2006 LEXUS RX HYBRID Complaints

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400 HYBRID (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE POWER SYSTEM SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY WITH NO POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT A NEW HYBRID SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

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

THE 2006 LEXUS RX400H HAS CONTINUOUSLY DEMONSTRATED EXTREMELY EXCESSIVE INSIDE FRONT TIRE WEAR. THE ORIGINAL FACTORY TIRES WERE REPORTED AS WORN OUT AT A 10K MILE DEALER INSPECTION, AND THAT IS AFTER AN INSPECTION AT 5K MILES BROUGHT NO PROBLEMS TO MY ATTENTION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 50K MILES, ON THE THIRD SET OF TIRES, WITH REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO ALIGN THE FRONT END AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE ISSUE APPEARS TO REMAIN. THIS VEHICLE DESTROYS FRONT TIRES AT A RATE THAT WILL TAKE CONSUMERS BY EXTREME SURPRISE AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS TRAFFIC INCIDENTS DUE TO FRONT TIRE FAILURE. TIRES WITH A LOWER SPEED RATING DO SEEM TO IMPROVE LIFE, AS I HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST SET OF TIRES (EACH SET TRIED HAS BEEN DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER WITH HIGHER LIFE RATINGS); HOWEVER IT DOES NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE SINCE THE LIFE OF THE TIRES IS STILL BEING DEMONSTRATED TO BE WELL LESS THAN HALF THAT EXPECTED. *TR

DEAD STARTER BATTERY - 1. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW (WE ARE ORIGINAL OWNERS) THE STARTER BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD IF WE DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR FOR 4 OR MORE DAYS (OBVIOUSLY NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE IT ANYWHERE WHERE IT WOULD SIT WITHOUT A CHARGER NEARBY LIKE TO AN AIRPORT). LEXUS HAS REPLACED THE BATTERY 3 TIMES BUT JUST 1 MONTH AGO REPLACED IT AGAIN AND NOW AFTER A 1 WEEK TRIP TO CANCUN BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN. LEXUS PRETENDS TO NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM BUT MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT IS OFTEN MUCH WORSE WHERE THE CAR SHUTS DOWN WHEN DRIVING. MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME SERIES OF PROBLEMS ULTIMATELY NEED TO HAVE THE INVERTER REPLACED WHICH IS A $9K PLUS PART (SO FAR IT SEEMS WHEN ITS PROVED TO LEXUS THEY DO THIS AT NO CHARGE -- BUT MINE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY). 2. PROBLEM ALWAYS OCCURS IF THE CAR SITS WITHOUT BEING STARTED FOR MORE THAN 4 DAYS. 3. THEY HAVE REPLACED BATTERY 3 TIMES. WE ARE AFRAID THAT OUR PROBLEM WILL ESCALATE AND MY WIFE WILL BE DRIVING WITH OUR 8 & 10 YEAR OLD CHILDREN AND THE BATTERY SYSTEM WILL FAIL CAUSING THE ENTIRE CAR TO SHUT DOWN AND SHE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO STEER TO SAFETY WHEN BRAKE AND STEERING ARE NOT WORKING. IT IS UNFAIR FOR US TO POTENTIALLY HAVE TO SELL THE VEHICLE AT A HUGE LOSS TO AVOID THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE (AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE THE PROBLEM). *TR

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. STOP AT A STOP SIGN ON A VERY STEEP HILL. START TO PULL OUT ON TO A VERY BUSY ROAD. WHILE GIVING THE CAR GAS TO GO IT COMPLETELY GOES DEAD. NOTHING WILL WORK. PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND BACKED IT DOWN THE STEEP HILL TO A FLAT SURFACE. WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. *TR

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND CAR SHUDDERED AND LOST POWER AND ALL THE "CHECK" LIGHTS CAME ON. DEALER DIAGNOSED INVERTER FAILURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT HE WAS ABLE TO COAST IT TO A STOP ON AN EXIT RAMP. THE HYBRID SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

DRIVING AT 40 MPH, VEHICLE ENGINE STOPPED,SHUT DOWN, POWER STEERING AND BRAKES LOST POWER ASSIST. *TR

VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY STOPS RUNNING WHILE DRIVING - ENDED UP BEING A FAILED INVERTER. *TR