How do I put it into auto mode and leave it there? Is the little green light supposed to light because it never does regardless of button pushes or lever flips? The owners manual only adds to my confusion, especially the dumb charts. The LS430 had an auto switch position - done.

 

The button is at the end of the stalk and yes a green light will come on to confirm it is in auto mode.

 

Does the light stay on?

 

Yes it stays on...see my pic below...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34602213@N08/6894309498/http://www.flickr.com/photos/34602213@N08/6894309498/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/34602213@N08/, on Flickr

 

^^ if the light is on your in "auto"

 

OK, took a drive around the neighborhood and played with it. At first the light would not light when pressing the button. However, I pressed and held the button until it blinked about 5 times. Then I released the button and when I pressed it again it lit and stayed lit with one wipe of the wiper. I assume it went into auto mode. I could then turn it off and back on with a single push of the button each time. If I turned the car off with the auto mode light on, the light was on again after restarting the car. Hopefully the mystery is solved.

I have the car parked in the garage for a couple days with the garage door down. Neighbors back in the subdivision probably called the Sheriff about some white car driving around after dark at 5 MPH under the 25 MPH limit instead of 20 MPH over. The car also stopped at intersections, turned the engine off, and restarted instead of blowing through the stop signs. Very suspicious behavior.

 

probably you reset some sensor with long switch, that dealer didnt do during PDI?

 

LOL! Funny that you mentioned this because I find myself doing the same thing these last couple of days. Luckily no cops called on me yet

 

The dealer appeared to miss a lot during the PDI. I am rather disappointed and told them so today. I wonder what else I'm going to find over the weeks ahead.

 

Yeah, I was going to mention that to them today as well but I was in a hurry to get out of there today. I'm having to do a lot of learning on my own these last couple of days.

 

We will learn a lot more from this forum than we will from the salespeople. My salesperson told me I was the only one she'd seen that actually new about the engine sound being piped in through the sound system.

Like most of you, when I go to buy a car I know more about it than the salesperson knows

 

The problem is none of you are reading your manuals. This scenario is clearly outlined here.

http://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/do.../sec_04-03.pdf


You can only expect the salesperson to explain so much to you. By the time most people get to the delivery process they are braindead from the overall draining effects attributed to the car buying process. If you have a question, the answer is always within arms reach (aka the glove compartment).

 

I read that section multiple times and found it horribly written with charts that added to the confusion. (I've used, written, and reviewed user documentation for technical systems for 30+ years. Lexus did far better in the past.) The fundamental problem I had was that a single push of the auto button did nothing.

 

^^ Yeup.... They want you to:

"Press and hold until the AUTO button......."

I'm sure the reason is so you don't accidentally turn it on/off if your hand or finger pushes it once, unintentionally.

~ Joe Z

 

I just have to push the Auto button in once and the light comes on and the wipers work in auto...just like e39 shows above. I only press and hold as stated in the manual if I want to put it into intermittent mode. I then repeat the same procedure to get out of intermittent mode. Caddy, I think your auto button light may need to be looked at by the dealer.