I just received a letter informing me that Lexus is doing away with all 3g Enform services in 2022. This includes remote start, safety, destination, and road side services. I’m pissed. A 100K vehicle and they’re just going to delete a major feature of the vehicle? This is absolutely asinine. I won’t be buying another Lexus ever. It’s a service that I pay $300 for and I use it.

 

Beyond Lexus's control, the underlying technology is going away so there is
no longer going to be any connection. Your disappointment seems to exceed
that of my wife when she was told the her beloved Motorola Star-Tac analog
phone was no longer supported. I've got a box of handcrafted cassette tape
I can't listen to either.

 

Lexus could have built-in technology that was up with the times and chose not to. Historically, they have been notoriously late to add pretty much everything technology-related (relative to the competition), down to something as mundane as USB ports and key safety features like blind-spot monitoring. It feels more and more like they're mailing it in on many areas.

 

Volvo and Mazda introduced BSM in 2007 and expanded to more models 1n 2012.
Lexus began offering BSM on 2013 GS's. Consumer Reports "survey says" the
most satisfying BSM systems are on Genesis, Jeep and Lexus cars.

USB ports became standard on 2010 models starting with the early introduction of
the all new RX350/450h in May of 2009.

2010 was also the first year of the Telematic "Lexus Safety Connect" that many brands
do not yet offer. Hybrid Digital "HD" radio with embedded Navigation Traffic reports
as well as the "Weather Channel" with map display was brought out...for free.n 2015.

 

All due respect, you're not telling me anything that changes what I said or that I didn't know (other than the Consumer Reports piece). BSM does work great, but it did take Lexus forever to introduce it broadly across the lineup.

Ditto on USB (and I remember the introduction very well... I actually drove a "new" RX loaner at the time, bought a new 2010 LX and currently have a 2010 LS). As for Safety Connect, well, there's OnStar, which has been around forever and as you likely know was the back-end for the old Lexus Link.

And while multiple manufacturers give you a full-service app, you're stuck paying for a subscription that allows you to lock/unlock your vehicle through your phone, etc. Then there is Apple Carplay - nothing like seeing it on a nice, new Toyota but unavailable (at the time) on Lexus cars.

I could go on, but the reality is that there are myriad data points suggesting that Lexus does take a very measured and cautious approach with most new technologies. This is hardly brand-bashing on my part, as I've been loyal for 16 years, but some things do get on my nerves after a while, and the little letter many of us just got is one of those.

 

Perhaps the typical 200 Series buyers has more on their minds than how often Toyota updates their electronics...

 

True, but that's a whole other discussion. Lexus is still a luxury brand, and even though the LX is a beast (especially pre-2016 refresh, which messed quite a bit with approach and departure angles), certain things are to be expected these days at this price point.

 

They better unlock remote start via the key fob if they’re no longer supporting enform!

 

Sold my 18 LX for just these reasons and now drive a Cayenne and very happy. Lexus needs to quit screwing their customers just because they think they can get by with it. They will suffer in the end.

And my Cayenne Turbo has been just as reliable as my previous LX's were and it is a lot more fun to drive.

 

O.K., I can live without it, no problem. But Lexus/Toyota knew this for many years and even in 2018 produced cars without 4G support. I suppose that there will be a class action lawsuit and Toyota/Lexus lose. They fully deserve it. For many people, these features are important and they would never buy a car without them. So, they will pay or resolve it. It would cost them a lot of money but I am sure that they can change the communication module, update the software and fix this issue.

 

I'm not a lawyer, so I can't understand a class action suit given buyers bought a truck lacking 4G support...if 4G is that important, just don't buy the truck if 4G (and now 5G) is lacking.

This sounds similar to the proposed class action suit a few years ago relating to a slight color difference between wood cabin trim and steering wheel wood.

 

Enform is relying on 3G technology to function as it's the 3g modem in your vehicle that receives the remote start commands and sends information back to the Enform system. You can all thank the expanse of the 4g powered smartphones in your pockets for the death of 3G as the cellular network providers shift spectrum from 3G to 4G. This has nothing to do with Lexus as the rug is literally being pulled out from underneath them here. The only solution would be to retrofit all of the Enform equipped vehicles with new 4G modems and maybe that is something someone could take to task, but my guess is that the cost and uptake on a product offering like that wouldn't cover the costs of development.

 

Sensible point and one I can accept as it pertains to my 2010 LS. For my 2017 LX, on the other hand, no dice. I am not nearly as willing to give Lexus the benefit of the doubt on this one.

 

I can see that but remember there wasn't wide spread 4g LTE coverage until 2014 and by then your 2017 LX was already in development/in production and any changes/upgrades would have to be put in place prior to MY17 vehicles rolling off the assembly line.

I was working in the cellular IOT industry since before AT&T turned off the 2G network in January 2017 and none of us thought they would move this fast on turning 3G off. So when your vehicle was still on the Assembly line 2G had just gone dark and I'm sure Lexus wasn't concerned about losing 3G anytime in the lifespan of most auto loans that their owners might take on their vehicles and yet less than 72 months from AT&T killing 2g they go and kill 3G too.

 

When you bought your 2017, were you aware that 4G was not part of the package?