2006 Lexus RX Hybrid Other / unspecified Problems

The contact owns a 2006 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled while depressing the accelerator pedal. There were several warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V396000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and the contact was included that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.

NHTSA ID

11500121

Incident

Dec 14, 2022

Mileage

134,000 mi

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

AS I WAS DRIVING, WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKES I COULD HEAR A GRINDING NOISE AND DID NOT FEEL ENOUGH PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, I GOT SCARED AND SLOWED DOWN MY SPEED. IT TURNED OUT THAT ACCORDING TO THE AGENCY SERVICE SHOP, THE BRAKE ACTUATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED SINCE IT DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH AIR/PRESSURE WHEN I BRAKE AT A LOW SPEEDS (IT'S WORN OUT), PLUS THE CV AXLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS LEAKING. MY POINT IS, IT COSTS ME OVER $3,000 DLLS TO REPAIR WITH ONLY 1 YEAR LABOR/PARTS WARRANTY; I READ THAT BRAKE ACTUATORS FOR 2006, 2007. & 2008 RX400H LEXUS AND TOYOTA HIGHLANDER MODELS CAME OUT DEFECTIVE, THAT ONCE THEY GET REPLACED, THEY WILL FAIL AGAIN MOST LIKELY WITHIN A YEAR AND LEXUS HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT, PRETENDING THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, ALLOWING US TO DRIVE OUR VEHICLES LIKE THAT WHILE HAVING OUR LIVES AT RISK. I AL SO READ THAT MECHANICS WORKING FOR LEXUS COMPANIES HAVE STATED THAT LEXUS SPENDS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON BRAKE ACTUATORS ALONE BECAUSE THEY GET REPLACED TOO OFTEN. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND IF POSSIBLE FORCE TOYOTA/LEXUS TO DO A MASSIVE RECALL. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY NOR CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THIS MUCH MONEY TO REPAIR IT. I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS TOWARDS THE COST OF THE VEHICLE, OVER $15,000 ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO AND I DO NOT THINK THIS IS FAIR. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER, LIVE IN A SMALL CITY, AND DO NOT DRIVE IT MUCH.

NHTSA ID

11101813

Incident

Jun 12, 2018

Mileage

135,741 mi

THE HYBRID SYSTEM LIGHT TURNED ON. NEXT WERE THE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS TURNED ON, THEN THE WAS STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND I WAS ABLE TO STEERED IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT WAS ON THE STREET ROAD. I CHECKED FOR THE RECALLS RELATED TO THE VIN, BUT NO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE ALTHOUGH THERE WERE 6 RECALLS TOTAL. ONE OF THE RECALL RELATED TO THE INVERTER COOLANT. IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE ONCE AT AROUND 120K AND NOW 135,828 MILES.MY VIN IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11083769

Incident

Apr 7, 2018

Mileage

135,828 mi

2006 LEXUS RX 400H. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SYSTEM INVERTER, INTELLIGENT POWER MODULE SAFETY RECALL. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ON JULY 9, 2009 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE STOPPED RESPONDING TO ANY ACCELERATION AND THE CONSUMER HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO COAST OFF TO THE SIDE OF A NEARBY OFF RAMP. AFTER BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THERE WA A SHORT IN THE INVERTER ASSEMBLY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10680233

Incident

Jul 10, 2009

WHEN APPROACHING SPEED OF 55 REAR WHEEL BEGINS TO WOBBLE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON SIMILAR VEHICLE THAT DESCRIBES THIS PROBLEM IN THE FOLLOWING LINK HTTP://WWW.CNBC.COM/ID/101022824. *TR

NHTSA ID

10680179

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED. WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF FRESH POND ROAD AND MYRTLE AVENUE, MY LEXUS SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THE MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD WAS "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM". SAME INCIDENT HAPPENED DEC 2012. ACCORDING TO LEXUS THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME WAS THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE LEXUS DEALER YET BUT THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I GOT LUCKY WITHOUT SERIOUSLY INJURING MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10578409

Incident

Apr 8, 2014

Mileage

29,000 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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10552223

Incident

Nov 9, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400H. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS BEING THE HYBRID INVERTER BATTERY WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND SHUTS OFF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

NHTSA ID

10504073

Incident

Mar 21, 2012

Mileage

75,000 mi

1A. AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN TO KEY HOLE, IF YOUR START THE CAR RIGHT AWAY, IT WILL GIVE YOU A FAILURE "CHECK VSC SYSTEM" OR"SHIFT TO "PARK" BEFORE STARTING" EVEN IT WAS ALREADY PARKED. 1B. POWER DRAINED IF RADIO WAS ON FOR 10-20 MIN AND CAR WILL NOT START 2. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS COOLED. I HAD TO WAIT FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION BEFORE TURNING START TO GET IT START. 2 YEARS AFTER HAVING THE CAR, THE STARTER BATTERY WAS REPLACED WITH THE SIMILAR SITUATION DESCRIBED ABOVE. DEALER NOW CLAIMS THAT BATTERY NEEDS REPLACEMENT AGAIN. 3. REPLACING STARTER BATTER WAS DONE THE FIRST TIME. I REALLY DOUBT THAT BATTERY DIED OUT SO QUICKLY, SO I'VE DONE A BIT RESEARCH (PROVIDED LINK BELOW) AND FOUND QUITE A FEW TALKED ABOUT INVERTER FAILURE CAUSING SIMILAR ISSUES, AND IT NOT ONLY RESULT IN HIGH COST TO REPLACE THE INVERTER, POSSIBLY LIFE BECAUSE VEHICLE BROUGHT TO STOP WHEN IN MOTION. HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F136279/0 PLEASE KINDLY INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10410239

Incident

May 7, 2011

Mileage

61,200 mi

THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM INVOLVES HYBRID INVERTERS IN LEXUS HYBRID VEHICLES. THIS PARTICULAR CASE INVOLVES A 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLE WITH ABOUT 109,000 MILES ON IT THAT HAD RECEIVED ALL RECOMMENDED, SCHEDULED, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. IN THE COURSE OF NORMAL DRIVING, ALL POWER TO PROPEL THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY AND ABRUPTLY VANISHED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE CONCOMITANTLY LOST POWER STEERING AND SKID CONTROL AS EVIDENCED BY NOTICES ON THE DASH. FORTUNATELY IN THIS CASE, MOMENTUM ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAR WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND MANUALLY PUSHED OFF THE ROAD. LATER IT WAS TOWED A GREAT DISTANCE TO THE DEALER, AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE, THE DEALER BEING THE ONLY PLACE CAPABLE OF THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. THE DEALER FOUND THE HYBRID INVERTER FAULTY. NO REASON FOR THE FAILURE COULD BE PROVIDED. THE WARRANTY NO LONGER APPLIED THEREFORE THE COST OF REPAIR WAS QUOTED AS AN ASTONISHING $9,000.00 ! TOYOTA EVENTUALLY AGREED TO PAY THE DEALER FOR THE PART, BUT NOT ITS INSTALLATION. THE FAULTY PART WAS NOT RETURNED. SHOULD THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT NOT PROVE ISOLATED, SUCH ABRUPT AND UNCONTROLLED POWER LOSS RENDERS ALL THESE VEHICLES UNTRUSTWORTHY AT MINIMUM, AND RAISES POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC SAFETY CONCERNS DEPENDENT ON CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDE WHERE AND WHEN HYBRID INVERTER FAILURE AND COMPLETE POWER LOSS SUDDENLY OCCURS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10408735

Incident

Jun 17, 2011

Mileage

109,000 mi

THE CAR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS TRAVELING 70+MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS LEFT ONLY WITH BRAKES. MY PASSENGER NOTED A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE THE FAILURE THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED STRANGE, BUT THERE WERE NO INDICATORS ON THE DASH. CAR WAS TOWED TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHICH STATED THAT THE INVERTER WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND QUOTED $9,000 FOR PART AND $500 FOR LABOR. CAR HAD BEEN FULLY SERVICED FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT SAME DEALERSHIP JUST A FEW WEEKS EARLIER. I WAS TOLD NEW INVERTERS COME FROM JAPAN AND USED ARE DIFFICULT TO FIND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10399716

Incident

May 8, 2011

Mileage

106,000 mi

DRIVING OFF A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR JUST DIED. CHECK AWD - CVT - HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON . TOWED TO DEALER NEXT MORNING AND THEY CALLED TO SAY LUCKY IT IS UNDER WARRANTY ( I HAVE 64000 MILES , WARRANTY IS 70 K ) AND IT NEEDS A NEW INVERTER. I HAVE NOT SEEN BILL BUT HERE IT IS $ 7 TO $ 9000 YIKES ! THIS IS A PROBLEM AS IT SHAKES MY FAITH IN LEXUS BOUGHT FROM USA TO BRING TO CANADA AND RELIED ON TOYOTA - LEXUS BRAND --- THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AND FROM WHAT I CAN SEE THE TOYOTA LEXUS HYBRID SYSTEM NEEDS A LONGER WARRANTY !!!! I BELIEVE IT IS A FAULTY CURRENT INVERTER MADE OF PLASTIC, THEY REPLACE WITH NEWER METAL ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10390014

Incident

Sep 3, 2010

Mileage

64,031 mi

COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR SUMMARY: AT A STEADY RATE OF SPEED ON THE HWY, THE CAR SURGES AND PULLS AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN A SMOOTH RIDE. WHEN BRAKING EXPERIENCE SHORT BURSTS OF ACCELERATION. I AM CONCERNED AS THIS SEEMS TO BE LEADING TO AN INVERTER FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10381667

Incident

Feb 10, 2011

Mileage

51,000 mi