Hello all,

I've only just joined the site and must say how very impressed I am. I'll be honest and say I know pretty much nothing about cars in general except that I love mine! So I'm sorry if I ask very basic questions.

However, I have a problem and need some help:

In the last year the contents of my car has been robbed twice. I don't know how they do it as there is no forced entry -its like some c**t has got a key fob to my car and helps himself in the middle of the night to whatever I leave in it!

I have checked with Lexus and they have confirmed this is highly unlikely, -I have all three keys for the car. -Does anyone know how they get in, and more importantly what can I do to stop them? Does it work on frequency or something and have they got a special remote maybe?

Also, when you press the lock button twice and lights flash five times what does that mean?

I have a 1998 IS 200 by the way.

Thank you for your help in advance!

P

Its actually quite easy you can do it with a palm handheld and a piece of software that learns from having the control pointed at it. I used to put all my remotes onto the palm including the tv and the cars. If its someone doing that then its someone who hangs around or is local.

Has the stuff gone from the boot at all

Hmmm... exactly what I was thinking...



Also, the five flashes on your model mean you have disabled the internal movement sensor.

Where did you buy the car ? Is there a possibility that the previous owner (or someone connected to the previous owner) still has a key ?

That will not help, making it flash the 5 times

Maybe the old owner programmed a new key, from what i remember you can program up to 5 keys with the car.

What about an aftermarket alarm?

Stav

Learn something new everyday.

I was told by the salesman when I picked my car up..........



Oh dear !!

Can you all confirm he didn't know his backside from his elbow ?

I think that was 2001 onwards? I know it changed at some point.

Actually, thinking about it and getting back to the ops question, shouldn't you hold it for 5 secs rather than press it twice on your year?

Maybe I've got the order wrong. Bestter check it. Sit in your car and set it mate!!

I'm going to look it up now.

mine is a June 2001 car

Ok, I'm trying to think back and it could be a mix of both!!

Early models - 1 push is lock (inc. deadlock). Second disables interior sensors

Later models - First press lock, second deadlock. Press and hold for 5 secs disables interior movement sensor.

Better leave a window open tomorrow and check both the deadlocking and movement sensor - then clear it up for everyone.

I'm puddled trying to remember

mine is a 1999 and first press locks , second press it flashes 5 times and i can hear the deadlocks going clunk. never heard of disabling the sensors. would it be in the owners manual for your car? set up a night time camera and scoop the guy. a good camera with night vision not a cheap one.

Thats interesting? do you know where the interior sensors are Geoff on the early models? i was told it was in the front reading light and all mine has in is the bulb?

According to the online workshop manual page here , the first press of the button sets the deadlocks and the alarm, and a second press turns off the movement sensors. Usually this manual has separate sections when any features have changed later on, and it doesn't have a separate section for this bit.

I thought it was in the middle light, i know the keyfob reciever is in there anyway.

You are correct mate.

Just checked and this is exactly what it says in my owners manual (1999) too. Do later versions say something different ?

That's what I was saying (not very well) when you were round mine, I'm pretty sure it's just one press on your car for deadlocks.


@Stevie: The later cars have a one press to lock, 2nd press to deadlock, and a weird lock/unlock procedure from the internal switch to disable interior protection system.

Regarding the OP: That is quite scary, doesn't the IS have rolling codes though to prevent being able to scan the key when it's being used and then re-use? Silly question, but does it actually lock all four doors when you lock with the keyfob?

Wow!

Thanks for all the replies guys,

Its quite worrying to think someone may have a key, -but I've checked with Lexus and the one previous owner apparently gave her keys back and didn't have any others made. (i got the car from Lexus Edgware Road -Jemca)

I now get the 1 flash and 5 flash locking so thanks.

The only problem is I'm thinking there is no point locking it at this rate! (lol!)

In regards to some earlier questions, yes all the doors lock and as far I can tell nothing from the boot was taken except my gym kit (and trust me you really wouldn't want that!)

I'm quite interested in the last comment and the rolling codes -can anyone confirm this?

Not since about 1993.....TV..yes, Cars...No - They use rolling codes or other more intracate methods......otherwise we would all be getting our cars broken into daily.....

Either someone has a key (You can program up to 4 I believe) you turning off the internal sensors allown someoneto break in or you are sleepwalking

The dealer might not have made her any other keys, but it wouldn't have stopped her making her own copies (e.g. using instructions from this forum, via an auto locksmith or some other method). I'm not saying this is particularly likely, but just because the dealer doesn't know about it, doesn't mean there can't be another key somewhere.

I thought you could only have 3 keys though? So if you have three working keys, there can't be another..........

Pretty sure it is either four or five you can have, it's just three is (I think ?) what the car would have come with originally.

Ok I've just read this post and the link from Steve.
And I'm so worried now ,every time I lock my car I always push the lock button twice.
Am I doing this wrong to lock my car? I dont want to disable my motion sensor.
So what is the proper way to lock your car one push of the button or two?
I want my sensor on all the time I lock my car.

What year is your car ?

Its a 2000

Sounds like you're turning off the alarm with the second press then. You should only need to press it once, like for mine (1999).

Try locking it with one of the windows down, wait for the alarm to arm (30 secs I think ?) and then stick your hand through the window to set the alarm off. That should confirm to you whether the motion sensor is on or not.

Ok will try that tomorrow when Mrs Mole is away to work.
So she wont know I'm annoying the neighbours with my alarm going off

It's pretty easy to tell the difference:

If when you press the lock button twice, you get 5 flashes: Only press lock ONCE to fully secure car

If when you press the lock button twice, you get no further indicator flashes: Press lock TWICE to fully secure car


Hope that helps