bunka

Does your Radar Cruise Control function below 25MPH? I ask because my wife's ES300h simply "beeps" once below 25 MPH & cruise turns itself off which seems to defeat the purpose of using it for "crawling" interstate traffic. Luckily she doesn't drive into the city when there is a lot of congestion and therefore she doesn't actually use this feature so no biggie for her but not what I had expected when we selected this option. I assume the PCS will still work even when the cruise is disabled but luckily we have not had any "opportunity" to experience it.

PS - We learned about the PCS recall when we took the car in for a 15K service today (no letter or email yet). Our Service Writer stated "Lexus does NOT have a fix for this at this time. We have disabled your system until we learn what can be done to correct the flaw".

mspearl95

yeah the cruise control automatically shuts off below 25.

When they disabled the PCS, did it also disable the dynamic cruise?

bunka

No idea. The wife drives that car and, as outlined above, she doesn't use the dynamic cruise. I am traveling for work & leisure so it may be a number of weeks before I would have an opportunity to drive the car myself so perhaps others can chime in.

jollick

I had both my ES vehicles at the dealer for service within the last 2 weeks. They knew about the PCS recall but did not disable it due to not having the stickers they use to warn you it is disabled. They put the sticker on the dashboard somewhere. It should not disable the radar cruise control. To disable PCS yourself just push the little button located in the glove compartment. I left mine on as it activated once and probably saved me from a collision when someone not paying attention came out of a parking lot on a 50 mph road when they should have waited. The seat-belts tightened and the brakes hit hard all on their own. I was impressed and was glad I had the PCS option. I will leave it on until the fix it ready. I have never had a false PCS activation.

chrisexv6

I was under the impression PCS and radar cruise were operated by the same switch....if not then that's not TOO bad. Still a little perturbed Ill technically have to disable something I paid for

My worry in the long run is that Toyota/Lexus doesn't really come up with a fix..........there aren't that many of these cars out there so what's not to say they wont just take their hits on a case-by-case basis? Like refund the $$$ paid for the option to disavow all responsibility?

mspearl95

yeah i was wondering about that too... you can't just take away an option(due to fault) that people paid for without some kind of compensation.

chrisexv6

As nutty as it sounds, if it came down to that I would really push them to put me in a car with working PCS (i.e. a 2016). Lots of other brands have PCS systems that seem to work just fine and even Lexus has a system that works just fine too, its just not in our cars.

On the flip side I have a feeling they are going to work out how to get the new system into the '15 and earlier cars. I think its harder than swapping parts because there may be different/new interior displays involved....I think the exterior components are easier to integrate.

chrisexv6

FYI - just had the recall done. They put a hang tag near the left knee bolster that says PCS is disabled as an interim fix. I spoke to the service manager and they are confident the solution will be an updated module and that "giving money back for the option" is NOT an option.

And further FYI - turning off PCS DOES NOT disable radar cruise. It still worked fine on my way home from the dealer.

SLH

This problem with PCS was known and reported two years ago. See, https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...rawbridge.html . I live in Fort Lauderdale. This area has about two dozen draw-bridges with metal grates. Based on the reports of problems with metal-grate bridges, I chose NOT to buy PCS two years ago.

I am only surprised that NTSA and Toyota took this long to realize that a radar system could be affected by large metal objects, such as bridge grates and guard rails. I wonder how many people got injured in the interim.

Hctkbt

Great info. What I've been wondering is whether anyone has have a problem with PCS NOT activating the brakes when it has detected? Although I'm not 100% certain I've experienced two events where I'm pretty sure that had I not reacted to the audible warning and hit the brakes myself, my ES350 (2014 model) would hit hit the car in front! Hence I don't think the PCS is activating my brakes! I asked the dealer about this and they said that you 1st have to hit the brakes and THEN the PCS 'assists' in braking. This seems odd based on a recall indicating unwanted braking should the PCS be activated by mistake. Clearly in a situation like that I would not have first hit the brakes for an unexpected and inappropriate activation of the PCS!

Looking forward to some advice!

mspearl95

regarding PCS braking- I think i remember reading that the PCS first sounds the warning, then if there is no response(braking) from the driver, the brakes activate and seat belts lock.

Hctkbt

So it's possible then that I reacted so quickly that the brakes weren't activated? And in cruise control the brakes are used automatically so I guess the system that controls them automatically must be intact. Still I think
I'll want my dealer to test braking initiation with them PCS.

mspearl95

page 306 of the manual(for 2013) states:

PRE- COLLISION BRAKING

When there is a high probability of a frontal collision, the system warns the driver using a warning light, warning display, and buzzer. If the system determines that a collision is unavoidable, the brakes are automatically applied to reduce the collision speed.


interestingly, page 309 is a whole list of things that may trigger the system even if there is no possibility of a collision, including driving over a narrow iron bridge, or if there is a metal object on the road surface. So it appears toyota DID know about these issues before hand, so i wonder why it was released, only to be recalled?

chrisexv6

Im wondering if, now that they have a system that works better, they are "recalling" the original system to replace it?

Or maybe the whole "going down a hill and the metal grate setting off the system" is deemed less safe than being on a straightaway on a bridge and it activating out of the blue.

Either way Im kinda hopeful they figure out how to retro the new version into the older car(s). It seems like the new PCS system is a good improvement over the old, but I dont know if there are other things that need to come over too (like an interior display, exterior sensors, etc)

bunka

It's been THREE MONTHS since Lexus disabled our PCS and we have still not heard a word. Anyone else heard from them with the final determination on how they are going to address this?