Lexus owners in the U.S. have been affected by a wireless update, which damaged the infotainment systems of their vehicles. Drivers may not be able to obtain navigation directions or listening to music. Toyota has acknowledged the problem, saying that it affects “many cars.”

The Japanese automaker is already working to fix up the software problem. Lexus owners would have to visit a dealership to obtain a complete repair if the company cannot solve the issue via satellite. Some users have wondered if they have been victims of cyber attacks.

Lexus navigation system bugged
Lexus owners in the U.S. have been affected by a wireless update, which damaged the infotainment systems of their vehicles. Credit: The Verge

Moe Durand, a spokesman for the Lexus luxury division who spoke to Autonews, said that Toyota has not identified yet what is causing the problem. The failure may be due to a faulty application sent to customers, said Auto News.

People have wondered if they are part of an advertising campaign or something similar. Many Lexus drivers may not be able to use their vehicle’s radio since it displays on the same screen, added Duran.

Many vehicles have been affected, although Toyota has not confirmed a number of units

The Lexus’s Customer Experience Center said that drivers in Chicago and southern U.S. states had been affected by the issue, according to Toyota spokeswoman Cindy Knight. She also confirmed that satellite communications with the vehicles are not properly working.

Owners of the luxurious vehicles have also made complaints in California, through Twitter. A user from Florida published a video showing the navigation system of his Lexus. The screen first shows the “caution message,” but then it resets itself.

It is not clear whether the luxury vehicle division of Toyota would be able to solve the problem via satellite.  

“It seems to be kind of widespread, we have not found the root cause yet,” Knight said according to Autonews.

The software update may not have affected drivers in other countries. Lexus owners in the U.K. have not reported any problems yet, according to a spokesperson who talked to BBC. The issue may be related to Enform, which is not available in Europe.

Enform is a service that allows users to visualize their cars via satellite, request roadside assistance and inform of collisions. Lexus has won the title of the brand with the highest vehicle dependability in the U.S., said J.D. Power & Associates in a report.

20 percent of Lexus owners complain about the vehicle’s communication and navigation systems, said the research firm J.D. Power & Associates, according to Autonews.

Some drivers have already found a solution

Mike Hovde from Bloomingdale, Illinois, said via Twitter that his dealer has found a solution for the software problem. However, it can only be repaired in the service department. 

“One of the media providers that send GPS information to your Lexus navigation system, sent an update to the system that contained a bad line of code. The programming issue has now been resolved, but it require us to reset your system,” said the dealership from Woodfield. 

According to an email sent to Hovde, the problem is currently affecting certain 2014, 2015 and 2016 Lexus models. Some Youtube users have confirmed the same information, saying that the battery needs to be disconnected for a hard reset.

Source: Autonews