I searched the forums and only found one old post on something similar to this problem. Maybe I am the only one experiencing it? Here are the details. Any ideas would be welcomed.

For the past 3 to 4 weeks my car has intermittent problems that have been getting more consistent and a hassle. The problem is when I sit in the car and press the START button, the car will try to start but not engage all the way. It takes about 3 to 4 tries before the car will engage and start. Here is what I have done about this and what the dealer said.

When trying to start it kind of sounded like the car was not getting enough fuel. I thought maybe I got a bad tank of gas and something was clogged. I waited patiently until the tank was empty and then went and bought some good gas. Problem remained with no changes. After getting frustrated, I took it into the dealer and they could not find it and thought it was just me. They told me to come pick it up, but I refused and told them to go drive it and put some miles on it and stop at several locations like I do daily. After 5 hours they called me and said they duplicated the problem, saw what I was talking about, but needed more time and would keep the car overnight. YEAH - it was not me. The next day I speak to the dealer and they tell me they still have not figured it out. They tell me there are no codes thrown in the computer, the battery in the car is good, the injectors are good, etc. So I wait patiently some more and then get a call late the second day and they tell me that they solved the problem. They tell me that the battery in the remote tested low and when it was in my pocket while starting it was not strong enough consistently. They told me if they put the key fob next to the start button, car starts perfect. So they replace the remote battery for FREE and tell me to come get it.

I pick up the car that night and it starts perfect all evening. Next day, it goes right back to the same tricks and does not start every time. Same problem and now I know it is not my remote battery since it is new.

Anyone have any ideas? Can you help?

 

i had that same problem... i think when u go and start ur car does it make a ticking sounded? repedatively... cuz thats wut mine did and it was the car's battery not the keys and just to top everything off my car has only been purchased for 2 months when this problem started occuring and my battery was replaced under warranty at the dealership

 

Thanks for the quick response but there is no ticking sounds. When you press the button it sounds "almost" normal but it just does not turn over. We have checked the car battery and it is perfect. It is not a power problem. Thanks for trying to help though.

 

Try your duplicate remote. My car came with two remotes.

 

Thank you for the advice. I have two remotes and they both do it. I don't believe that both remotes are bad and it can't be gas now that this has happened on different tanks and the first tank I ran almost dry. I plan to go into the dealer again and press the issue, I was just hoping to see if anyone else already had this problem and has done the leg work. Thanks again.

 

very interesting...

 

Sounds like a fuel delivery problem, but a bad fuel pump should throw a code. I would take it back and tell them to keep it until it's right.

 

It did it almost everytime again today. Very frustrating. Dropping it off at the dealership in the morning. IF they figure it out, I will post solution here to hopefully save someone else the aggravation and time. Thanks for the comments.

 

Keep us updated on this.. it sounds very intresting.

 

Don't hold in the start button, just press it and then let go..... while foot on gas of course...

 

u mean brakes?

 

 

Thank you all for the replys but your comments are all wrong. I took it into the dealership and I had the service manager and the tech present and was able to duplicate the problem with them watching. They were SHOCKED. SO far they have had the car for two days and Lexus Japan has told them to replace (can't remember the name, but will get it and post it). Today they had me bring down my second set of keyfob so they could reprogram the car after the part they replaced. If this does not work, Japan said to replace the entire CPU (expensive, than god for warranty).

As you can see, I know how to press the button, I know how to hold down the brake, and my phone is not even in the car sometimes. This is not simple and I have Lexus stumped so far. Almost four days total and they are not done. One positive - Thank god they have Lexus loaners .

 

I am having exactly the same problem right now. My dealership has not been able to reproduce this problem, so asked me to bring my car home and try again. Can you let us know what they replace to fix it? I might tell my dealer to follow this instruction.

 

Once they find a fix please post details about your invoice!