My wife was running errands this past Saturday, and as she was getting into our 2007 LS460 at one of the places, she noticed that the chrome peice oposite the driver's door handle was missing. There was a keyhole exposed (that apparently works with the valet key in the fob). Why is this keyhole here? What's the purpose, since you cannot lock the doors with the FOB in the vehicle. And why would someone pull this piece off the door, since they need a key with the chip to start the ignition (keyless ignition)? Any ideas?

How much is this piece going to cost me, and is it difficult to replace? Surprisingly, they didn't even scratch the door taking it off, and I can't see any damage to the door handle....there's a rubber gasket overlaid around the exposed keyhole, but it looks fine to me.

Thank you.

 

I suspect that there as no "they". Probably just fell off. And it's not exactly "chrome" but "chrome looking plastic". Can't be much. It's there so you can get into the car mechanically in case of electrical failure. Like if you had a kid locked in or something.

 

my friend's ls460 that piece fell when he accidentally clipped it.

if your fob runs out of abttery, you use the key to open teh door mechanically, and then start the car by placing the fob close to the start button. otherwise you are going to sit by the road side for AAA to delivery a battery to you?

taking off the cap isn't hard at all. at the bottom of the cap there is a place to insert something (like a key), a little twist and it pops. but again, i highly doubt someone would come and pop it away trying to steal your car

 

How much is this piece going to cost me, and is it difficult to replace?

Nothing. The piece almost certainly fell off, so it would be covered under warranty.

Which dealer in Mass. did you buy from?

 

Yeah it is there for emergencies.