waterrat

I have a 2002 RX300 with 56,000 miles. Last week the rear window would go down incrementally on its own and also when my knee hit the drivers side armrest. I took it to the dealer today and they said it was the a faulty master switch for the power windows/locks etc that is in the armrest. It needed replacement...$808!!!!! Yikes!!!!
Has this problem occurred to anyone in this forum or just me? If so, how did you resolve it short of paying through the nose?
It seems like a whopping pricetag for what used to be a simple fix.

Roland

salimshah

Do a search and you should find multiple hits on process to remove the master switch. Lexmex posted series of pictures to show how to get to the motor [you only need to pop the switch-assembly]. Removing and replacing is DIY with care. That will save you around 100. or 60min.

Part of the problem is that the dealer will replaces ALL the switches on the panel (assembly) so you are paying 8x the min cost.

You can search salvage-yards, or bite the bullet and buy the whole assembly and part out the good switches (or look for some one who had to do the same).


Salim

trhs75

I had to replace the master window switch when I bought our used RX300 because one of the switches in it was broken. I got mine used on eBay. I routinely see them sell in the $150 plus range. Not cheap, but better than it was going to be at the dealer! It's easy to change, also. Good luck!

code58

All my life I have been the kind of person that figured if man made it, I should be able to fix it. I have always taken switches apart and fixed them, seldom ever finding one that was broken so that it couldn't be fixed. I don't know if there are electronics in that switch or not but virtually all switches can be taken apart and they are NORMALLY simply mechanical devices. If that is the case, a fairly good chance it can be fixed. If it has electronics, that's another story. For that price maybe it does.

salimshah

The problem is that a shop (read dealer) should not spend hours (charging you labor) and in few months you have the problem reappear. In my view, it is better for customer relation that you replace the piece and have no return visits. The only issue is the piece that they stock is a larger than the minimum needed/required.

Salim

trhs75

The dealer told me that switch has a significant amount of electronics in it to (supposedly) justify the high cost. I swear, everything these days seems to have some kind of computer chip in it!

thomas1

the switch itself is still just a switch, there is a board under it that has electronics.

code58

Salim- I wasn't suggesting that he should take it to the dealer and have them "fix" the switch, or that they would even if you wanted them to. I don't think they would. Mechanics today are "parts changers". Even if they knew they could fix it, they wouldn't, just because it might fail sometime in their lifetime and you would be back wanting them to fix it free just because they had once long ago put their fingerprints on it. I was only suggesting that if it is "broke", he doesn't have much to lose (if he is handy with repairing things) by giving it a try. Not all of us have that kind of pocket change laying on the dresser. Though Lexus owners should all be rich (LOL), there are probably a few of them that aren't. It sounds like it may well be in the electronics anyway, in which case probably not many would be able to repair it.

Dadikins

Mine is doing exactly the same thing as the OP. I've just been keeping the master lock on unless I want to roll the window up/down. At first, I didn't know if it was the rear switch, or the master switch. When my knee hit the driver's armrest & the window moved, I knew which switch it was...

I ordered a master switch from a salvage yard (along with some other parts). On the replacement switch, I took the wood grain apart, and separated the switch itself from the electronics (the wood grain doesn't match mine, and the switches are filthy/sticking, so I want to just replace the electronics portion). Yes, there are a LOT of electronics in it!

I've seen threads here on how to remove the actual master control unit without removing the door panel, but I seem to be having some trouble... I can get at the two tabs on the outer side, but (using a thin screwdriver) cannot seem to pop the inner tabs. I don't want to scratch or break anything.

Any thoughts?

code58

If you're talking about taking the switch panel out of it's cavity in the door panel, there is a snap in clip at the front end of it and it really gets hooked under the lip. To top it off, the panel is almost recessed down in the door panel so it's not easy to pry out. My suggestion is to get something that you can wedge in the crack at the front of the switch panel so that you can see where the clip is. Then you can reach down and hook the clip back to get it past that lip. I found that what worked best was the sharp hook tools that have slender round shafts. I used the 90 degree one to pull that clip back out from under that front lip. Then it just slips forward to release the rear. It's a challenge and you are almost guaranteed to damage something if you don't do it this way, it just clips to darn far under the the front lip in that door panel cavity it sets in.

cotteng

My remote lock went first, then the window and lock functions began to fail one by one.

I pulled out the unit and "fixed it" in about 45 minutes and it is easy.

Note that the remote door lock on the drivers side works through this unit so that problem got fixed too.

Looking at at the pictures I posted ( if I can get them to attach to this post), pry up on the edge of the unit with one screwdriver, look into the slot created with a flashlight and locate the clip. Push that back towards the switches an the unit pops out. It takes about 1 minute.

I took the unit completely apart and worked the controls to get any "corrosion" scraped away.

I worked the electrical connector back and forth several times to freshen up the contacts. I think this is what made everything work again.

My remote drivers door lock and all windows including the automatic up/down function, the push button lock/unlock and rear window lock now work again.

More pictures next post

cotteng

More pictures.

Note the controls push little white and black pins into metal tabs in the rubber cover into contacts on the circuit board. There really isn't anything mechanical that can be fixed. I think "corrosion" is what stops the unit from working.

cotteng

And a bonus - programming the key remote function

I bought a replacement key 4 years ago that I was able to program to work to start the engine, but I could never get it programed to work for remote entry. After getting he window control panel to work, I was able to program the key to work as a remote. YEAH.

I also see that the driver's door indicator now shows as open or closed on the dash board panel. Apparently, the circuit board in the window control panel controls a lot of functions.

trhs75

Yeah -- lots of circuitry and chips in there, apparently. I never figured that about the romote. Bonus! Good for you!

dtewing

Thanks for the detailed DIY. I took your knowledge and applied it to my wife's '01 RX300 Master Switch.

Took 2 minutes to pry the switch out, I was able to use a terry cloth to protect the wood veneer and used a long flat screw driver (used to adjust the 4 barrel carbs of yesterdyear). That allowed me to get to the clip and the unit came right out.

I then spent more time pulling the power connection apart than I did removing the unit from the door.

Once I got that done and had the unit in hand I removed the circuit board from the housing (blowing my hot air along the way getting the dust off).

And with the electronics in hand I blew some more, inspected it (not much I could do with the board).

Put it all back together, connected the power, tried the remote and it worked to lock and unlock the door. Then I turned the ignition and tried the window regulator and that works as well now. Total time spent less than 15 minutes....

So IMO it must have been accumulated dust, etc on the magentic part where the switches activate the circuit board. But it works now. Will post again in a few months if it continues to work !!!

Thanks for the detailed DIY.....