Lexus Enform going away in 2022- Angry

[SladeRoberts]

I just received a letter informing me that Lexus is doing away with all 3g Enform services in 2022. This includes remote start, safety, destination, and road side services. I’m pissed. A 100K vehicle and they’re just going to delete a major feature of the vehicle? This is absolutely asinine. I won’t be buying another Lexus ever. It’s a service that I pay $300 for and I use it.

 

[Sulu]

You are over-reacting. It is not completely Lexus' fault that your vehicle's Enform services are being phased out.

As wireless technology continues lo evolve, telecommunications providers in North America are making significant changes to their legacy communications infrastructures and network capabilities. Certain telecommunication providers have elected to terminate 3G wireless services which will impact available services for motor vehicles.

Your Enform services run on a 3G cellular network. As the letter says, more and more cellular providers are dropping 3G networks (to evolve and support 4G and new 5G networks). As more 3G networks are phased out, Lexus will not be able to offer your particular Enform services nation-wide; and in the foreseeable future, as 5G networks become the norm, 3G networks will likely be dropped altogether, by all providers.

Instead of having your knee-jerk reaction kick a dent in your beloved Lexus, have you researched what options there are to continue with similar services in 2 years time (October 31, 2022), when the cancellation becomes effective? The cancellation is NOT immediate, so you still have time to find another service. Perhaps Lexus itself will offer something.

 

[mikeavelli]

Correct, this is on the wireless end canceling 3G. Such is technology today..

 

[Marshy55]

You are over-reacting. It is not completely Lexus' fault that your vehicle's Enform services are being phased out.



Your Enform services run on a 3G cellular network. As the letter says, more and more cellular providers are dropping 3G networks (to evolve and support 4G and new 5G networks). As more 3G networks are phased out, Lexus will not be able to offer your particular Enform services nation-wide; and in the foreseeable future, as 5G networks become the norm, 3G networks will likely be dropped altogether, by all providers.

Instead of having your knee-jerk reaction kick a dent in your beloved Lexus, have you researched what options there are to continue with similar services in 2 years time (October 31, 2022), when the cancellation becomes effective? The cancellation is NOT immediate, so you still have time to find another service. Perhaps Lexus itself will offer something.

I wouldn't say our anger is an overreaction. Lexus has known for several years that the networks were moving towards 5G. Any technology geek (which Lexus employs quite a few) would know that as new technology is introduced, old technology must go by the wayside. To have a 2017 vehicle not even be equipped with at least 4G is negligent. We paid thousands $$ more for this technology in our sticker price, and now our vehicles will probably be devalued by thousands $$ upon trade-in.

 

[Rydo]

Lexus has known for several years that the networks were moving towards 5G.

This was my thought immediately as I read your post - Lexus were/are still putting 3G chipsets into a 2017. Oh my god, that is just...unforgivable.

But then it is Lexus as we all know their navigation experience is a mile behind competition.

I bet in Japan, where they have a system that rivals Mercedes MBUX, there won't be this issue.

 

[Tom McHugh]

I have a 2015 ES300h. I'm willing to pay a reasonable amount for 5g/4g upgrade. But if I'm left hanging I'll never buy another Lexus or Toyota.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

I just had to swap the cell module in my home security system for the same reason. Apparently at least one of the major US carriers moved up when they were turning off 3G without asking anyone if it would affect their stuff.

 

[mediumhot]

Turning off 3G is all about sales push of 5G phones. They are making you upgrade by switching bands around. T-mobile is super famous for such thing, their official phones just stop working one day cause they've dropped the bands and added some new band or whatever. Wireless network market is not regulated enough to prevent these tricks unfortunately. How deep carriers can go shows the fact that AT&T does not provide you HD Voice feature if you didn't buy the phone from them. HD Voice is GSM standard technology that every single GSM newtork and phone supports, it's not something AT&T has thought of and implemented. They maliciously prevent you from using such feature if you put in their sim card in any phone other than theirs. T-mobile has certification program for VoLTE, in other words they charge phone manufactures to white list their phones to use that option. They charge manufacturers to whitelist their phones to use Band 71 even though modem supports such band.

Bottom line is 4G is derived from 3G, it's not a technological jump like it was from GSM/EDGE to 3G or to mmWave 5G. Shutting down 3G makes very little sense if you are not going to shut off 4G LTE as well. Most of the deployed 3G networks is HSPA+ and it's speed is very comparable to 4G LTE. They are greedy as hell.

 

[Bauri88073]

2018 GX 460 is also affected. The Enform ECU they put in 2019+ GX 460 has an MSRP of around $1200.

 

[Lgoldste]

Lexus was well behind in adoption of current technology. It's inexcusable. 3G was already on the way out when I bought my 2017 RX 450h and there was no indication that they were using it. Lexus should provide an upgrade for free. No doubt cell carriers are driving this change but Lexus chose the parts and services they used. They should have known better.

 

[Marshy55]

You are over-reacting. It is not completely Lexus' fault that your vehicle's Enform services are being phased out.



Your Enform services run on a 3G cellular network. As the letter says, more and more cellular providers are dropping 3G networks (to evolve and support 4G and new 5G networks). As more 3G networks are phased out, Lexus will not be able to offer your particular Enform services nation-wide; and in the foreseeable future, as 5G networks become the norm, 3G networks will likely be dropped altogether, by all providers.

Instead of having your knee-jerk reaction kick a dent in your beloved Lexus, have you researched what options there are to continue with similar services in 2 years time (October 31, 2022), when the cancellation becomes effective? The cancellation is NOT immediate, so you still have time to find another service. Perhaps Lexus itself will offer something.

This is not an over-reaction. Do you realize they've been talking about 5G for YEARS? That was a heads up clue that the 3G would be outdated. Lexus could have done the smart thing and made their newer vehicles with the 4G technology. Aren't they good at 'Looking ahead'? Apparantly not.

 

[crusade]

I agree 100%! This is no over reaction at all.
Lexus/Toyota should push out or have users come into dealerships to get their infotainment updated. Maybe even get a new cell sim installed into the car.
I hope Lexus/Toyota decides to put funds into something like that.

 

[LS500-18]

I wonder what my 2018 LS500 has?? I'm in Canada so I doubt they are turning off 3G here, there are many rural areas here with older cell tech I'm sure...

The smart move for Lexus here is to offer an upgrade to 4G/LTE/5G at a reasonable cost.

 

[Lgoldste]

3G is so old that they've had a good part of the last decade to anticipate the need to upgrade. That a 2017 vehicle was built with this outmoded tech at a time when 4G was pervasive and 5G well on its way to replacing it is preposterous. Yes, the right thing to do would be to upgrade -- to 5G (no sense in repeating this fiasco in the next 4-5 years) -- at a minimal cost. But no solution is unacceptable. Like others have expressed, if this remains at status quo, this will be my last Lexus vehicle.

 

[mako]

Lexus, really?

First you don’t give us any Remote Start unless we pay a monthly fee.
Second, the Service you do force us to pay for is now going obsolete.
We pay a premium for your vehicles and this is what we get and how we are treated?

Overreacting? Really?

Lexus, do the right thing and we'll be friends again!!!

 

[slackrl]

Ok So here's the list of impacted vehicles.....
Just not understanding things on the list

What are the impacted models for Lexus?

Impacted Services	Impacted Lexus Vehicles	Termination Date
Lexus Enform Safety Connect	2010-2017 all models2; 2018 GX	October 31, 2022, 11:59PM CST
Lexus Enform Destination Assist	2010-2017 all models2,3; 2018 GX3	October 31, 2022, 11:59PM CST
Lexus Enform Remote	20151; 2016-2017 all models2; 2018 GX	October 31, 2022, 11:59PM CST
Lexus Enform Service Connect	2016-2017 all models2; 2018 GX	October 31, 2022, 11:59PM CST

1 2015 Model Year: GS, LS, RC, IS (excluding IS C), ES & NX (navigation equipped vehicles)
2 Excludes 2016-2017 CT 200h with Standard Audio System
3 Requires Navigation Package
lexus2.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/impacted
lexus2.custhelp.com/app/answers/

i.e 3Requires Navigation Package
I have a 2018 RX 350 I with Navigation.

 

[PSTHOM]

What happened to the Lexus Enforme App? I used to be able to type in a destination, save it, and then sync it with my Lexus RX350. The Enforme App says to use the Lexus App but I see nowhere to enter destinations. I have the 2017 and I understand the 3G services will terminate on 10/1/22. I hope Lexus is going to find a solution....wouldn't be surprised if there ends up being a class action lawsuit on this......

 

[JillKenn]

Ok So here's the list of impacted vehicles.....
Just not understanding things on the list

What are the impacted models for Lexus?

Impacted Services	Impacted Lexus Vehicles	Termination Date
Lexus Enform Safety Connect	2010-2017 all models2; 2018 GX	October 31, 2022, 11:59PM CST
Lexus Enform Destination Assist	2010-2017 all models2,3; 2018 GX3	October 31, 2022, 11:59PM CST
Lexus Enform Remote	20151; 2016-2017 all models2; 2018 GX	October 31, 2022, 11:59PM CST
Lexus Enform Service Connect	2016-2017 all models2; 2018 GX	October 31, 2022, 11:59PM CST

1 2015 Model Year: GS, LS, RC, IS (excluding IS C), ES & NX (navigation equipped vehicles)
2 Excludes 2016-2017 CT 200h with Standard Audio System
3 Requires Navigation Package
lexus2.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/impacted
lexus2.custhelp.com/app/answers/

i.e 3Requires Navigation Package
I have a 2018 RX 350 I with Navigation.

What does this mean for 2019 models?

 

[ma12jh34]

I have read that there could be an antenna option for these vehicles with 3g technology . Hopefully Lexus will get their act together for people like me who will be standed out there when my car can no longer use my Remote access. I guess now people will buy new cars like people buy new cell phones!!!!!! Maybe these greedy companies will delay the 3 G tower shut down for at least another year. So rediculous. Aways the last minute. It is coming so Lexus get on it and find a solution as we all folks who own these models will take a beating (loss) when we sell .

 

[gbLexus]

You are over-reacting. It is not completely Lexus' fault that your vehicle's Enform services are being phased out.



Your Enform services run on a 3G cellular network. As the letter says, more and more cellular providers are dropping 3G networks (to evolve and support 4G and new 5G networks). As more 3G networks are phased out, Lexus will not be able to offer your particular Enform services nation-wide; and in the foreseeable future, as 5G networks become the norm, 3G networks will likely be dropped altogether, by all providers.

Instead of having your knee-jerk reaction kick a dent in your beloved Lexus, have you researched what options there are to continue with similar services in 2 years time (October 31, 2022), when the cancellation becomes effective? The cancellation is NOT immediate, so you still have time to find another service. Perhaps Lexus itself will offer something.

It is Lexus fault that they did not design the 3G depended components and capabilities in their vehicles in a way that allowed future plug and play replacement. The progressive changes in cellular technologies is nothing new.

Lexus knew that they did not control the support of 3G so why design make your vehicles depended on such technologies without providing a way to easily update. You can expect cellar technologies to go through 4 or more generations during the expected lifetime of a luxury car.

Telling a customer to just buy a newer model is not good customer service expected of a Luxury brand . I have only 30K miles on my Lexus which now has significant capabilities obsolete due to Lexus design decisions that showed no consideration of the customer. I will not be buying another Lexus.

Lexus has left their customers holding the preverbal bag. Their actions on this issue is not behavior indicative of a Luxury brand or a company that values its customers.