zes

The 2015 ES models have the feature where the cars can be locked unlocked started etc remotely via Lexus Enform. I was told that e only difference between the 2013, 14 and 15 models is software. I am wondering if one can update the software on the 13 and 14s to also enable this feature.

dchar

Sorry but the software and hardware is different on the 2015. So 2013 and 2014 cannot have the updated system that includes Enform Remote, but you can get dealer installed RES.

Both systems require an expensive subscription.

TechNut

Yes, the remote access is an add on top of SOS. Lexus quoted me $219.90 per year for the SOS/Remote "package".

It does have some challenges as a 1.0 version. It is designed to expect you to lock the door any time you turn the engine off. So if you are cleaning it in your driveway, it keeps sending alerts that your doors, hood, and/or trunk are open or unlocked. It also squawks if you pull in your garage and just walk away without locking it while in the garage. I can either lock it in the garage or turn off the notifications (or just delete them as I have done so far). I do wish the app had a third option, of marking one or more locations as "home", and when the vehicle is located there, no alerts will be sent. My wife went out to it in her office parking lot and unlocked it to set something in it, and it sent me a notification. When the dealer had it to apply the Zylon and add the clear bra, it kept notifying me that one door or the other was open/unlocked. I hate to turn the notifications off but it is getting really noisy. There needs to be some happy middle ground and I think marking our home and offices as "home(s)" would probably fix that particular issue.

It has some other design limitations that I'm not sure I like. For example, you can only start the car remotely if it is locked. Taken alone, this seems OK. However, you cannot unlock the doors if the engine is running. So if you didn't have the key on you and need to move it for any reason, you would have to send it an unlock command, get in the car, send it a lock command, then send it a start command. The remote start will automatically shut off at ten minutes. I wonder if it would shut off with the car moving....

Overall the app is pretty cool and a few minor changes would make it terrific. You can obviously lock, unlock, start, or find the car. You can also set it up for a guest driver. I don't know if things like radius or speed limit settings control the cars actual behavior, or more likely it just sends an alert if any of the thresholds you set for the guest driver are exceeded.

It also has a vehicle status option that tells you the status of each door, window, trunk and hood as well as odometer, fuel level and "miles to empty".

All told, pretty clever but it needs a minor bit of tweaking.

sharmila19

Hardware including the screen?

Mike728

The screen manufacturer? The screen is 7" for standard models and 8" on the Mark Levinson optioned model. I don't think that's changed from 2013.

sharmila19

Thank you was reading the changes here
http://pressroom.lexus.com/releases/...ship+style.htm

and it sounded like there was a change in the screen...\

"The new standard Display Audio uses a seven-inch touch-screen and also includes HD Radio™, Bluetooth® audio, automatic phone book transfer, a vehicle information display and complimentary traffic and weather data provided via HD Radio. If a favorite song comes on the radio while you’re busy with something else, like waiting at a bank drive-through, use the cache radio feature to pause it for up to 15-minutes and then listen later."

lesz

I don't think that is quite correct. My ES has the navigation system, but I have the premium audio system and not the Mark Levinson system, and my screen is an 8" screen.

dchar

Screen size depends if you have navigation or not. I believe that's how it has been since Lexus updated the ES in 2013.

The screen hasn't changed for 2015, but the hardware behind it has changed to run the new software. That's why it has new stuff like free HD radio traffic, free weather, ability to pause live radio, 3D map view, improved voice control, new interface look, and Lexus Enform remote.

Mike728

Thanks for the correction. It wasn't clear to me on the Lexus website.

qluu86

This is a silly question, but I too have Navi on a 2013 model but my screen is no where near as big as the GS I had before. I would say it's only 7" unless I'm wrong about he size of the GS350's screen size. Can someone help me out with this?

dchar

I'm not sure which generation GS you're referring to, but the current gen has a 12.3" screen while the previous gen only had a 7" screen. The ES has an 8" screen when you have Nav.

qluu86

Sorry about that. I was referring to a 2012 GS350 Awd model.

**My apologies, dchar I checked my old pictures, but it's not an F-Sport if that make any difference.



But does anyone know if the GS350 screen will be compatible with the current ES350?