How To Get Into A Locked Es With Dead Battery?

gbhrps · May 14, 2014

Gentlemen,

A recent episode with a no start condition on my Bride's 2011 ES350 got me to thinking.

How does one go about getting into a locked ES when the battery is dead? There are no locks to open with a key, as everything is done from the key fob buttons or the close proximity of the key fob to the door handles.

There must be a battery jumping point under a panel through a wheel well or under the car somewhere. Or do you just go through a window with a brick?

Seriously, Lexus must have a procedure for such cases. Anyone know what it is?

13IS250C · May 14, 2014

Don't know about your ES, but the IS has a little plastic cover on the door handle that pops off and a key is in the fob. Take that key and open the door.

:-)

Hope that helps.

LexBob2 · May 14, 2014

It is the same with the ES.

Look in your owners manual. There are good instructions with a diagram (if I remember correctly) on what to do in this situation.

gbhrps · May 14, 2014

Thanks guys! I'll check it out.

gbhrps · May 17, 2014

Gentlemen,

After searching the owner's manual for what seemed like forever, I found the section that referrs to using the mechanical key to open the car. Yup, I'd seen those small slots in the door handle rear caps of the driver's and passenger front doors. Stick the key in the small slot on the underside and pry the cap off.

Underneath is a standard door key lock.

But trying to put that cap back on correctly so it won't fall off, took the better part of five minutes to get it to sit correctly. I don't imagine that one of those chrome caps is a $.50 part from the dealership.

Thanks for the heads up guys!

nyuhsuk · May 18, 2014

Yeah, I lost my original door handle cap and the dealerships nor eBay had them. A manager literally took one off another ES on the lot and handed it to me.

I have a 2007 and I think he gave me one off of a 2011. I was nervous leaving it on as it sat a bit loose for my tastes but after another 30K or so heavy highway miles, it's still there.

gbhrps · May 19, 2014

nyuhsuk,

Just a thought. Put a small amount of clear silicone seal on the bottom lock tabs of the cap before you install it, and it should never come loose and fall off. And if you ever need to pull it off again, the silicone will be easy to overcome when prying the cover. Its a great glue once cured, but still flexible.