Bought my first Lexus in April 2010, a 2010 RX450h with Navigation: cost $51,957. At 5k service, took car in and explained that the Navigation system wasn't "navigating". No voice, missing functionality. In addition, explained that stereo would shut off by itself intermittently, Bluetooth was malfunctioning intermittently. So many odd intermittant problems. Dealership couldn't figure it out. Told me to read the manual. I read the mega manuals, I really thought it was something I was doing or not doing, and said show me how to fix this! Well, they couldn't make it work either. Kept my car in shop initially for 2 weeks, gave it back and said they replaced the "controller" and assured everything now working. Drove it out of dealership and it still wasn't working! Took it back next day. This time, they kept it for 59 days. Stripped the car of all interior-seats, door panels, dashboard, steering wheel/column, carpets..everything down to the metal, nothing but thousands of wires, stripped, spliced and diced. Dealership let me see my brand new car in this condition! They thought it might be a wiring problem. Nothing worked. Car had 4900 miles on it!! Lexus Corporate was absolutely no help. Dealership wouldn't take the car back - No One Wanted this car including me after it had been stripped and wires spliced. Lexus Corporate said it was a dealership problem-Dealership said it was a Lexus Corporate problem. After calling in several electronic experts, the dealership said they had finally fixed it. Bad computer - replaced entire system. I refused to take the car back because it had been severely torn apart-front to back. Who knows what could happen down the road after all those wires were replaced, interior stripped, etc. AND I hadn't been able to use my new car since I dropped it off for warranty service! After much angst and shouting, Lexus agreed to a replacement vehicle-9months later. As of Dec. 2010, I now have a 2011 RX450h, cost $55,935, with no problems to date. Not sure, if I had to do all over again I would go with a Lexus. I like the car I now have, but I am still dealing with Lexus over some outlying expenses incurred in trying to settle this matter. In April of 2012 , 2 years of dealing with them will be enough for me!

 

i would have threatened them with a Lemon Law complaint

 

lemon laws are very hard to claim. Glad you got it all resolved and I hope you can look past all the trouble

 

Glad you got this resolved. Sadly some people get that rare Lexus that is a "lemon".

As for putting things back, you would be amazed at how good they are at putting things back together. I used to worry about it until I saw the work done.

 

Very unfortunate but I would be in the same boat. Glad everything worked out for you.

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to replace the computer in the first place than to go through the expense and time to rip apart essentially the entire vehicle?

 

Depends on hourly time costs vs. the cost of replacing the computer. Perhaps if they would have had a spare computer they could have hooked up in the originals place it would make perfect sense. But if they ordered a new one (perhaps unreturnable) and it was found to be a pinched wire instead the Service Advisor might be looking for a new job. A computer being faulty is more of a rare occurrence than a cross or mis-attached wire I would imagine.

 

Wow, sucks to hear stories like this. But, I'm glad you now have a new RX.

 

The Lemon Laws here in Georgia are pretty good. Able to prove with no problem, but getting them to respond takes time + cash for lawyer.
It wasn't the fact that I didn't think they could put "it all back together" it's just that when you pay this much money for a car you can't use for 60+ days it isn't good. You still have the car payment, insurance, etc. Here's what really made me mad: The dealership was willing to do a trade in or buy back for $30k less than I bought it for when I asked why, they said in addition to depreciation the car had issues and would be a tough resale...really? Anyway, it did all work out. I am telling my story for those who are having some of the same intermittant unresolved issues that just don't seem to get resolved and go unexplained. Hopefully this is just an isolated case and an unfortunate event.
Thanks