Recently got a 2019 Lexus ES 350 Base model. Setting up all the fun bells and whistles (as I’ve never had a car with this much tech before).

After doing some searching online, I’ve found that it might be possible to setup remote connectivity via the Lexus App (iOS) for remote start/stop and lock/unlock. I’ve downloaded the Lexus App and signed in - running into the issue where I put in my VIN but it keeps showing a connection error. Has anyone ever run into this and solved it?

 

How did you register/create your My Lexus account?

Did you use the "SIGN IN WITH APPLE", "GOOGLE", or "FACEBOOK" button/method to create your Lexus app/My Lexus account? Or, did you either create your account using the "OR REGISTER FOR A NEW ACCOUNT" Lexus app form or use the My Lexus CREATE AN ACCOUNT web form?

Northside Lexus's Technology Specialist Melissa O'Connell in her video tutorials involving Lexus app signing up/creating an account always says directly registering for a new account through the "OR REGISTER FOR A NEW ACCOUNT" or the My Lexus web form is the cleanest method to use.

One way to check if the method you used to create and sign into your Lexus app/My Lexus account correctly created your My Lexus account on the backend server (which the Lexus app has to connect to and log into your account to access and update account data) is to use Safari to go to the My Lexus home webpage, click the "SIGN IN" button, and on the resulting webpage try signing into your account using the same method you used for creating and signing in on the Lexus app. If you have troubles signing using the same sign-in method as you used with the Lexus app, then you know something went wrong or isn't working right with that sign-in method. (The reason to use iOS's Safari is that if you used a clean method of creating your Lexus app/My Lexus account, those account sign-in details, including the password, will be auto-saved in iOS's iCloud synced Passwords password manager and should auto-fill the sign-in fields with those sign-in credentials.)

Once we know the method you choose for signing into the Lexus app (which should be the same as the My Lexus web account) and whether or not the same method works to sign in to that account through the My Lexus web account form, we'll have a better idea on how to proceed in helping you with your problem.

P.S. Are you aware that you need an active Remote Connect subscription to use the Lexus app remote functions? IIRC, the cost for a Remote Connect subscription for a 2019 Lexus ES is $8 per month or $80 per year.

 

Question....Does a previous owner need to unpair the vin with there account before a new owner can register the vin in there account? If not what would prevent anyone from using that vin.

 

With the "new" Lexus Interface system with driver profiles, a single vehicle (VIN) can have multiple driver profiles registered to it. Each profile requires a different My Lexus account; however, there can be only one designated primary driver (presumably the owner) profile/account and up to two secondary driver profiles/accounts. The primary driver account is the one with the control and management of subscriptions and the granting of access to remote connect functionality to secondary driver profile accounts.

So, in short, as long as there's a free, unused driver profile available for that vehicle, a new owner could register a driver profile/My Lexus account to that vehicle, but as long as the previous owner's driver profile/My Lexus account was registered as the vehicle's primary driver profile, the new owner's account functionality would be severely constrained.

 

I have the same issue.
At some point I used the SOS button to explain my situation.
I received an email asking me to fill a form here: https://www.lexusownership.com/

This seemed promising... but no, I am still stuck at the same point.

Now I just bought a NX and told the dealer about the situation with my ES, supposedly he did something and told me to try again in a couple days, fingers crossed.

 

I am sure there are safeguards in place from just anybody to set up an account and any vin. For the newer system maybe the owner needs to initiate for more profiles. For the used vehicle the dealer and or Lexus has to reset for the new owner I would think.

 

@grp52 I created my Lexus account in the Lexus website. I was able to login into the app with those credentials just fine. I noticed that my vehicle dashboard in Lexus.com is actively updating the odometer and estimated mileage remaining in the gas tank (amongst other things). So it looks like the vehicle is communicating with Lexus somehow.

 

Just to verify... When you successfully log in (with the Lexus website account login credentials) to the Lexus app, are you still getting the connection error?

As long as your 2019 ES is appearing in your My Lexus website account's vehicle garage (as you're seeing the vehicle dashboard information verifies it is), when you log in to the Lexus app using that same account credentials, the Lexus app's vehicle dashboard should automatically be populated with the 2019 ES vehicle that's showing in your My Lexus account's vehicle garage. You shouldn't need to enter the VIN again in the Lexus app.

Your 2019 Lexus ES is equipped with a Data Communication Module (DCM) which your ES uses to communicate with Lexus corporate servers. The communication is over a Lexus corporate paid for and managed cellular network connection. For 2019 and through September 2019 production 2020 ESs, Verizon is the cellular network provider. For all October 2019 and later production ESs, AT&T is the cellular network provider. In addition to communicating vehicle data to Lexus corporate servers, the DCM is also the communication link for receiving Remote Connect commands (e.g., remote start) from the Lexus corporate servers which handles the data and communication links for the Lexus app.

 

Make sure all software is up to date as there were numerous updates for the 2019 and my 2020.

 

@grp52 I'll give you the full workflow here. I log into the Lexus App successfully with my Lexus website account credentials. No vehicle shows up. I go to "Add a Vehicle" and then "Enter VIN Manually". It populates with my ES. I click "Save Changes" at the bottom. It tries to connect, then I get "Something went wrong".

@alextv Yep - software is up-to-date.

@Lexuspicious Let me know if you get anywhere with your situation!

 

With the vehicle running but not moving, press the overhead "SOS" button (square black/red near sunroof controls).
Automated voice may say "no service, press again within 5 seconds"...press again for a live operator.
Automated voice may say "Is this an Emergency?" No,
"Do you need Roadside Assist, Enrollment or Good Bye" Enrollment. this will get you an Operator.

Remember these Telematic Connections are for Stolen/Crashed vehicles tracking. As Lexuspicious (post #5) described
you must prove ownership to enroll otherwise a car thief/joyrider could just jab the button and attempt to
reregister in a new name. Also, while the Lexus App had a 36 month trial the Service Connect has a 120 month trial.
This feature sends Check Engine light and tire pressure messages to Lexus Corporate. If you chose not to pay for the
App features but do get the app and car registered in your name you will be able to Remote Start the car using the
key fobs using the Press/Release/Press/Release/Press and Hold cadence for up to 10 years from initial sales date!

 

I think getting a successful resolution to the "Something went wrong" problem is going to require Lexus corporate support involvement to get whatever is causing that "Something went wrong" error fixed.

On the US Lexus Contact webpage, scroll down to the bottom of the page to the "CONTACT US" section where you'll find a toll free phone number or a "SEND MESSAGE" button that starts a topic and subtopic categorized written message where you describe your issue and request help in resolving it. If you chose the "SEND MESSAGE" route and select "Multimedia Technology" for the topic and "Lexus App" for the subtopic, this suggestion text appears:
That phone number is the same one that's listed in the "CONTACT US" section. (You can still continue on with sending a written message, but, as advised, calling is most likely the easier and fastest means of resolving the Lexus app problem.)