silverfock

We have owned a 2003 Lexus ES 300 since 2003. The car was parked inactive for a month. I did drive it to fill the gas tank and it was fine.
Upon trying to access it this past Monday the key fob would not open the door or the trunk. The key would not open the door. I had the battery in the fob replaced by a locksmith who tested it and said the battery was solid and the fob was sending out a signal. It still would not work. Called AAA and they could not open the car either. They said something about the security system may have been engaged. Called Lexus dealers and they had no idea what the problem was. We cannot access the car.
Any suggestions other than breaking a window.
Thanks

PFB

Does the key not even open the doors manually? Do you have another key you can try?

Also, are you sure it's the right key? After a month of not using it, maybe you mixed something up.

As a last resort, get some lock lubricant such as graphite lube, spray it linearly inside the door lock, than jiggle the key several times in the lock. You may get lucky.

Do you Remember how long ago you used that key to open the doors manually ?

crwys

I definitely would say your are not using the correct key.
Another option would to bring your proof of ownership to a Lexus dealer so they can cut you a key.

Also if the car has been sitting for a long time the car battery might be dead which is why the key fob isn't working

silverfock

No it is the correct key and the only other key is a valet key which also does not work.
The battery to the fob was just replaced and we tried the graphite etc and still no opening. There is not a sound out of the locking system when using the fob or the key
I drove the car 5 days before my Son returned and it worked fine.
Even had the battery in the car been dead the key should work to open the lock manually
AAA said someone may have tried to enter the car and triggered the lockdown system

crwys

Even if this "lockdown system" was triggered, nothing should be preventing you from inserting the key and turning it to unlock the car. It's all mechanical.
Unless I'm missing something here.
And if Lexus doesn't know what to do.

The only thing this leads back to is an incorrect key. Have you tried opening the trunk with the key?

dicer

Get some spray lube from the lock smith and lube them.

speedkar9

You haven't used the mechanical lock in a while it could be seized. There is no lockdown system preventing you from opening the door manually. That's why its a good idea once in a while to open the door with the key instead of always using the remote.

Nevertheless if the car has been sitting a while the battery might be dead, causing the vehicle not to respond to the remote. A good locksmith might be able to unlock the car using a wire between the door weather stripping to flip the thumb tab inside. Or he could pull the hood cable from underneath the front bumper and jump the battery.

mmatheny

Does the key not turn, or it turns but does nothing? On EITHER of the front doors?

silverfock

Thank you all for your help. I did take the opening hood from under the tire well and it worked. We discovered the alarm had been triggered and continued to run until the battery wore out and then kept the battery from recharging killing all access to the car. Recharged the battery and everything works.

mmatheny

You say you opened the hood from the tire well? How exactly?

crwys

In my 99 the alaram only goes for 60 seconds to prevent the battery from being drained. Is this not the case for the newer cars? Unless someone tried to break in repeatedly

PFB

That doesn't explain however why you couldn't open your doors with your key.

LeX2K

Really makes you wonder why they won't answer this question doesn't it.

PFB

Agreed. A proper answer would have helped others in that situation.

Its not fair to others when people ask for help, members reply, than the original poster doesn't follow up.

crwys

Hmmmm. Trying to break into someone's car who left only the key fob behind?!?!