2019 Lexus ES 300h HVAC Issue Puzzles Dealer, but Solution Is Simple
A dealer misdiagnosed issues with this 2019 Lexus ES 300h, but luckily, an independent shop was able to fix it for far less money.
Oftentimes, when it comes to modern vehicles and their newfangled technology, what might be a simple issue on an older model can be quite complex to diagnose and repair. We’ve seen this on many occasions over the years, particularly when it comes to things like computers/ECUs. It was just a few weeks ago that the YouTube channel The Car Care Nut gave us a fantastic explanation of how shops can misdiagnose those kinds of problems – leading to pricey and unnecessary repairs – and now, it’s back with another fascinating bit regarding an issue with a 2019 Lexus ES 300h.
This problem first reared its ugly head when the HVAC system in the Lexus ES stopped working, which isn’t ideal for the owner, who lives in Pennsylvania – where it’s quite cold at the moment. Thus, the owner took it to a dealership, which proceeded to tell them there was nothing wrong. The second visit resulted in the dealer replacing the servo motor behind the dash, which cost $1,300, but that didn’t fix the problem, either.
On the third visit, the customer was told that they had to spend another $3,800 to replace the entire HVAC system, which seemed a bit unreasonable for a car with a mere 62k miles on the clock. Thus, they did some research and discovered The Car Care Nut, and wound up driving their Lexus ES 500 miles to have them take a look. Turns out, the root cause of their problem was something much simpler and cheaper to fix, making that road trip well worth it.
Our host noticed some strange things when he got the car, as things like the lights and gauges would stop working, and at one point, the car went completely dead. Thus, he checked the voltage of the battery and discovered that it was only at nine volts, and charging it didn’t fix the problem either. It stands to reason that the battery – the original unit that is six years old at this point – could be the root cause of the issue.
As our host explains, because this Lexus ES is a hybrid, it can start with a lower voltage, but its complex computer systems don’t necessarily like running accessories under those same conditions. Amazingly, a dealership had tested the battery not too long ago and told the owner that it was fine, to boot. It’s a frustrating experience for sure, but at least one that has a happy – and more affordable – ending in this case, thanks to the work of an honest shop.
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