SW03ES

Could be...it could have occured as he unlocked the car with the keyfob too...

Here's the article with the picture I saw: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/04/doctor.car.blast/index.html They're saying he was outside the car, so this would not have happened durng startup. It was strong enough to embed metallic shrapnel in his face and body...yikes...

I had a battery explode at startup one time on a VW New Beetle, but it wasn't that dramatic, it popped and popped the top off the battery.... In order to see the kind of damage I saw on the film...it would take a sizable explosion...you'd have to have a lot of gas buildup...

I'll try it...

Lets try and keep this discussion together, here's the thread in the general forum: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=55038 Please try and respond there.

They just had pictures on CNN. I think "explode" is a little bit of media exaggeration. The entire vehicle did not explode. There was an explosion in the left front of the vehicle (drivers side) strong enough to blow off the bumper and part of the left fender. The pictures weren't great (from a helicopter) It came from the area where the service battery is at least on my ES. Now they're saying two people were injured.

They have some updates, I'll post them in the correct thread...

Hahaha! Really? Maybe only on the Lexus. I don't think the Prius does.

Banned. If you think it will be any different at CL you're mistaken, we're a lot more permissive than they are. We also talk with each other...I'm sending Dave (CL's administrator) your IP address and name now and letting him know what caused us to ban you here. So...you might not have a whole lot of luck there either.

I know...my wife drives the Prius, very similar. I would be very surprised if it was a malfunction, I just don't see what would explode, gas is not that explosive and what else is in a car that can cause an explosion like that? They say the guy was just a family doctor and that he wouldn't be a target, but you'd be amazed what normal people can get involved in to become targets for stuff like this...

Once its figured out its probably not an issue, but like you said its harder to figure out. Often used buttons that in the gen 2/3 system are on the surface are buried in menus on the gen 4 like the delete destination button, etc. Plus the gen 2/3 has the nice color-option map face, and the gen 4 has that grainy grey background.

They're even saying now he might have been standing outside the car...

You've uncovered the conspiracy Billy! Be careful when you start your car in the morning LOL

I agree with you about CR, their subscribers are not a representative sample of an owner population. However, mail in surveys have shown throughout the decades and decades that they've been used to be valid sources of statistical data provided that the sample is selected properly. No measure such as these can be perfect.

I did not lock your thread, but I will explain it to you. Because your childish rantings are annoying, they stir up trouble, and everyone is tired of them. This forum is not here for your little pretend games, lying saying that you took the emblems off to "trick" us into telling you where you can buy IS300 emblems, all the whining you've done before this about seats and lies, etc. This isn't junior high, if you can't conduct yourself like an adult we don't want you here. You're a troll, and we don't allow trolls here. So knock it off, or we're going to show you the door. One word, one bleeped out name you call me or anyone else, one more flamebait thread, and you're done.

I think we gave you several suggestions...

I started a thread in the General forum too but I figured I would also start one here. I was watching MSNBC this morning and a breaking news story came on that a Lexus RX had exploded when the owner, an Arkansas family doctor, started it up outside his home. ATF and FBI are on the way to investigate foul play, I can't imagine how it could literally explode without foul play... Later updates identified it as a hybrid.

They're doing an update now, its an RX400h hybrid and the woman that they have on the line now doesn't think foul play would be involved, the guy was a family doctor... Wow...

It may come here eventually though. They do make a 6cyl S class in those areas and they sold it here breifly in '05, the S320. They used t sell 6 cyl S classes in previous generations here all the time and they were very popular, before the LS made a V8 standard equipment in a high end sedan.

I actually prefer the nav in the 01-03, its the same generation as the nav in my car, our 04 Prius has the new generation nav and I think the older system has a more intuitive interface.

I was just watching MSNBC when breaking news came across that a doctor had blown up upon starting his Lexus RX in Arkansas. Nobody has any idea whether it was foul play or something having to do with the car. I'd be surprised if it wasn't foul play, I can think of a mechanism that would cause a car to literally explode upon startup by accident... They must agree because the ATF and FBI are investigating...

Its a great, great car. Both the 01-03 and the 04-06 are. Personally? I would buy an 04-06 simply because I think the styling is greatly improved. Really though, thats the only reason...

2001...

Yeah the service is expensive, no doubt about it. $172-$189 is right what they charge here. The 15k is a larger maintenance than the 5k on my ES at least... To me though the $189 wasn't all that bad. I dropped the car off the night before and got a loaner, they did the service and I came back at my leisure to pick it up. Had I let them it would have been nice and clean and waiting for me. To replicate this with an independent it would have cost $40 for a rental car and $25 to have the car cleaned up inside and out, when you deduct $65 from $180 you get to $115, so my independent charges me $90, so I'm only saving $25, plus it costs me an hour of my time now I have to sit around a dingy garage... I mean...the car is getting older and I'll take the savings now, but if my service rep hadn't left I'd still use the dealer. You can negotiate the cost of the package too. Call them back and say you'll take it for $1000 or you're going to cancel. Because they're guaranteeing your business for 50,000 miles and he's getting paid completely upfront for work they don't have to do now. Makes perfect sense why they would do it...

Bwahahaha! People would be stupid not to get that. OF COURSE it means Want To Fly! What else would it mean?!?!