I recently purchased a beautiful 2006 with 84,000 miles on it. My problem is, once in a while, i go to start it, the key turns on, dash lights come on but no start, no click nothing. I replaced the battery, rock from park to neutral, try jump start, nothing. Then after trying many times it starts just like normal. The strange thing is when I turn the key to start, cluster gauges, lights do not dim, BUT the air conditioner lights, and radio black out. What a mystery. Any one out there had this?

 

That is odd. Not a normal problem. When you go to start and this happens you are able to turn past on to the where normally the starter engages? I would lean towards the starter rather then your ignition or key lock itself but starters tend to give you the tale tell signs and you only have 84k. Until it actually fully fails it can be difficult to isolate intermittent problems. Might be worth checking the main grounds too and make sure there is no corrosion preventing a good connection. Are you battery terminals in good shape? How about the key and lock?

 

I'm leaning to a loose or corroded connection on a ground or positive battery cable.... I had a battery terminal that looked perfectly clean give me close to the same issues..... Chase that ground cable all the way to termination. On the 2001 it is at the alternator bracket...

Let us know and best of luck.....

 

if the ground cable is not the problem, it could be the starter showing signs of going out.

 

Sounds like pulling the + plug from the battery and resetting ECU should solve.

 

Thank youfor the replies. I am going to go with the bad groudand not starter as my air con and radio lights go out but cluster stays brightly light. Let me get on it and I'lllet you know. Cleanedboth battery connections when changed battery but check again. Does just pullingthe + cable for a while restecu or is there more to it than that, once again just the dimming of certain lights and not all seems mystery

 

Are you located on Guam? If so how long has the car been there? Very high humidity and corrosion location.
I am not saying that corrosion is a factor but it might be. The Lexus electrical system is very complicated system of relays, data busses, low and high power electrical connections so you might have a difficult issue to solve. Do you have the smart key or regular? The start sequence is not easily diagnosed like your old Ford or Chevy...

 

Yes on live on the highly corrosive island og Guam even plastic corrodes here!You right hard to diagnose. As I stated, only the air conditioning panel and radio goes blank, all other lights, gauge cluster, headlights don't even dim. Are they some how on the start circuit?