Greetings to you all,

as of last week, I am an owner of a 2023 Lexus Rx. I've driven a Honda Accord for the last 10 years and finally decided to treat myself with a luxury vehicle. I was an adamant Honda enthusiast but after driving an MDX and then test driving an RX, it was an easy choice.

The fairytale lasted one night. I took over the ownership late in the evening after closing a deal with no specialists around to guide me through all aspects of the car. The rest of the vehicle is pretty self-intuitive so I though that I would come back the next day when someone was available. The following day, I drove back to dealership. After a specialist and several other people weren't able to get the car to connect the navigation using Lexus app, the advised me that I need to leave the car at their shop to figure out the software issue. Lexus is the only manufacturer that I've encountered so far that makes you purchase a vehicle before they connect navigation.

This was the message displayed:



It turns out that Data Communications Module (DCM) wasn't really communicating with anyone so they now have to replace the part and advised between 4-7 days before the part is delivered. Has anything like this happened to anyone? It's extremely frustrating to sign a dotted line for $74k financing with first payment lurking without the ability to drive the damn thing.

 

Drive it till the part comes in and then return.

 

The dealer didn't do their job. That car should have been totally checked out.

I spend a couple months a year in Peoria and I'm afraid that would be my dealer there.

Drive it till the parts come in.

 

I don't get it, are you not able to use Carplay/Android Auto? Google maps and Waze are better than the built in Nav anyway. How is this preventing you from driving the car?

 

Even if the techs had been there that night the outcome would be the same as it is probably a bad part. Not sure what features do not work until the infotainment system is fully authorized by first user. Lexus has designed it this way to start the subscription by first user instead of by a sale date as past systems used. Seems like they fired everybody from past designs and started from scratch. Like doing away with the split screen and a not so intelligent system that forces a warning of a school zone of a school that was torn down over 10 years ago. I understand his frustration and his car could be torn apart awaiting parts and in a loaner car.

 

I am a bit confused. Does the car not drive or drive properly because of DCM issue?

I had DCM connection issue in my ES and the dealer fixed it, but I went in after few weeks since I still had everything working including CarPlay and Android Auto,

DCM is a module that allows the car to connect to cellular network to communicate with Lexus remote systems.

It is typically initiated at pre delivery inspection. If it was not then the dealer/Technician did not complete their job. Maybe I am getting older, but human make mistakes and that is completely natural and expected..

 

I am sure the car will drive with the DCM issue but if it is torn apart waiting for parts may be the issue. Also pre 2023 new infotainment system did not have to be initialized before delivery. Just getting the app to work with the DCM correctly in your and my 2020 ES300h was the problem and software upgrades fixed those issues.

 

My 20 ESh issue was a DCM software issue. They had to update the DCM software. No impact to the without it though.

Even with the 2020 the DCM had to be initiated at some point to enable communications with the chosen Mobile network in that country (Rogers in canada).

 

Most likely at factory. I almost bought a 2020 pre October ESh in 2019 and luckily I discovered it did not have android auto and only ones built after October had it even though Lexus brochures said it had android auto. What I noticed was it was Verizon and the car I got in Dec 2019 was AT&T so a hardware change. That software upgrade also helped with the battery drainage from the DCM and I also had them do the latest upgrade a few months ago. There had been over 6 upgrades in software since 2020 for our car.

 

The amount of people excusing this is astonishing. You expect a certain level of quality when you buy a Lexus and a faulty DCM means somebody didn't do their job right. I would've been mad too if I had to deal with issues right off the gate.

 

I am sure it left the factory being checked out and worked and not really sure if this part is bad or just not a proper reset procedure done to correct the problem. Lexus DCM has caused problems for years from battery drainage to not working at all. Software upgrades in my ESh 2020 are what fixed my problems.

 

I'm in the same scenario as you, traded my accord for a lexus. Mine has only a minor problem, Whenever I connect to att hotspot, it leads me to an error message that reads "Wi-Fi Hotspot service is not available in this area". I called lexus support and att support and tried everything and also went to the dealership and they can't do it to work. Dealership told me that they will schedule someone to come to my house to fix it. I know that it is not a big deal because I can use my cell phone as a hot spot, but still, this is an expensive car and it is part of their advertised features of the car. Everything should be working fine.

 

I paid approx $900 for digital key and traffic jam assist. With faulty CDM, I cannot access those fearures plus navigation. I am complaining because I cannot use things I’ve paid for.

 

I cannot use Lexus navigation, Lexus digital
key and traffic jam assist. I can drive the car. I am using Apple CarPlay.

 

The replacement part arrived the next day, the service tech supposedly tested new DCM successfuly. Picked up the car today, still doesn’t work. Was advised by service tech to press the SOS button and talk to Lexus directly. They weren’t able to help out either. Going back to dealerahip on Monday.

The car rides beautifully it’s just this stupid connectivity problem for which I paid $900 for extra fitures.