Cannot Unlock The Doors With The Buttons. Why?

Denis Ivanov · October 25, 2010

Hello,

I have a very strange problem on my IS220d. I cannot unlock the doors by pressing the button on the handle. I can unlock the doors by grabbing the handle and by pressing the unlock button on the remote. I don't know since when I have this problem because I unlock all the doors by grabbing the handle (last time I used the button to unlock was few days ago).

However I can lock the doors by pressing the button but when I try to unlock I hear the rear doors trying to unlock but then nothing happens and they stay locked. I washed the car yesterday, my windows were down and I remember that I unlocked the rear door manually by reaching out from the outside and unlocking it.

Any idea if I did something wrong and activated some safety feature or this is just a defect and I need to go to the Lexus dealer so he can rip me off?

Ruudfood · October 25, 2010

I thought the button only locked the doors. Grabbing the handle unlocks only doesn't it? But there's a setting which controls which doors are unlocked by grabbing the handle. Or maybe I'm completely wrong because I've only had mine for 24 hours!! :D

dazed · October 25, 2010

I have a very strange problem on my IS220d. I cannot unlock the doors by pressing the button on the handle. I can unlock the doors by grabbing the handle and by pressing the unlock button on the remote. I don't know since when I have this problem because I unlock all the doors by grabbing the handle (last time I used the button to unlock was few days ago).

However I can lock the doors by pressing the button but when I try to unlock I hear the rear doors trying to unlock but then nothing happens and they stay locked. I washed the car yesterday, my windows were down and I remember that I unlocked the rear door manually by reaching out from the outside and unlocking it.

Relax. There's nothing wrong with your car, it's working exactly as it should.

The button on the door handle is for locking the doors only. The first press locks the doors, the second press (if done within a couple of seconds) throws the deadlocks.

To unlock the car, grab the handle.

Alternatively you can use the lock and unlock buttons on the remote.

Denis Ivanov · October 25, 2010

I am pretty sure I used the button to unlock the car as well ... maybe I am wrong. I will have to go through the manual again.

But there's a setting which controls which doors are unlocked by grabbing the handle.

Yes, you are right and I have that option set to unlock all the doors as usually I go out with a lot of friends and its more convinient to have all doors unlocked at once.