well i got a interesting call on my way home today. a couple weeks back i called my service guy about getting the LS key to work on my IS. n said it was really interesting n he's never seen it done before she he couldnt tell me if it would work or not. but apparently someone (lets call him brave soul) went in trying to do the LS key thing (someone on CL?) and it didnt work. So brave soul called sewell lexus to see why it wont work. apparently they told him the IS's we have in hawaii are some sort of japanese spec car, not the US spec. so our keys run on diff frequency's? he mentioned somthing about our cars might have the japanese ecu or w/e, the only diff is the left hand drive and miles insted of KM on our dashs. any one can comferm this? or tell me if im dreaming when i think my car is realllll JDMMMMM haha.
what made me really interested in this is because (do correct me if im wrong), a big problem in getting that TOM's SC to work was getting the ecu to work with it? but if for some reason guys in hawaii have the japanese ecu, wouldnt that mean installing a tom's sc would be alot easier?

 

Hmmm....thats very interesting. Well....when I went to the dealer and I didn't want to pay extra for the back up camera or sensors, but wanted to get atleast the screen, they told me I couldn't. Then I asked the dealer if later I wanted the OEM Nav and screen in the car and they told me they couldn't because the cars are originally made in Japan. But I'm not sure if ALL the Lexus made in the other States also are made in Japan.

 

All of the isx50 are manufactured in japan, i special ordered my 250 and it was straight from japan.

 

maybe the ecu might be different when made for the us market, to comply with emisions and stuff.

 

The dealer is wrong. The IS model is only built in two factories, Kyushu and Tahara, both of which are in Japan.

The reason that navigation isn't available in Hawaii is that the digital map product that Lexus and Fujitsu/Denso licenses from TeleAtlas doesn't include coverage of your state.

 

Bingo

I confirmed this with my g/f who works for GARMIN and they use Teleatlas and other companies for maps

 

At this time, we (Sewell) are unaware as to why the LS460 SMART card does not apply to those various Lexus models residing in Hawaii. While we have discussed this issue amongst various technicians, diagnostic specialists, Lexus Technical parts analysts, we are in belief the electronic culprit (body ECU, engine computer, certification ECU or other), maybe one for Taiwan or Korea spec Lexus models. This would not elude to being a JDM model.

This issue would be similar to us not successfully finding a method for the Japanese remote start option for the Lexus GS/IS to work on our US spec GS and IS models as well as for the Toyota SMART watch, offered in the Asian market.

To the “brave soul” - a prepaid FedEx return service label will be issued for the return of the Lexus SMART card.

Darrel

 

Sewell > Servco... What I dont get is why Sewell, in Texas none the less, is more 'willing to help the tuner in parts n service' than Servco. Here in hawaii the tuner scene is huge and even if Servco has a monopoly on 'toyota', if Servco was a little more diversified like Sewell, they could open a new market for themselves in generating even MORE INCOME...

This is just another reason you guys in da mainland have it lucky... Guess i'll just have to goto the beach again to look at girls in bikinis to raise my spirits, in the MIDDLE OF WINTER

 

Jdm Lexus! I Am Jealous!

 

down with servco! but they did have a hot viet saleswoman!

 

im glad sewell came n cleared this up. i was pretty confused. but ya...-.- servco...yuck

 

weesped, you went moanalua? you know matt higa?

 

and you didnt take a pic with her ?

 

heck no. that guys is crazyyyyy. i think he grad from roosevelt in 03. but if he did grad in 03 moanalua, my brother might know him

 

Thats why hapaboy said, 'lets cruise to Servco'... now it all makes sense