2006 Lexus RX Hybrid Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400 HYBRID. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, DRIVING ON AN INCLINE, OR MAKING TURNS, THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE, HYBRID CHECK, AND BATTERY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TREASURE COAST LEXUS (LOCATED AT 5121 US-1, FORT PIERCE, FL 34982, (772) 460-0000) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN CLEANED THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, CLEARED THE FAILURE CODES, AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE IN CHECK MODE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS EXPECTED. THE DEALER SWAPPED THE CIRCUIT OPEN RELAY WITH THE IGNITION RELAY TO ELIMINATE THE RELAY AS THE FAILURE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURES, BUT THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.

NHTSA ID

11233390

Incident

Jul 3, 2018

Mileage

146,000 mi

CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE. THE INVERTER WAS REPLACED FOLLOWING THE FIRST OCCURRENCE IN 2011. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING DURING THE FIRST OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA ID

11152656

Incident

Nov 18, 2018

THE HYBRID BATTERY FAILED, POWER INVERTER, LOCKING UP POWER STEERING AND MY CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO OPERATE ON THE ROAD. I WAS QUOTED 7500$ COST. I HAVE READ OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS OCCURRING. I WOULD LIKE HELP REPAIRING FROM LEXUS

NHTSA ID

11115156

Incident

Jul 31, 2018

Mileage

186,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON A BUSY ROAD IN MA THE CAR ABRUPTLY STALLED AND LOST POWER AND ABILITY TO CONTROL IT OTHER THAN WITH A GLIDE AND MANUAL STEERING TO PULL OFF THE ROADWAY AND OUT OF BUSY TRAFFIC, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY FOR BOTH OUR SON AND THE PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND HIM. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED US THAT THE DASHBOARD SENSORS WERE INDICATING A FAULTY OIL PUMP AND POSSIBLY A FAILED INVERTER. "THEY HAD NO WAY OF DETERMINING IF THE INVERTER WAS FAULTY WITHOUT FIRST REPAIRING THE OIL PUMP FOR $1200." UPON REPAIRING THE OIL PUMP, WE LEARNED THE INVERTER ($8000 REPAIR) WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED REPAIR. THE DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN THIS AND HAD "NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF SUCH A THING." FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON OUR PART, SHOWED THAT OVER 235,000 2006 AND BEYOND TOYOTA HYBRID VEHICLES HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR A FAULTY INVERTER IN 2013. WHILE OUR VEHICLE VIN DOES NOT SHOW UP ON THE RECALL LIST, WE BELIEVE WE ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. LEXUS CORPORATE IS DENYING ANY PART IN THIS AND REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE WITH ONLY 109,000 MILES AND QUICKLY CLOSED THE CASE. OUR CONCERN IS THERE ARE MORE VEHICLES OUT THERE WITH THIS ISSUE, AND THAT IT COULD BE DEADLY FOR OPERATORS AND DRIVERS. IF THE INVERTER WAS IDENTIFIED AS FAULTY ALREADY ON OVER 235,000 VEHICLES, AN EXPANDED SEARCH ON ADDITIONAL VINS NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE. LEXUS WAS VERY COMFORTABLE IN CONFIRMING THAT THEY DID NOT AND WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES BEYOND 100,000 MILES, AND ESSENTIALLY, IT WAS GOOD THAT OUR SON DID NOT GET INJURED, AND SORRY OUR CAR WAS ESSENTIALLY TOTALLED (VALUE OF VEHICLE IS APPROX $9000 BASED ON KELLY BLUE BOOK) FOR THE FAULTY INVERTER WHICH WAS NOT IDENTIFIED ON THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11098091

Incident

May 10, 2018

Mileage

109,000 mi

ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WITH NO WARNING WITH NO POWER TO CONTROL OR NAVIGATE THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11083253

Incident

Apr 3, 2018

Mileage

111,500 mi

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE BETWEEN 60-70 MPH, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT-OFF. LOST ALL POWER AND "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" LIGHTS CAME ON. WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. NOTIFIED AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LOCAL LEXUS DEALER WHO CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND SAID THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT AND RETURNED IT TO ME. SAME PROBLEM AGAIN A WEEK LATER WITH SAME RESULTS. LEXUS CONTINUES TO SAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE NOR CAN THEY FIND ANY RECALLS. BUT CAR CONTINUES TO SHUT DOWN AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.

NHTSA ID

10986019

Incident

May 16, 2017

TWO DIFFERENT TIMES, AFTER DRIVING 2 HOURS OVER A MOUNTAIN PASS ON THE HIGHWAY, PULLING A SMALL POPUP CAMPER, THE VEHICLE DIED AT THE CAMPGROUND. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA/LEXUS USED PRIUS INVERTERS ON 2006 HYLANDER AND RX440H VEHICLES AND THEY OVERHEAT AND FAIL BECAUSE THEY ARE MEANT FOR A SMALLER VEHICLE AND HAVE INADEQUATE SOLDER. THERE IS A RECALL FOR INVERTERS ON 2006, BUT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT SHOWING UP AS QUALIFYING. THE INADEQUATE INVERTERS WERE INSTALLED ON RX400H MODELS WITH VIN NUMBERS ENDING IN 60036526 AND LOWER. MY VIN NUMBER ENDS 60029638-- SO AN INADEQUATE INVERTER WAS INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. TOYOTA/LEXUS NEEDS TO ADD MY VIN NUMBER TO THE RECALL GROUP, BUT THEY ARE HESITANT BECAUSE OF THE EXHORBITANT COST OF THE INVERTER. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE OVERHEATED INVERTER CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO A FAIL/SAFE- LIMP HOME MODE SUDDENLY AND THE VEHICLE CAN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY, WITH HIGH RISK OF A CRASH AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH

NHTSA ID

10896299

Incident

Aug 11, 2016

Mileage

79,000 mi

DEAR SIRS! THE CAR WAS BOUGHT FEB 2009 FROM IRA LEXUS IN DENVER MA WITH 17K MILES ON IT. NOW THE CAR HAS 65K MI. IT DID DIE ON THE STREET ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO MECHANICS DID CHECK THE CAR AND DID WRITE A REPORT, THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE MANUFACTURING ISSUE WHICH WAS A REASON FOR THE RECALL. I HAVE RECALL INFO AND REPORT, CAN EMAIL. I DID NOT RECEIVE THE RECALL NOTICE. THE LEXUS DEALER SAYS THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE FIXED BY THEM, BUT NEED A LEXUS APPROVAL. THE COST IS ABOUT $10K I DID CONTACT LEXUS AND RECEIVED A CALL THAT THEY WON'T PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE PROBLEM IN THE CAR ' INVERTER WENT BAD AND THE REASON FOR THAT ' A SMALL PART INSIDE, WHICH WAS ON THE RECALL. LEXUS SAY THAT THE RECALL WAS FOR A SMALL PART AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE WHOLE THING. AND I BELIEVE THAT SINCE I DID NOT RECEIVE THE RECALL LETTERS - THEY SHOULD FIX THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10616220

Incident

Jul 28, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi

LEAKAGE OF COOLANT FROM THE RADIATOR DISCOVERED AND IN LESS THAN 50 MILES AN ENGINE WARNING LIGHT LIT, INDICATING FAILURE OF THE HYBRID SYNERGY DRIVE SYSTEM , NAMELY THE HYBRID INVERTER. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND THE RADIATOR AND INVERTER WERE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10561527

Incident

Jan 11, 2014

Mileage

53,602 mi

TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE BETWEEN 75-80 MPH, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT-OFF. LOST ALL POWER AND "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" LIGHTS CAME ON. WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE INVERTER ON THIS CAR WAS RECALLED IN JUNE 2011 AND I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE IN NOVEMBER OF 2011 AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED, AND THEY DID NOTHING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. SALINE KIRKLAND AT LEXUS OF MOBILE (SERVICE MANAGER) SAID SHE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM ONE WEEK AGO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454137

Incident

Apr 1, 2012

Mileage

62,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400 HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN A CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM UNDER THE HOOD, FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE STALLING. THE CONTACT ADDED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED STATING TO CHECK ALL SYSTEMS INCLUDING 4WD AND HYBRID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,000.

NHTSA ID

10436397

Incident

Nov 10, 2011

Mileage

82,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400H. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HYBRID INVERTER HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,300.

NHTSA ID

10382945

Incident

Feb 14, 2011

Mileage

123,300 mi

NO FAILURE, YET. BUT VEHICLE (LEXUS RX400H - 2006) IS A HYBRID. THERE IS A SEPARATE COOLING SYSTEM FOR THE HYBRID COMPONENTS (INVERTER, AND ELECTRIC MOTORS IN TRANSAXLE). COOLANT IS LEAKING FROM THE TRANSAXLE. IF ALL COOLANT LEAKS OUT, THE INVERTER WILL FAIL. WITHOUT THE INVERTER, THERE IS NO POWER - NO ELECTRIC STEERING, NO ELECTRIC BRAKES, AND NO MOTIVE POWER TO THE WHEELS. ADDITIONALLY, THE COOLANT MAY LEAK SOMEWHERE OR ONTO SOMETHING THAT MAY SHORT OUT OR CAUSE A FIRE. THIS IS NOT A LEAK FROM A WORN OUT COOLANT HOSE, BUT DIRECTLY FROM THE TRANSAXLE. BEING A HYBRID, THE AVAILABILITY OF ELECTRIC POWER IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF INVERTERS FAILING (JUST CHECK THE LEXUS. TOYOTA AND OTHER HYBRID FORUMS) ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED, LEADING TO A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS, BUT THE POTENTIAL IS FRIGHTENING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10371976

Incident

Dec 16, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400H. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INVERTER FAILED WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE COMPUTER AND ENGINE TO FAIL. THE INVERTER WAS REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/15/10 BF UPDATED 10/19/10

NHTSA ID

10344666

Incident

Jul 3, 2010

Mileage

60,000 mi

VEHICLE LOST CONTROL ON BRAKES AND ALMOST STALLS WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENED 1 YEAR AGO AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND NOW IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES. THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND WHAT IS CAUSING IT. IT HAS BEEN A HAZARD TO DRIVE. THE COMPUTER WAS CHANGED AND STILL IT OCCURRED AND IS WITH SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324848

Incident

Mar 23, 2010

Mileage

61,401 mi