dbastidas0

Greetings everyone. Well yesterday I drove my car to get some food. Came back to my house. Sat down and started to eat when I noticed my car alarm going off. I walked outside to see if anyone hit it or something to cause it to go off....nothing... then when I tried to turn it off with my FOB it did not turn off. The alarm kept going for about another 20 seconds as I am continuously pressing the lock/unlock button and then it finally recognized my FOB and it managed to shut off the alarm. I thought this was a little wierd as this was the first time it happaned so I did not pay much attention to it. I walked back inside and literally 15 seconds later, my car alarm started going off again! This time I thought someone was messing with me so I ran outside, nothing... Then when I tried to turn the alarm off, it did not recognize the key at all... Even that little light in the FOB when you press a button was not going off.. Almost as if it ran out of battery or something??? I went and got my other spare key to see if it worked and it works perfect...
So im thinking that the alarm going off was some sort of signal meaning the key is dieing???????? But I have had every other IS before this one each for about 2 and a half years and this has never happaned to me in any of the other Lexus's...

Well in conclusion I am using my spare FOB that they give you but I am a little concerned.. Has this happaned to anyone else on here? Def going to take the defective FOB back and ask for another one..

Thanks in advance
Daniel

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

Change the battery in the fob. The ISF manual advises that this be done once a year. The manual for my wife's ES is silent on the subject. There are a couple of threads here on how to change it, and it is also spelled out in your manual. Look at Pages 28 and 316 of your manual.

Lou

dbastidas0

Thank you sir

K3RRYB

iTrader: (7)

hmm...that's weird I never heard of the alarm going off when the battery dies out.

BTW your spare will most likely need replacing too, if not now, very soon.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Actually it all depends on how much the fob gets used. Many people don't realize the fob is getting pressed while in their pockets because they're too far away for the car to respond. But it still kills the battery. The fob in my 350 had the original battery when I traded it in - it was put in service July '06 and traded December '08. The fob in my F is 18 months old and showing no signs of early demise.

One word to the wise - you won't find the battery in the usual places, it's a weird size. Buy one (CR1632) and put it in the freezer until you're ready to use it or you'll be scouring the town to find one and it will cost a grip and a half.

andrewshu3

iTrader: (2)

lol at the title. sorry, couldnt resist.

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

Actually the fob is actuated far more than that. Since it's keyless entry, it's activated whenever your around the car. Of course it's presence starts the car, unlocks the door, opens the trunk, turns on the puddle lamps, and etc. It does a lot more than react to just pushed buttons. Due to this, I have established, I don't really know why, 14 months as the point that I replace the batteries. They're really not that expensive, it's easy to do, and the shelf of the battery is pretty long.

Lou

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

^^those functions pull microamps. Lighting the LED on the thing draws more power than anything. Pressing the buttons lights the LED, ergo pressing the buttons kills the battery faster than anything. I never press the buttons on the fob intentionally. This is probably why I have exceptional battery life.

I'm also keenly aware the car can be hacked by pressing the buttons in a parking lot, so I always use the button on the door to lock the car.

bnizzle87

i do the same thing. and i always like how when i approach the car the driver door unlocks instantaneously, which means less use of the buttons on the fob.