MLHawk

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure what answer you think I'm trying to get?

The family member knows for certain how the car was delivered. It very well may have supposed to come with two, but this was delivered with only one.
At this point it makes no difference. The car now has two thanks to the thief and his cohorts.

Now off to pull the drivers panel and see why the linkage/electrical is not working. Thanks FLYCT for your effort in checking your car without battery power.

MLHawk

iTrader: (1)

Another update:

Pulled the inside panel off and found the lock cylinder comes out from handle on the outside of the door. Not inside behind the panel.

In my case I found the flat slot on the lock cylinder was not engaged into the flat slot on the lock mechanism. After re-engaging it, the locks now work and the windows move up and down with a turn of the key.
I posted some pictures of my repair in this thread (post #5) to help him in his problem of a missing lock cylinder.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...nder-pics.html

tfischer

Those are helpful and informative photos.
Thanks.
Your situation always sounded like a mechanical rather than an electrical problem to me.

MLHawk

iTrader: (1)

I thought the same as well considering the electric push buttons on the remote and door panel worked.

My worst fear was that the door mechanisms electric contacts themselves were shot. Causing a parts purchase of around $200.

Things are looking better with this SC. Cursory inspection of the front bumper cover reveals it is only pulled away from the mounts. Numerous broken clips/mounts plus the crack in it. Guessing he hooked it on something while backing out? It will take a new one to repair, but that's better than bent parts as well.

FLYCT

Your welcome. It only took 5 minutes to confirm then another 5 minutes to reset seat limits so memory would work.

Thanks for posting the excellent pictures in your other thread on cylinder removal.

JR

mandyfig

JR, your stable looks fantastic. A Lexus paradise.

sorka

SC430's came with 4 keys. 2 masters, 1 valet, and one flat wallet key.

I would not count this out as being an inside job from a current or former Lexus dealer employee. If the family claims they only ever had one key, the second key the thief had was probably one of the original two acquired either because they just found it at the dealer or they worked at the dealer and kept the key...probably along with other keys from other new cars too.

It is possible too that it's a newly cut key but they'd still have to have access to the car and the other master key in order to program a new key.

The remote battery has nothing to do with the transponder. It can be dead and still start the car. The transponder is not needed to unlock the car. Any key cut correctly to the cylinder will unlock the car. The transponder is only concerned with ignition entitlement and that's it.

sorka

BTW, the police would not have dusted for prints unless there was a pattern of thefts similar to this one. I strongly suspect the thief has done this to lots of cars and either works at a dealer or was a valet parking attendant.

MLHawk

iTrader: (1)

Thief was caught and any pattern of thefts had nothing to do with dusting. They dusted the car to confirm he was indeed the driver. At this point, they cannot confirm if thief caught, was the same guy that stole the car. Many times, original thief trade stolen cars off for money, drugs, or whatever floats their boat at the time. From what I was told, the theft of this car is the least of this guys problems.

FLYCT

If the 2nd key that the thief was using was an original OEM Lexus key I would tend to believe it would have been one that was supposed to be delivered with rather car initially.

If the key is an aftermarket key it's likely a clone of the one in possession of the owner. From what I've been told the transponders chips can be cloned. If so I would think that access to the car would not be needed.

Ace Hardware cloned a transponder key and a remote FOB for my daughter's Expedition using just the key and no access to the car.

JR

MLHawk

iTrader: (1)

Well the car is back together as it should be. The only issue it has is the side mirrors will not go up and down, only left and right. Reading here I see there is a fix by replacing the motors or gears, depending on which is causing it. Not sure if it's something I want to do or not.
If someone or you know of someone looking for a low mileage SC in Southern California, shoot me a PM.

mandyfig

One nice looking SC. Are you looking at selling?

MLHawk

iTrader: (1)

Yes. Most definitely.