2006 Lexus RX Hybrid Steering Problems

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

THE CAR (2006 RX400H) BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

NHTSA ID

10905167

Incident

Sep 7, 2016

Mileage

168,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A RURAL ROAD AT 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING, THE "PS" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH, AND I HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE. I PULED OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I RESTARTED THE IGNITION AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED. I DROVE HOME.

NHTSA ID

10895513

Incident

Aug 12, 2016

Mileage

188,000 mi

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I BUMPED A TREE WITH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE MIRROR. THE IMPACT WAS SLIGHT, ESTIMATED SPEED WAS 5MPH AS THE DRIVEWAY WAS ICY. THE WHEELS WERE NOT TURNED MUCH AS THAT PORTION OF THE DRIVEWAY IS STRAIGHT. AFTER THE IMPACT, I FOUND THAT THE WHEEL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE "P/S FAIL" LIGHT WAS LIT ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. AFTER EXAMINING THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, THE ONLY VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS A PAINT CHIP ON THE MIRROR. THERE WERE NO FLUID LEAKS. THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL IN NOV. 2011 (LEXUS SAFETY CAMPAIGN 9LC) FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE DUE TO OTHERS HAVING SIMILAR SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. MY INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED MY CLAIM FOR REPAIR BECAUSE THE EXPERTS THEY CONSULTED SAID THIS TYPE OF IMPACT COULD NOT HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I HAVE WRITTEN LEXUS DESCRIBING THE ISSUE AND AM AWAITING A RESPONSE. HAD THE POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER HITTING ONE OF THE NUMEROUS POTHOLES ON THE HIGHWAYS, INSTEAD OF IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE CONSEQUENCES TO MY WIFE AND I COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SEVERE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692815

Incident

Feb 22, 2015

Mileage

168,280 mi

WHILE TRAVELING EAST ON RT 2 IN MASSACHUSETTES THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND BLEW OUT. AT THIS INSTANT THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED MAKING IT EXTRA DIFFICULT TO GET THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. I LATER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO LEXUS OF MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE ECU HAD FAILED BY SWAPPING IT OUT WITH A KNOWN GOOD ONE FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT THIS WOULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANYBODY WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE CONTROL FORCE THAT A FLAT TIRE PUTS ON THE STEERING WHEEL UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10550288

Incident

Oct 22, 2013

Mileage

155,569 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

I WAS DRIVING 2006 LEXUS 400H WHEN I NOTICED THE POWER STEERING BEGAN TO FADE. OUTSIDE TEMP WAS 21 DEGREES AND I TRAVELED ONLY 8 MILES. I WENT OUT ON THE ROAD A HALF HOUR LATER. I HAD TO USE TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL HALF WAY TO THE STORE SINCE POWER STEERING HAD FADED GREATLY. WHEN I GOT INTO THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED INTO A SPACE AND ALMOST HIT THE CAR NEXT TO ME BECAUSE THE STEERING JUST DIED. IN ANY EVENT, AFTER GRUNTING AND USING MUCH MUSCLE, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME. HOWEVER, WHEN I WAS MAKING A TURN AT INTERSECTIONS, THE WHEEL SEEMED TO PULSATE LIKE POWER WAS COMING ON. BECAUSE I WAS PUTTING MUCH STRENGTH ON THE WHEEL TRYING TO CONTROL THE TURN, I DRIFTED CLOSE TO THE OPPOSITE LANE TWICE AND CAME WITHIN INCHES OF A STOPPED CAR WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE. I AM UNABLE TO EVEN STEER THE CAR NOW. THE STEERING AND FRONT WHEELS WILL MOVE SIDE TO SIDE SEVERAL INCHES JUST SITTING THERE. THE CAR HAS 35,154 MILES ON IT. I KNOW THE MANUAL SAYS THE ELECTRONIC POWER UNIT WILL SHUT DOWN IF IT OVERHEATS FROM OVERUSE BUT THAT DID NOT HAPPEN IN MY SITUATION. IT JUST PROGRESSIVELY SHUT DOWN. I FEAR THAT AN ELDERLY OR A PERSON WITHOUT MUCH ARM STRENGTH WOULD NOT HAVE FARED AS WELL AS I DID. *TR

NHTSA ID

10254636

Incident

Jan 10, 2009

Mileage

35,140 mi

MAKING A TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE STEERING MECHANISM EXPERIENCED A FAILURE THAT LEAD TO AN NEAR INABILITY TO STEER. THE STEERING WAS SO STIFF WITH OCCASIONAL UNCOMMANDED INPUTS THAT IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO USE. IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS TYPE OF FAILURE DURING HIGHWAY SPEED DRIVING.....VERY UNSAFE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10241416

Incident

Sep 8, 2006

Mileage

33,226 mi

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE NYS THRUWAY. SHE PULLED OFF AT A REST AREA. SHE WAS FULLY STOPPED WAITING FOR A PARKING SPOT TO OPEN UP WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY OUT OF CONTROL. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE OSCILLATING LEFT AND RIGHT IN SYNC WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF IMMEDIATELY. AFTER A MINUTE SHE ATTEMPTED TO START IT AGAIN. IT STARTED NORMALLY. AS SOON AS SHE TOUCHED THE STEERING WHEEL, THE SHAKING RESUMED. SHE TURNED IT OFF. BY PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, SOME PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO HELP HER WINCH THE STEERING WHEEL ENOUGH TO PUSH THE CAR INTO A SPACE WHERE IT STAYED UNTIL A TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. SOME BYSTANDERS ?!@#$%. *TR

NHTSA ID

10228076

Incident

May 16, 2008

Mileage

47,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400H. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE WAS BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE LINK ASSEMBLY. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,327 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,516. UPDATED10/16/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10204523

Incident

Aug 31, 2007

Mileage

22,516 mi

PULL TO THE LEFT AT ALL TIME. *NM

NHTSA ID

10157941

Incident

Mar 19, 2006

Mileage

19 mi