jmcraney

Some of the LS460s and LS600s have defective doorjamb switches. Bad doorjamb switches cause lots of problems. Several of the car’s features, including some important safety features are compromised when one or more of the doorjamb switches are defective. The most common doorjamb switch failure mode seems to be the inability to sense when a door is open and may cause the headlights auto-off feature to not work, resulting in a discharged battery. Another feature that may not work when the switch is bad is the auto-relock inhibit and that may result in locking your keys, and child or pet, in the car – women are especially susceptible to this because they carry their keys in their purses and not on their person. Another feature, and an important safety feature, that is defeated by bad switches is the HOLD-cancelation if one of the doors is opened. And another very important safety feature that is disabled by bad switches is the warning that the car is being left with the ignition on or the engine running – this may result in the occupants of homes where cars are garaged being killed by fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

There are lots of ways to test the switches. Here is a way to test your doorjamb switches to see if they are sensing open doors that should take about 10 minutes.

1. You should make sure that none of your spare electronic keys are in the car and that you have only one key on your person.
2. Lower all 4 windows in the doors.
3. Start with the driver’s door: with your electronic key in your hand, push the LOCK button two times quickly to lock all the doors. Then push the UNLOCK button quickly two times to unlock all the doors. Then use the door handle to open the door and lay the electronic key on the seat and close the door. You must complete this sequence in less than 30 seconds.
4. Using a stopwatch, wait 2 minutes and then retrieve the key from the seat by using the door handle to open the door.

If you are able to retrieve your key by opening the door then your doorjamb switch is likely good. If you have to retrieve your key through the window then the switch is likely bad.

You need to repeat this test at each door.

These switches are inexpensive and easy to replace and a DIY project for some.

slimjimtel

Nice Write up….

The question is, if you replace your door switches with new ones, has there been any update or modification by Lexus to address the previous faulty switch? OR, are you replacing the switch with the same poorly constructed part you just removed?

jmcraney

Your question is a good one. Without some failure analysis it is difficult to know exactly what is going on with the doorjamb switch problems. It may be that the switches are not bad and the problem is a corrosion problem with the switch mounting, or some of the switches may be defective, or it may be a combination of corrosion and bad switches.

Here are a couple of links that might be helpful:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...rning-off.html

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/7864196-post30.html

randomwalk

Anyone had the part number for this switch?

lieup

I just noticed my rear left side door jam sensor is acting crazy. Sometimes, when I open the rear driver side none of the lights turn on but if wiggle the sensor all rear lights works.

hfahmy

Anyone knows if the Door Jamb Switch covered by CPO? I know it is $22 but wondering if I replaced it myself or ask the dealer, if covered, to do in the next oil change.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

Yes, it should be covered. And it should be an easy enough replacement (one screw and a pull-off plug). The only wrinkle is that, on mine, the wiring harness to the switch is too short to pull it out of the metal jamb so they would have to figure out some way of disconnecting it, and replacing with the new switch from inside the doorjamb! Haven't figured out how they would do that (maybe take off the interior trim panel).

Vvman

8423150190.

duckblue

Thank you jmcraney for the writeup. I noticed some my door lights would flicker sometimes after opening the door, or sometimes not even come on. If I toggled that door jamb switch by hand, then the door lights tend to come on afterwards.

FYI for others, LexusMelbourne sells this part for $19.xx on ebay

Thanks again for the writeup, making it an easy DIY fix.

jafoo

I just wanted to let others know if you do need the door jamb switch it is available at Rock Auto for $13.74 part number AW1047. It can be found looking up a 2007 LS460 in the electrical switch and relay. I have a 2009 and it is not listed for that year but I took the chance and it installs and works like OEM. Another tip is to just swap the drivers door switch with rear door. My issue is all of mine are flakey but just replaced the drivers since that is the one that gives signal to turn off headlights.

jasone36

I'm wondering if this is still an issue for the 2013+ models.

jmcraney

If you can afford it, you should replace all the defective doorjamb switches as it is possible to lock your keys in the car through any door with a defective switch. And there are some other safety features that are impacted by defective doorjamb switches on any door.

It is so simple to check the switches that you should just check all the switches at least once, and periodically if you can remember. The locking-the-keys-in-the-car test was for dramatization - just see if the courtesy light on the bottom comes on every time you open the door. I don't have any indications as to this being year related and there are some indications that some of these problems may be corrosion related. CHECK ALL THOSE DOORJAMB SWITCHES AT LEAST ONCE, PLEASE!

jdanielca

What kind of screw is that...?

joedaddy1

iTrader: (1)

I ordered the door switches from Alibaba Express. All 4 as a set for $24 shipped. Shipping takes about 3-4 weeks. Genuine Toyota part is about $80 shipped for 4.
Link: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4PCS...801733914.html

Works very well for the past month.. I'll update this post if it blows up, but it's a simple switch.

I know these are "chinese" parts, but they are not tied to safety, and I bet the generics from RockAuto is 100% or 99.9% the same thing.

R Z

I know my drivers side switch is wonky. When I open the door on most occasions, my vanity floor light is out as is the interior. Thanks to this thread I knew to check the switch. If I punch it in and out the lights come on. So, I undid it and thought about swapping it out with the back door. However, there isn't enough wire to pull it out of the socket. If I were to disconnect the switch, I'm concerned it would fall into the door panel. So, I just screwed it back in. Is there a trick to this?