Mechanic attempting to fix stolen Lexus finds shocking reason why no one else has been able to fix car
Published on Mar 18, 2026 at 5:08 AM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Mar 17, 2026 at 8:26 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
It was something of a mystery when this mechanic got to work on fixing a stolen Lexus, but he soon realized why nobody else had been able to repair it.
YouTube channel OGS & Mechanics had taken on a 2024 Lexus Hybrid NX350h as a project.
It had been stolen, stripped and wouldn’t start as a result.
Could the car be fixed, even when the mystery behind its dysfunction was revealed?
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What had gone wrong with this stolen Lexus?
Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the Engine Control Unit (ECU) was blown, likely as a result of damage that came from a jump-start attempt.
Diagnostics revealed 26 error codes.
When the ECU casing was opened, a strong smell of burnt electronics wafted out.
Visually, it was clear that extreme heat had wrecked havoc here, with fried circuits on full display.
Even an attempt to install a used ECU didn’t amount to much, after a loud rattling noise rung out.
It was at this point they realized – the noise wasn’t a mechanical failure, it was the hybrid system trying to turn the engine over with a battery that had little left to give.
The battery’s voltage was currently at 200V, but it needed 260Vc to operate.
To charge it, the battery needed to be removed and manually charged, due to the car’s status as a standard hybrid rather than a plug-in.
And even this process of charging wasn’t straight forward – when it was reinstalled, it drained almost immediately as it hadn’t been charged enough to sustain the engine’s cranking load.
A second, deeper charge was required to get this stolen Lexus back on track.
Mechanics have a tough job on their hands
In some ways, mechanics aren’t so different from detectives.
They have to do a lot of investigating to figure out the full picture of whatever mystery they’re trying to crack.
And it can be a frustrating process, with a lot of trial and error.
But at the same time, mechanics are also life savers – not in a literal sense – as they provide solutions.
Take the Car Wizard for example – he may as well have worn a superhero cape as he saved the day when an Aston Martin rolled into his workshop.
And that’s not even the first time he’s solved a problem like that.
He’d previously fixed a 2013 Toyota Avalon with a $10 part – after four different dealerships had been left stumped by its issues.
He also took on a Chevrolet Malibu that was considered ‘possessed’ by its owner, and a 2002 Mercedes E320 that had fallen victim to coffee spills.
There’s no shortage of issues a skilled mechanic can’t work around.
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Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
