Lexus Refusal To Program Smart Key

[bdb]

Anyone know what automobile agency to complain to about LEXUS not programming smart keys? My dealer claims since my smart key didn't come with the car, there is a "computer" inside the smart key that looks for the immobilizer in your particular car. So since the Smart key is for another car, he can't program it. But of course you can "BUY" a key from them and "MIRACULOUSLY" that key will be for your particular car, and can be programmed. WHAT GARBAGE.... I am really upset about this and think LEXUS is forcing us to buy smart keys from them. Isn't this illegal? Needless to say, I talked with the Service Manager to no avail. So they have lost all my service repair business, as I will not ever let them do anything to my car. There are way too many good technicians out there.

Anyway, anyone know who I can file my complaint to? I prefer a federal agency. (not Lexus corporation). Lexus 2006 GS4340, Brian

[steviej]

Try your local branch of the Better Business Bureau.

Just out of curiosity, have you tried to call the Lexus number? You could try to talk to the local regional representative in your area.

Call another Lexus dealership and tell them you are looking for a new place to have your car serviced. If it truely can be done, they may do it to get your business.

steviej

[SW03ES]

Well, the dealer is a private business. If they don't want to program keys not purchased from them as a policy they cannot be forced to do so. Its not "illegal".

Its crappy...but they can do it. There is absolutely no reason why any SmartKey can't be programmed for your car. You can even buy used ones...

[SKperformance]

If i were the dealer i would say no as well.

Just because you brought your own hamburger meat to mcdonalds should they cook it for you are well since you bought a fries and coke as well?

Funny enough i have had dealers program keys for me but i think it is because i am a really nice guy , as well as giving them a bottle of ice wine for Christmas.

You reap what you sow .

[The G Man]

My dealer charge me $100 to program it for me on my last car, the key was from ebay. I find that reasonable. If every John goes into the dealer for free programming, they will be out of business.

[SW03ES]

Thats absolutely correct, when you are a great guy and treat everybody at the dealer the way you want them to treat you, they take really good care of you.

[gordonw]

Anyone know what automobile agency to complain to about LEXUS not programming smart keys? My dealer claims since my smart key didn't come with the car, there is a "computer" inside the smart key that looks for the immobilizer in your particular car. So since the Smart key is for another car, he can't program it. But of course you can "BUY" a key from them and "MIRACULOUSLY" that key will be for your particular car, and can be programmed. WHAT GARBAGE.... I am really upset about this and think LEXUS is forcing us to buy smart keys from them. Isn't this illegal? Needless to say, I talked with the Service Manager to no avail. So they have lost all my service repair business, as I will not ever let them do anything to my car. There are way too many good technicians out there.

Anyway, anyone know who I can file my complaint to? I prefer a federal agency. (not Lexus corporation). Lexus 2006 GS4340, Brian

The smartkey you buy from Lexus is not preprogrammed, essentially blank. The smartkey you bought, probably from ebay, is programmed for another car. Unfortunately you can not reprogram that preprogrammed smartkey. We see this quite a few times, people go on ebay buying the smartkeys to save some money only to end up paying more in the end. Now since they don't tell us they're buying preprogrammed keys, we attempt to program the smartkey only to have it fail, and we've done quite a few of them.

So when they tell you they can't, they're saying they are saying unable, not unwilling. Don't spread your misinterpretation of the facts.

[bdb]

I was told 3 weeks ago they could do it for 60 dollars a key, which I had cash money in my pocket and ready to pay them. Of course I didn't expect it to be free. I just don't want to pay the dealer 330 dollars per key plus 60 more per key for programming a key in their parts room that didn't came with my car either. So how does the key in the parts room "Sense" my immobilzer? Its been there for weeks with my name on it? ANd why the change of policy all of a sudden?

Brian

[gordonw]

I was told 3 weeks ago they could do it for 60 dollars a key, which I had cash money in my pocket and ready to pay them. Of course I didn't expect it to be free. I just don't want to pay the dealer 330 dollars per key plus 60 more per key for programming a key in their parts room that didn't came with my car either. So how does the key in the parts room "Sense" my immobilzer? Its been there for weeks with my name on it? ANd why the change of policy all of a sudden?

Brian

$330?!, Thats crazy money. We don't charge that much for the complete smartkeys. Thats kind of high.

[bdb]

ANd what elctronic circuit won't allow the preprogammed key to be reprogrammed? I've had many cars with remotes that can be reprogrammed plenty. Even done one myself with a Jeep Grand Cherokee since the instructions were in my repair manual. My understanding is you hook up to the OBD system and tell the ECU to erase thew old codes for the old smart keys and to accept the new smart keys. Too bad I don't have to commands.

Brian

[SW03ES]

Yeah I don't buy that either. I bought a used smartkey for our Prius and the dealer was able to reprogram it just fine. I'm sure the Lexus system is better, but it doesn't make any sense that the key would know what car it is programmed to. The car knows what key, but the key doesn't know what car, does that make sense?