If I leave my 2013 RX parked for longer periods (5-14 days) w/o starting it does not want to recognize my key for starting oftentimes. I end up having to remove from my pocket and hold it up to the ignition button so it recognizes and then it will start.

I have had the battery checked in the remote and it is fine. The dealer tells me this can happen as the vehicle battery can run down in that amount of time since there are electronics within the vehicle still functioning that will draw from the battery.

I have no problem if I drive the vehicle every day or even every 2-3 days. Vehicle only has about 6,000 miles on it.

Any thoughts?

 

First, put new batteries in the keys fobs. Next, try a Battery Tender to rule out the dealer's theory of the vehicle battery being depleted enough to cause the problem. I have the little Battery Tender Jr. that I've used on my motorcycles for years. It works great on the SC430 to keep the battery at full charge when I don't drive it for a couple weeks.

StillLine

 

When the car sits for more than a week, are the doors locked or unlocked? I think the keyless system goes to sleep if it is not used after a week, meaning that after that time you have to "wake" up the system by pressing the unlock button on the remote (the keyless feature might work by grabbing the handle, but i am not sure). If this is true, that what's happening and you putting the fob next to the start button is "waking" up the system.

The next time the car sits for more than a week, you might want to try and have the car locked (or lock it after the week using the button on the key fob), and then hitting the unlock button on the remote before trying to start the car.

 

This "feature" is definetly in the owners manual. I don't have it in front of me at the moment, but after 7-ish days, the smart system does "go to sleep" to conserve car battery. What you have done to wake up the system is correct. After the wake up, you shouldn't need to do that again, that is until of course you leave the vehicle idle for whatever the number of days stated. I can check the manual if you wish.

 

The dealer in not really correct as it can't be the car battery that is running down. If the car battery were so low that it could not receive the FOB signal, it sure does not have the power to start the car.

I think the real truth is the locking system IS going to sleep to conserve power as other have said.

 

Appreciate the insight on the Smart System. That would explain this situation. I will look for some further info on it in the Owner's Manual when I get around to it. I did do a quick search and ran across a Toyota pdf that talked a bit about it. In their narrative they indicated their system automatically shuts off after 14 days. I have no idea what year/model this pdf was associated with but sounds like the "culprit" is the Smart System doing it's job. Maybe a different time delay with the make/model/year we're talking about here.

P.S. Since car is in the garage during these instances I never have had the doors locked.

Thanks again.

 

This part of the manual may be related. Go to page 7 of the pdf, which is actually page 41 of the manual: http://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/do.../sec_01-02.pdf