Tec80

My fob works fine to start the car, but then randomly while driving the car loses "sight" of the fob and an annoying flashing warning triangle appears along with "Key not detected". It did this right after I took CPO delivery (new fob batteries), but I replaced the fob batteries twice more (using 2 different sources and brands) and it still does the same thing. I think it is the smart key module in the car that is flaking out, because it does the same thing with both fobs and 3 different new fob batteries. On occasion it will tell me to touch the fob to the start button to be able to start the car.

So I now have 3 issues for the dealer to fix - the peeling trim around the nav unit, the smart key issue, and poorly-balanced tires (done by the selling dealer). Otherwise, everything is excellent. Hopefully the dealer (only one within 150 miles) is good. I will ask them to road force balance the tires since they do have a Hunter GSP9700. Tires are new (installed during CPO), Yokohama Avid Envigor - which are not the best tires, they flat-spot overnight and take about 5 miles to fully smooth out.

LordBowral

Is your phone in your pocket next to the key ? something is blocking the signal ..I have a metal credit card case and it does the same thing ..

Tec80

Nope, it will do it even if I put the fob on the dash, console, wave it around, etc. The buttons on the fob work to lock and unlock the car, but that transmitter must be different from the smart key transmitter (the car will lock and unlock with the fob even as it says "Key not detected").

Irritating in an otherwise awesome car. I have an appointment tomorrow morning to fix all 3 items!

R Z

Very well could be a bad key fob. Take it back and tell them to fix it or swap it out.

Tec80

Holy crap, stellar service from Lexus of Peoria (IL)! They replaced everything free of charge to the tune of $7k, including an entire new $3200 nav unit due to the peeling metal trim around it!

Becker135

I also had the "metal" peeling around the NAV unit, and it was replaced by the dealership. 2011 460L.

And my second key fob isn't being recognized by the car now unless I touch it to the Start button first. Looking for answers without going back to the dealership.

jmcraney

The remote key employs two technologies to start the car. The "touch the button" is the alternate and that uses NFC and does not use a battery. The primary method is an RF interrogation method and depends on an RF transmitter in the remote key to respond when interrogated by the car when the Start button is pressed and while the brake pedal is depressed. So, if you haven't already replaced the battery in the the remote key, that would be a good place to start.

Replacement of the remote key battery is a simple DIY project. There are instructions in several threads in our forum.

Tec80

My fix involved the dealer replacing the car-side smartkey module, and reprogramming both keys to the new module. If only 1 key displays the problem, it is the key battery - but in my case the issue occurred with both keys, 3 new batteries, etc.

The entire nav unit ($3200!) was replaced to fix the peeling trim, because the trim only comes as part of the nav unit assembly.

And, both front air struts were replaced due to a rattle/slightly loose feeling when in Comfort mode.

Good thing this car is still under B2B warranty! It just clicked over 49,000 miles and was built 8/11.

Having driven a non-air suspension LS460, I would not buy one with air suspension again. The idea of having to replace zillion-dollar air struts every 50k is not worth the tiny improvement in ride that they provide over the $100 base struts.

No automaker has ever been able to make a reliable air suspension system. Lincoln, Range Rover, and even Lexus have discovered this. At least it is cheaper than the M-B ABC system when it fails!

Devh

That's very true. I will also add that I have built my other cars suspension from the ground up and I'm very much in tune with subtitle changes.
I never noticed much of any advantage with the air suspension ride and the settings did not make a discernible difference to me.

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

I have 130k miles on my 11 year old air suspension and they still work great. Many owners with 400's and 430's don't loose air shocks until well past 100k miles. Not too bad considering. No, they don't tend to last as well as regular shocks but the 400 and 430 still have great reliability with the air suspension vs other makes.

AAH

Hi I am from Trinidad. My 2008 Lexus is 250 is an import from Japan . The key fob when placed on the start engine button, without the battery, won't turn the light green for me to start. The locksmith says something may be wrong with the sensor on the switch. Can this be true? I want to have a plan in case the battery dies on me.

jmcraney

Be sure you depress and hold the brake pedal before before you touch the wireless-remote-key to the Start switch. You must keep the brake pedal depressed until you start the engine. If the brake vacuum reserve has been depleted you will have to depress the brake pedal rather firmly. And be sure to touch the Lexus-logo on the wireless remote key to the Start switch.

AAH

Thanks, I just tried this but no success. After doing some reading online i saw that there's a possibility that the engine start stop switch showed in the link below may be faulty as it has some kind of antenna or coil of some sort that works with the key when trying to start the car with dead or no battery in the remote.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Toyot...999.261.zq2ubZ

Do you think this may be the issue?

jmcraney

I am unable to provide any additional guidance other than to tell you that we don't see many reports in our forum about failures of this feature. Since we don't see reports about this I would think that it is statistically unlikely that the switch is defective and the problem is more likely your technique. So, I suggest that you review the procedure in the owner's manual. If you have more than one key, be sure to try another key. Only keys that will start the car in the normal manner should be considered. Once you exhaust all other options then you will have to consider the Start switch. Sorry I can't provide more help.

AAH

I appreciate your help. I actually just went in the car and tried twice again just to see if it was my technique. I flipped the key on both sides, i pressed the brake pedal hard enough, i held the key there for a good 20 seconds but no success. So i pressed the start button anyway and there's a message that comes up on the dash display saying to " Step on the brake, then start the car with the Key". It came up in Japanese of course and my friend translated it. Although it says this, when i put the battery in the remote and press the brake, the light turns green on the button. So i think that it might be showing me a default error message? I think i might be forced to try the start switch.