LS400 Key Fob locks but will not unlock doors

[Helpermunkey]

Just bought a 1997 LS400 last night. As I am about to drive away the (private) seller tells me that the batteries in both remotes are dead and need to be replaced. I drove straight to Walmart to buy batteries and installed them in while still in Walmart. As I am coming out of the store and still quite a distance from the car I hit the lock button and I heard a beep and saw the headlights flash. When I got to the car I pushed the unlock button and nothing happened. I unlocked it with the key and got in. I tried the trunk button and it unlocked the trunk. The remotes work from quite a distance to lock the doors and unlock the trunk. Both remotes are doing the same thing. They both Lock the car and they both unlock the trunk but when I press the unlock button for the doors nothing happens with either remote. No beep, no lights no sounds from the locking mechanism in the doors, nothing.

I have read threads where people say theirs lock the doors but will not unlock the doors but they also say that theirs does not unlock the trunk. Also in those threads even though the problem is slightly different I have yet to see where anyone has resolved their issue.

I have tried reprograming the remotes and the issue remains unchanged.

Contacted the seller who said he did not use the remotes very often, he preferred using the key to lock and unlock, that is why he did not replace the batteries when they wore out, however, he "thinks" all the functions worked the last time he did use the remotes.

Any help or suggestions?

Thank you

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Hi and welcome to LE!

It sounds like the remote is broken, or at least the unlock button is. (It's also possible there's something wrong with the body control module in the car, but that's much less likely since all the other functions work). A Lexus dealer could probably tell for sure. It looks like aftermarket key fobs are pretty widely available from sites with varying degrees of sketchiness as well if you Google for them.

 

[RAL]

Welcome @Helpermunkey! Your LS is beautiful; looks immaculate. Thanks for sharing photos. Good luck with the key fob issue!

 

[hectortwede]

It's not about the batteries, but the keys are already old and do not function properly. Contact the locksmiths and give them your keys, they will make you a new duplicate and program it correctly, and you will be able to use the new keys without any problems. The car salesman deceived you! The contacts in the key chip itself have gone there, and if I were you, I'd better turn to this service https://www.carkeyduplication.com/cut-by-vin/, and talk to the locksmiths there. I recently made duplicate keys for myself, and I liked the people who work at this company. They do their job efficiently without further ado.