mechanically wrong with the OP's vehicle and the rod connection between the lock cylinder and the door latch mechanism is broken or not connected. Lexus DID provide a way to unlock and open the drivers door if the vehicles battery is totally dead.
This makes sense, what rc16 said did not sound right. He may experience another problem with his lock.
01-11-22 | 08:40 AM
#32
Racer
[QUOTE @OP: you aren’t trying to break into someone else’s car, are you? Ha, JK! Hope you get it resolved![/QUOTE]
You know you may have a point!
It happened to me 2 yrs ago I was trying to get into my car and the FOB did not work, so I tried the key it did not work when someone came up and asked me, what are you trying to do?
Get into my car, I replied. Well he said, you car is there (1 parking spot away) this is mine!
I was so surprised as this colour is not very common and what would be the odds of the same 2 vehicles being parked one next to the other on the same day and time.
You know you may have a point!
It happened to me 2 yrs ago I was trying to get into my car and the FOB did not work, so I tried the key it did not work when someone came up and asked me, what are you trying to do?
Get into my car, I replied. Well he said, you car is there (1 parking spot away) this is mine!
I was so surprised as this colour is not very common and what would be the odds of the same 2 vehicles being parked one next to the other on the same day and time.
01-11-22 | 08:54 AM
#33
It happened to me 2 yrs ago I was trying to get into my car and the FOB did not work, so I tried the key it did not work when someone came up and asked me, what are you trying to do?
Get into my car, I replied. Well he said, you car is there (1 parking spot away) this is mine!
I was so surprised as this colour is not very common and what would be the odds of the same 2 vehicles being parked one next to the other on the same day and time.[/QUOTE]
Did you make bail?
01-11-22 | 09:06 AM
#34
Lexus Test Driver
OK, you talked me into it.
I went out and used the key to unlock the doors with the battery connected and I could hear the solenoids fire and the door/doors unlocked. So, if the battery is good and you use the key, it will electronically unlock the doors.
Next, I disconnected the battery negative cable and tried the remotes to unlock the doors - nothing. Lock, of course didn't flash the parking lights either. Then I used the key and it mechanically raised the door lock button. Then I was able to open the drivers door.
I have a video of it with me fumbling in the cold with the key...
My thoughts are that something is mechanically wrong with the OP's vehicle and the rod connection between the lock cylinder and the door latch mechanism is broken or not connected. Lexus DID provide a way to unlock and open the drivers door if the vehicles battery is totally dead.
I went out and used the key to unlock the doors with the battery connected and I could hear the solenoids fire and the door/doors unlocked. So, if the battery is good and you use the key, it will electronically unlock the doors.
Next, I disconnected the battery negative cable and tried the remotes to unlock the doors - nothing. Lock, of course didn't flash the parking lights either. Then I used the key and it mechanically raised the door lock button. Then I was able to open the drivers door.
I have a video of it with me fumbling in the cold with the key...
My thoughts are that something is mechanically wrong with the OP's vehicle and the rod connection between the lock cylinder and the door latch mechanism is broken or not connected. Lexus DID provide a way to unlock and open the drivers door if the vehicles battery is totally dead.
01-11-22 | 09:08 AM
#35
Racer
You know you may have a point!
It happened to me 2 yrs ago I was trying to get into my car and the FOB did not work, so I tried the key it did not work when someone came up and asked me, what are you trying to do?
Get into my car, I replied. Well he said, you car is there (1 parking spot away) this is mine!
I was so surprised as this colour is not very common and what would be the odds of the same 2 vehicles being parked one next to the other on the same day and time.
It happened to me 2 yrs ago I was trying to get into my car and the FOB did not work, so I tried the key it did not work when someone came up and asked me, what are you trying to do?
Get into my car, I replied. Well he said, you car is there (1 parking spot away) this is mine!
I was so surprised as this colour is not very common and what would be the odds of the same 2 vehicles being parked one next to the other on the same day and time.
I had connections, Judge Judy set me free on my own recognizance!
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redhot47fl (01-11-22)
01-11-22 | 09:13 AM
#36
It happened to me 2 yrs ago I was trying to get into my car and the FOB did not work, so I tried the key it did not work when someone came up and asked me, what are you trying to do?
Get into my car, I replied. Well he said, you car is there (1 parking spot away) this is mine!
I was so surprised as this colour is not very common and what would be the odds of the same 2 vehicles being parked one next to the other on the same day and time.[/QUOTE]
I was originally thinking he/she doesn’t even own a RX at all (new poster, with his first post being this thread) and was trying to get into a RX, but your scenario is entirely plausible as well. I mean, what are the odds a mechanical door lock would fail? Maybe he/she is a mechanic with more than one RX in the shop?
Last edited by vantage78; 01-11-22 at 09:16 AM.
01-11-22 | 09:14 AM
#37
To FlopTop04:
Is your car a 4th generation RX350? I am asking because my previous RX350 (2007) did not have the problem. Also, it says in the 2017 manual (P662) that "turning the key again unlocks the other doors". How could this be possible with a dead car battery?
Is your car a 4th generation RX350? I am asking because my previous RX350 (2007) did not have the problem. Also, it says in the 2017 manual (P662) that "turning the key again unlocks the other doors". How could this be possible with a dead car battery?
01-11-22 | 09:21 AM
#38
01-11-22 | 09:36 AM
#39
I would agree with a previous post that you probably have a broken mechanical connection inside the drivers door. As I said before, how in the world would Lexus expect you to access your car in the event of a dead battery?
I guess if you indeed have a broken part in the door, we'll find out the answer to that question soon enough!
01-11-22 | 09:37 AM
#40
After you turn the key (clock wise), you NEED to removed the key,
release the handle and pull it again. The door will open. Of course, without battery, you can not lock/unlock other doors from the driver door.
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ravenuer (01-11-22)
01-11-22 | 09:54 AM
#41
Racer
- Unlocking the door.
Turning the key rearward unlocks the driver’s door. Turning the key again unlocks the other doors.
So if the battery is dead it would NOT unlock all doors, but only the driver's.
01-11-22 | 10:12 AM
#42
Glad I watched the video. Now I know where the key goes. Don’t forget, if the doors aren’t opening we don’t have access to the owners manual in the glove box 
.
Yes, Google would be my friend. Somehow I just don’t have the drive to read all 500 pages of the variety of manuals that come with the car. To me it’s on a “Need to know” basis
. Yes, Google would be my friend. Somehow I just don’t have the drive to read all 500 pages of the variety of manuals that come with the car. To me it’s on a “Need to know” basis
01-11-22 | 10:21 AM
#43
Racer
Glad I watched the video. Now I know where the key goes. Don’t forget, if the doors aren’t opening we don’t have access to the owners manual in the glove box .
Yes, Google would be my friend. Somehow I just don’t have the drive to read all 500 pages of the variety of manuals that come with the car. To me it’s on a “Need to know” basis
.Yes, Google would be my friend. Somehow I just don’t have the drive to read all 500 pages of the variety of manuals that come with the car. To me it’s on a “Need to know” basis
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jjscsix (01-11-22)
01-11-22 | 10:25 AM
#44
Lexus Test Driver
Mine is a 2018 RX350, same GEN 4 as yours. You are correct with the fact that you can use the key and turn it twice to unlock all the doors IF the battery is good. I mentioned that I could actually hear the door lock solenoids fire when I used the key with the battery connected. With the battery disconnected that didn't happen. With the battery disconnected, turning the key in the door lock cylinder only raised the door lock button and unlocked the drivers door. I'll post a link to the video. I uploaded it to YouTube.
https://youtu.be/rMeleMsT3D4
https://youtu.be/rMeleMsT3D4
01-11-22 | 10:28 AM
#45
Dear FlopTop04:
Thank you for testing and posting your video. It is very convincing. So now, why is it that I cannot open the door with the mechanical key? Could it be that my 2017 is different from your 2018 which is very unlikely? Could it be that the campaign work done on the door at the dealers about 2 years ago was not done correctly, it is unlikely but possible. And lastly it is possible that I did not follow the manual directions to the letter. I will try again but cannot do it right now as my car was left about 60 miles from my home.
RC16
Thank you for testing and posting your video. It is very convincing. So now, why is it that I cannot open the door with the mechanical key? Could it be that my 2017 is different from your 2018 which is very unlikely? Could it be that the campaign work done on the door at the dealers about 2 years ago was not done correctly, it is unlikely but possible. And lastly it is possible that I did not follow the manual directions to the letter. I will try again but cannot do it right now as my car was left about 60 miles from my home.
RC16