Electrical Storm resulting in all windows

I absolutely

my car which is a 1999 Lexus GS 300 w/ 68,000 miles. Two weeks ago I parked my car in my driveway, lock the car, and went inside, put my car keys on a key hook till the next morning when I went outside all the windows were fully down and the sunroof was fully open and the car was still locked with nothing missing. The problem is that night we had a severe rain and thunder/lightning storm, the worse in 5 yrs. So my car was flooded. I got all the visible standing water out of the car, started the car and then went to work; I have seen no noticeable mechanical problems with the car that day. I later that day took it the Lexus dealership for repair. I have extensive water damage to the leather, seats, headliner, and numerous other parts. Lexus has done a check of the electrical system, but says they can't find anything wrong with the electrical system. They say I must have hit the button on the remote by accident. I wear scrubs and keep my keys in my front shirt pocket, usually, however most all nights when I get out of my car I hold my keys in my hands then open my house door the walk to the kitchen and put them on the hook without ever putting them in my pocket. Also for the windows and sunroof to open all the way fully you have to hold the key button down for ~ 5 seconds and if you release they don't go all the way down. All so one of my neighbors once they heard of my car problem told us that she had seen my car in the early evening without any windows or sunroof open. This was about 8 to 9 pm and I got home at ~5-6 pm. The storm occurred later that evening. Have you heard of or know where I can go to find info on whether an electrical storm could have caused this problem or if there are any other published reports of the type of problem. Thank you for any help you can give me. I really need the help especially anything like this that has ever happened before including any other make or model.

Thank You,

scox Suppose you heard the a similar thing happened to a VW in peoria last summer. What then do you do? No I have not heard of that case. Do you know of any details or where I might find details? Thanks. In response to stevefl question, (What then do I do?) I don't know what I am going to do. I would like to know if this has happened to other vehicles whether they are Lexus GS 300's or some other model or make. My car is Lexus certified but Lexus can not reproduce any electrical problem and they have checked there records and have not found this to be a problem. My concern is that if mechanics can't reproduce any electrical issues with my car in their standard tests then other mechanics may be doing the same thing. It seems to me that the same frequency the remote uses to open the car windows and sunroof might be present in a thunderstorm. I just want to find out if this has happened before and/or with what frequency. Because Lexus does not think there is a problem with my car they (mechanic) did not file a report as to my problem. So since they can't find a similar case in their files they consider it no problem at all. My question is how many other people have gone through what I am going through. Thank you, scox We have been hearing similar stories ever since the earliest days of remote control. Usually they're about garage doors that mysteriously open or close by themselves, sometimes it's television sets that change their own channels. Sometimes the causes can be determined. Airplane overflights, for example, or a neighbor using a remote control that operates with the same frequency, or even a ham radio operator not adhering to FCC guidelines. More often the causes of such phenomena remain mysteries forever.


The prevalence of automobile remotes increases the reports of odd phenomena. Why, for example, does your remote fail to unlock the door beyond a 25-foot radius unless you grip the device with your teeth? Then it works from 50 feet. We ask the scientists but they turn their backs on this question (maybe so you don't see them biting the remote).

Now we have the problem of tracking down the actual person involved in these stories. Don't even bother. All such tales are either third-hand reports (my co-worker's neighbor's brother-in-law), or are published accounts that never name the afflicted party. Privacy concerns, y'know.

Even your case, scox, is a typical example. I might repeat the account of your mishap elsewhere, but the best I could do is mention it happened to "some fella out in the SW desert somewhere, no, I never knew his name." So you can see the impossibility of sending you to the original source. (This is the situation about the VW in Peoria that I mentioned. Maybe it actually was Champlain... I can't even be sure my source got it right, even if I could remember who he is.)

To get to the point, I never heard specifically of a Lexus misbehaving this way. Your car may have responded to the thunderstorm, but maybe there was an entirely different explanation. As in most such cases, likely we'll never know. Good luck, my friend. in reply to : "the same frequency the remote uses to open the car windows and sunroof might be present in a thunderstorm."

That is impossible becuase the signal that is used from the remote access module in your key chain is an RF signal that is pulse width modulated. Nothing in nature looks like it you would have to atrifically produce it and it consists of different bits. if this issue only happens during storms only, here is my "guess", the water gets somewhere where it is not, and shorts a relay and causes that to happen.

take care

PS try a home test with a water hose at home. Excellent point, kautyy. Remote controls are not simple rf bursts; they are encoded, both as a security issue and to prevent accidental activation from random signals. I don't think an electrical storm could have been responsible for the effect. Too, too unlikely. Water seeping in, maybe. Activation from a passing Lexus using a remote, also possible. This will likely remain an unsolved mystery. Well if the electrical storm could not have caused the windows and doors to open on their own. I understand what you have said about the remotes however on my key remote for all the widows and sunroof to go fully down like they were you have to hold the remote down for a long time ~5sec. My car is certified by Lexus so if I can prove somehow that the widows and sunroof can open in unusual ways maybe they will fix the car under the warranty. All I know is this should not have happen all by itself and I know there are alot of safety devices built into the car. Any other ideas that I can use to prove a problem to Lexus, all their electrical tests come back normal. I just want my car fixed. Thanks. is this hold your remote for 5 seconds to open all windows function something you use??

most remote functions can be programmed off.
you might ask your dealer about that, if you don't use it anyway. Just so you know, i have heard and SEEN cell phones create strange happenings. Let me tell you this 1 for instance.

My mother in law came over and called her house from outside her house and every time she calls the garage door opens. NO JOKE!

No other cell phone does this but hers. We have tried a many of different ones. And it only happens if she calls her house. If she calls mine nothing happens. anyone elses nothing happens. Kinda weird but stranger things have happened. (Insert twilight zone theme music here) also.... do you have kids? Well reading this post my best advice would be to move on take the cards that you were for some reason delt and play the best hand you can. Because not even the best auto tech in the worl could explain this kind of science thats why we work on cars they are explainable we can diagnos them if we study and keep up with the times. Thanks for your help. Yes I have kids and no they did not get into the keys. The night in question a neighbor walked by a ~9 pm and noticed the car with all windows up, after the kids were in bed. My insurance is working to total the car, I loved the car and really just wanted to be able to prove to Lexus this should not happen and it was a warranty issue under the certified warranty that covers electrical problems. Hmm thats a bit odd. The windows would not have just rolled down by themselves.

Without the battery voltage being set and the module waking up. Somthing had to happen on your end. If the insurance company wanted to push it, they could make it your fault.