Hi, I took my SC430 to the Lexus dealership to get my passenger side air bag replaced due to the recall. I decided to have them work on my car by getting the oil changed, replacing a dead foglight bulb and checking on my navigation system.

I told my consultant that the nav will not work after I press the "agree" button on the screen and it just freezes. Later on, he tells me that there's something wrong with the ECU chip and it would cost me ~$2,000 including labor to fix it. I smell something fishy and I don't think a chip should cost that much money. Normally, I don't have my car worked on at the dealership because of their obviously steep prices. But, I decided to have some things worked on out of convenience. Did/does anyone run into a similar problem with their nav?

 

It could be the dvd but it could be the nav computer as well. If you have access to another dvd I would try that first. If you had to replace the nav computer you might look for a Gen4 one for an upgrade.
I doubt the dealer is trying to "fix" the nav computer but just to replace one for you and yes, they will charge you $2k for that.
You might just try to reset the nav computer by disconnect the looms at the back of the nav computer to see if it would work correctly for you. I had a LS430 that was acting up as yours and that's what I did.

 

Thanks bro, I'll definitely try that.

 

I tried replacing the dvd; however, the eject button won't work. I also accidentally switched the location to somewhere in Japan. ........ ......... .........

 

The car needs to be on to eject the dvd if I remember correctly, I dont think you have switched to Japan, it may show some Japanese writing but it's very unlikely that you have a Japan nav dvd in it. Maybe it's easier for you to disconnect the battery for 15 minutes then try again to eject the dvd.

 

Car was on when I tried to eject the dvd. I tried sticking something into the player and I heard the dvd spinning. I guess the reader on it might be broken along with the eject button.

Also, unplugging the battery didn't do anything as well.

 

This may sound like a dumb question, but are you sure you are not pushing on the door cover instead of the button? On my 2008 SC, you have to slide a safety cover (with a raised section) to the left to get at the eject button on the DVD. If the earlier DVDs are the same, you may not actually be hitting the eject buton.

Just a thought....

 

Yup, I slide the cover to the right which reveals the eject button. I press it pretty firmly and I still get no response. It stays stuck in limbo

 

So, I turned off the display screen and when I got in my car later on in the day to turn it back on, the navigation read the disc; however, it only worked for a minute and then froze. I believe the dvd system is shot and/or the reader in the system is going out.