2006 Lexus RX Hybrid Body & structure Problems

THE VEHICLE DASH HAS DEVELOPED PREMATURE CRACKS, AND IS SHINING AND STICKY. LEXUS CLAIMS THIS IS ONLY A COSMETIC ISSUE HOWEVER THE DASH IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE VEHICLE AND WITH THE DASH DETERIORATING THE FOAM PADDING IS HARDING CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE IN EVENT OF CRASH. LEXUS HAS ADMITTED TO THE ISSUE HOWEVER HAS ONLY OFFER REPAIRS TO A LIMITED ARBITRUARY NUMBER OF OWNERS WHILE ARBITRUARILY EXCLUDING OTHER OWNERS. THERE SHOULD BE A MANATORY RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11075015

Incident

Aug 23, 2017

Mileage

80,128 mi

DASHBOARD HAS DEVELOPED CRACKS IN 2017 AND AM TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL. CONTACTED LEXUS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL HAS ENDED. I NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF RECALL. LEXUS IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11061579

Incident

Mar 15, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

ALL SERVICE LIGHTS ARE ON, ABS VSC, AND INFO DISPLAY STATES SOME SORT OF VSC MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ID

10838905

Incident

Dec 10, 2015

MULTIPLE CRACKS AND MELTING DASHBOARD. THE DASH IS VERY STICKY AND IS FALLING OFF IN PIECES. I'M CONCERNED IF THE AIRBAGS EVER DEPLOY THIS DEFECTIVE DASH WILL BECOME AN IED! *JS

NHTSA ID

10617401

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400H (HYBRID). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD EXHIBITED VERTICAL CRACKS NEAR THE AIR BAG HOUSING AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

NHTSA ID

10596574

Incident

May 29, 2014

Mileage

148,000 mi

WHILE SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING STRUCTURE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE CEMENT BLOCK WALL IN FRONT OF ME. SINCE THE DISTANCE FROM HALF-WAY INTO THE PARKING SPACE TO THE WALL WAS SMALL (PROBABLY THREE TO FOUR FEET), I HAD NO TIME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES BEFORE IMPACT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LEXUS DEALER. I WAS IMMEDIATELY REFERRED TO THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHO HANDLED ALL TRANSACTIONS AFTER THAT. AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR INSPECTED THE CAR, RETRIEVED THE CRASH DATA RETRIEVAL RECORDER AND ISSUED A REPORT. THE CDR INDICATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT PUSHED UNTIL AFTER THE CRASH, AND THAT THE SPEED IN THE FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE CRASH WENT FROM 3.7 TO 60.9 MPH. LEXUS REFUSED TO ADMIT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, STATING ONLY THAT THE BRAKES, ACCELERATOR AND FLOOR MATS SEEMED TO BE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. I REFUSED TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN OR HAVE ONLY THE BODY FIXED AND SOLD TO AN UNSUSPECTING THIRD PARTY. IT WAS EVENTUALLY DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. THERE WAS NO HELP OR ADMISSION OF A PROBLEM FROM LEXUS, EXCEPT TO TRY TO CHARGE US FOR CAR STORAGE AT THE DEALERSHIP DURING THE PROCESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10596551

Incident

Aug 6, 2013

Mileage

144,693 mi

HAVING ENJOYED OWNING A LEXUS RX300, I MADE A HUGE "INVESTMENT" AND PURCHASED THE 2006 RX400H. IN APRIL OF 2014, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I ATTEMPTED TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE AS SUGGESTED BY THE LEXUS DEALER. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THE CARPET INSIDE THE CABIN AREA WAS SOAKING WET! THE CAR HAD BEEN OUTSIDE IN THE RAIN WITH THE WINDOWS, SUNROOF AND DOORS CLOSED. ALSO, I TAKE THE CAR TO AN AUTOMATIC CAR WASH ON A REGULAR BASIS. WHILE LOADING THE CAR ON TO THE JERR-DAN TOW TRUCK, A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER POURED OUT OF THE REAR TRUNK AREA. THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR WAS AMAZED AT THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WAS POURING ONTO THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LEXUS DEALER. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, A LEAK IN THE REAR HATCH AREA WAS FOUND TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE WATER. THERE APPARENTLY IS A METAL SEAM WHERE THE WELDS DO NOT HOLD UP OR WERE NOT WELDED PROPERLY. WATER COLLECTED IN THE HYBRID BATTERY AREA CAUSING OVER $7000 DAMAGE. OF COURSE, LUCKILY FOR LEXUS, THE VEHICLE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE ONLY RECOURSE I HAD WAS TO MAKE A CLAIM TO MY INSURANCE, WHICH ONLY COVERED THE DAMAGES BUT NOT THE CAUSE. MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES ARE APPROXIMATELY $3000. WATER LEAKING FROM THE OUTSIDE INTO THE CABIN OF A VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY ONE OF THIS PRICE, IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND TO HAVE WATER COLLECT INTO THE "HEART" OF THE VEHICLE AND RENDER THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE IS FRIGHTENING. I COULD HAVE BEEN ON AN ISOLATED ROAD OR A BUSY HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE SUDDENLY QUIT. LEXUS KNEW ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM BUT DID NOT ADVISE THEIR CUSTOMERS TO WATCH FOR ANY SIGNS OF MOISTURE. THE REPAIR TO THE POPPED SEAM COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY ANY BODY SHOP OR, I'M TOLD, THE USE OF A GOOD QUALITY SILICONE. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM 3/10/2009 THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM: TSB-L-SB0019-09 REV 1. *TR

NHTSA ID

10586442

Incident

Apr 10, 2014

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED CRACKS IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. WE WERE TOLD THIS COULD BE A SAFETY RISK RELATED TO FUNCTION OF THE AIRBAG. LEXUS OFFERED TO PROVIDE A NEW DASHBOARD IF WE PAID THE LABOR CHARGE OF $800. EVENTUALLY THE DEALER SPLIT THE LABOR CHARGE WITH US AND WE REPLACED THE DASHBOARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10586038

Incident

Sep 12, 2012

Mileage

82,000 mi

THE CAR IS A HYBRID. IT WOULD NOT START (THE READY LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON), THEREFORE IT WAS INOPERABLE. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS PARKED AND DID NOT DIE WHILE DRIVING. IF IT WOULD HAVE DIED WHILE DRIVING, MANY DANGEROUS POSSIBILITIES COULD HAVE INCURRED. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A LEXUS DEALER IN COLUMBUS, THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS WATER IN THE HYBRID BATTERY AREA. AFTER LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH LEXUS SERVICE PERSONNEL, THEY CONCLUDED THAT "WELDS" NEAR THE HATCH HINGES HAD COME APART, WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO SEEP INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR TO THE HYBRID ELECTRONIC CONTROLS. LEXUS SERVICE HAD EXPERIENCE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE, AND HAD GUESSED AT A VARIETY OF REASONS (SUCH AS EXCESSIVE OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE HATCH, WIND CATCHING THE HATCH WHILE IT WAS OPEN, AND OTHER LAME REASONS). THERE IS NO TICKER ON THE HATCH TO COUNT HOW MANY TIMES IT WAS OPENED NOR WHAT THERE ANY GUST OF WIND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSE THE WELDS, TWO WELDS, TO BREAK ALLOWING WATER TO SEEP INTO THE CAR. MY CONCLUSION IS THAT SINCE THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED BEFORE, THAT THERE IS EITHER A MANUFACTURING ISSUE, AN ENGINEERING ISSUE, OR BOTH. I AM NEITHER AN EXPERT IN THESE AREAS, BUT DO HAVE SOME COMMON SENSE. LEXUS CORPORATE OR THE DEALER WOULD NOT CONFESS TO THE WRONGDOING AND THEREFORE I HAD TO SHELL OUT OVER $1600 IN REPAIRS. THEY WANTED ANOTHER $1100 TO RE-WELD THE 3 INCH GAP ON BOTH SIDES WITH PAINTING INCLUDED. DUE TO THE EXPENSE, I HAD TO OPT FOR USING SILICONE TO SEAL THE GAPS AND AM FORCED TO DRIVE THE CAR IN DRY WEATHER. *JS

NHTSA ID

10579631

Incident

Mar 12, 2014

Mileage

104,000 mi

THE BLACK PLASTIC FINISH TRIM ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TRIANGULAR WINDOW BLEW OFF ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MILES PER HOUR. APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE, SINCE NOW THAT I AM AWARE OF IT...I HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER LEXUS SUV'S OF THE SAME OR SIMILAR MODELS HAVE THAT PIECE MISSING! I SAW 3 OTHERS JUST YESTERDAY! I AM THINKING THAT WHATEVER IS SUPPOSE TO HOLD THAT PIECE ON IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO DO SO! *TR

NHTSA ID

10534748

Incident

Aug 4, 2013

Mileage

45,000 mi

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND P0AA6 WARNING ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE WENT COMPLETELY DEAD, COULD NOT START UP. THERE WERE CRACKED BODY SEAMS ABOVE THE REAR DOOR STRUT MOUNTS ALLOWING WATER INTRUSION TO FLOOD THE ENTIRE BOTTOM WELL UNDER THE FLOOR BOARDS WHICH SHORTED OUT THE ENTIRE HYBRID BATTERY SYSTEM. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF WATER INTRUSION INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE, NOTHING WAS WET. APPARENTLY, LEXUS HAS TWO TSB'S ON THIS ISSUE, L-SB-0019-09 & L-SB-0045-09, ON HOW TO REPAIR THE SEAMS SINCE OVER TIME THERE APPEARS TO BE A STRUCTURAL FLAW ALLOWING THE SEAMS TO SEPARATE. THE WATER INTRUSION HAPPENS SILENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING AND PRESENTS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD AS YOU GET WATER INTO AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND PARTS BEGIN SHORTING OUT WITHOUT ADVANCED WARNING. IMAGINE TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED AND THE HYBRID BATTERY SHORTS AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STOPS! OR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT STARTS A FIRE! LEXUS IS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND HOW COSTLY THE DAMAGE IS AND THE SAFETY RISKS ASSOCIATED AS A RESULT AND HAS CHOSEN NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL OR LIMITED CAMPAIGN TO ALLOW FOR A SIMPLE REPAIR OF THE SEAMS TO PREVENT MAJOR DAMAGE FROM OCCURRING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523290

Incident

Apr 30, 2013

Mileage

70,000 mi

AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE ON THE 4TH LEVEL OF A 6 STORY PARKING BUILDING, I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WAS COMING TO A STOP, SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED (LOUNGED) FORWARD. THERE WERE STEEL CABLES (RAIL GUARDS) THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE FROM GOING OVER AND NOSE DIVING ONTO THE STREET BELOW. THE FRONT BUMPER AND THE HOOD WERE DAMAGED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL LEXUS DEALER AND HAD THEM CHECK THE BRAKING SYSTEM FOR ANY DEFECTS. AFTER DOING A "HEALTH CHECK" ON THE VEHICLE THE LEXUS REP TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I ALSO FILLED A REPORT WITH LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME, A TECHNICAL INSPECTOR WILL GO TO THE DEALERSHIP AND CHECK THE VEHICLE OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508299

Incident

Apr 12, 2013

Mileage

96,300 mi

2006 LEXUS RX400H (AND OTHER TOYOTA/LEXUS MODELS). ANTI BACTERIAL / MOLD COATING ON A/C EVAPORATOR BEGINS SHEDDING WITH AGE/TIME AND BLOWS WHITE POWDER/DUST THROUGH VEHICLE. LEXUS SAYS IT'S ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, AND IT'S PERFECTLY SAFE. HOW CAN IT BE SAFE TO INHALE / INGEST A FOREIGN SUBSTANCE? HAS LEXUS / TOYOTA DONE ANY STUDIES REGARDING ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE. IF IT'S SAFE, WHY DOES LEXUS / TOYOTA NOW OFFER (AND INSTALL IN NEW VEHICLES) AN A/C EVAPORATOR WITHOUT THE COATING? *TR

NHTSA ID

10368620

Incident

Nov 25, 2010

Mileage

145,000 mi

MY UNCLE BUMPED HIS LEG ON THE DOOR EDGE OF HIS 2006 LEXUS400H, CUTTING HIS LEG WHICH REQUIRED 5 STITCHES. THE EXTERIOR PANEL IS MUCH BIGGER THAT THE INTERIOR PANEL WHICH LEAVES A HUGE POINTED SECTION THAT STICKS OUT RATHER THAN TAPERING SAFELY IN: IF YOU LOOK STRAIGHT DOWN ON IT YOU CAN SEE HOW IT STICKS OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10328804

Incident

May 1, 2010

AS I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE ' HYBRID CARS ARE VERY QUIET AND THUS PRESENT A DANGER TO PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH PARKING LOTS. THE DANGER IS PARTICULARLY SERIOUS WHEN THOSE DRIVING THE HYBRIDS ARE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACES - NO MATTER HOW CAREFULLY THE DRIVERS ARE BACKING OUT! PEDESTRIANS DEPEND ON THEIR HEARING TO ALERT THEM TO CARS BACKING OUT, SO THEY SIMPLY WALK RIGHT BEHIND A CAR THAT IS ALREADY MOVING. I OWN A 2006 LEXUS 400H AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT BACK-UP LIGHTS THAT BEEP TO ALERT PEDESTRIANS, BUT NONE ARE AVAILABLE FROM ANY SOURCE. I URGE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE QUICK ACTION TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE MODELS INCLUDE EXTERNAL SOUND FOR HYBRIDS WHEN THEY ARE BACKING UP AND ALSO TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT BACK UP LIGHTS THAT PROVIDE THAT SAME CAPACITY FOR OLDER HYBRID MODELS. MARCIA GARB *TR

NHTSA ID

10237465

Incident

Apr 15, 2006

WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 RX400H, I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND MY HEEL WENT THROUGH TWO CARPETS AND THE FLOOR BOARD. MY HEEL WAS STUCK IN A HOLE IN THE FLOOR BOARD. I CAN NOW PLACE MY FINGER INTO A HOLE AND FEEL WIRES AND EMPTY SPACE UNDER THE GAS AND BREAK PATH. LEXUS HAS AGREED TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A FEE. (50%) THE SALES MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT FLOOR BOARD HAS RIPPLES. (LIKE PEAKS AND VALLEYS). THERE ARE TWO HOLES LINED UP DIRECTLY UNDER EACH PEDAL. THE CONSEQUENCE: HEELS AND RIPPLES UNDER A FLOOR BOARD DON'T MIX.... THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10203633

Incident

Sep 8, 2007

Mileage

30,000 mi