LexusRX 400h Hybrid Battery Failure
Our 6 mos old 2007 Lexus RX400h has apparently experienced a hybrid battery failure. I'm told that this is an $8000 part and we are the first in-warranty hybrid battery failure that Toyota/Lexus has experienced.
Has anyone heard of this?
Has anyone heard of this?
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Comments
2. You are not the first. You might be the first RX400h, but you are not Toyota's first hybrid battery replaced under warranty.
Good luck with the replacement and I hope they give you a suitable loaner for the long repair delay.
Also, when battery failure occurs, it can be very dangerous. The car totally shuts down, power steering, engine, the works. My failure occurred at 60 mph on the highway, and I was lucky I was able to coast to a stop on an inner median. It was a very dangerous situation. Has anyone else experienced this?
I live in Phoenix and have owned both an HCH and now a TCH and have combined 46,000 miles on those two cars and have had zero battery issues.
The "complete" battery replacements for any of the hybrids are few and far between.
So far to my knowledge there have been zero reported accidents due to battery failures.
Not to say it can't or wont happen, but it's really far less likely than just having a normal traffic accident.
The hybrid parts are covered by a 7 year, 120K warranty. It should cost you nothing to have any part, including the battery, replaced or repaired.
You don't indicate where you live, if you live in the United States, you are in luck:
It doesn't make any difference if yours is the only one. You don't say where you live, but at a minimum you have an 8 year / 100K warranty on your hybrid components. The dealer should know this. CARB states are 10 years and 150K.
This has nothing to do with your 3 year / 36K warranty on the other parts of your 2006 vehicle.
This is from the Toyota website, but it covers all Toyota products:
"Hybrid-Related Component Coverage: Hybrid-related components, including the HV battery, battery control module, hybrid control module and inverter with converter, are covered for 8 years/100,000 miles. The HV battery may have longer coverage under emissions warranty. Refer to applicable Owner's Warranty Information booklet for details."
Toyota Hybrid Warranty
Here is the Edmunds website:
"And there doesn't seem much reason to worry. All the hybrid-specific components in every hybrid vehicle currently on the market are covered under warranty for eight years/100,000 miles or 10 years/150,000 miles, depending on the state, but these components have been shown to have a much longer lifespan in testing. "
Hybrid Costs
I went to the Lexus site and noticed that they indicate that hybrid components are covered in certain "Platinum" extended warranties. While this is true, it is deceptive - those parts are covered by the basic hybrid warranty, regardless of "extended warranties".
Lexus pays for the repairs, not the dealer, so they should not give you any trouble.
BTW: If possible, find a different Lexus dealer, those Bozos don't even know their warranties (or they are trying to get $$ out of you in a dishonest fashion, which is worse).
NOTE: If you have already paid, contact Lexus for reimbursement. Tell 'em you'll call in the FBI to enforce Federal law!
The car was previously rear-ended and was repaired at body shop authorized by my insurance company to repair Lexus cars. It's possible that that body shop failed to seal something properly. But Lexus Service has at least initially said that they cannot determine how so much water got in the car to cause such extensive damage. This seems odd to me. If Lexus Service & the Insurance Company can not figure out how this happened, then I really think it does not make sense to repair the car, as it's likely to happen again.
The car is usually garaged, but has been outside all summer due to other stuff being in the garage. Car has been unaffected by rain up to this point and I have loved the car.
I have 2 questions: #1: Has anyone else experienced problems with this car on any Lexus getting water in the car as a result on just heavy rain that somehow got into the car and could not get out thereby accumulating on the floor of the car and causing significant electrical damage? Specifically in the hybrid models?
#2: Lexus Service man said his advice about "totaling the car" was "off the record". This really has me annoyed. I paid Lexus $50,000 for a car that has suffered a catastrophic failure because it was left outside in a rainstorm and they will not go 'on record' to help me to get the insurance company to total the car. Has anyone had similar unsatisfactory experience with Lexus Service in such a situation and what advice do you have?
It was a rather uncomfortable situation to be in with my car just shutting off while driving 70 on the highway in rush hour while in the left lane. I, fortunately, was able to get the car off the road without hitting someone or someone hitting me, but let me tell you it was just luck. Not to mention the hour spent waiting for the tow truck to come and rescue us. Fortunately, I wasn't alone when this happened.
My concern is that there is something more wrong with this hybrid system, i.e. battery problems that might not surface until sometime later (hopefully not when I'm on the highway again). I'm actually looking to trade the car in on a non-hybrid.
The driving condition and styles are the same, so I did not change anything.
BE VERY WARY OF BUYING A SECOND HAND HYBRID OUT 0F WARRANTY! I still can't believe this is happening to us! :sick: :sick: :mad:
91K and the battery keeps going out often, luckily not while driving... eeeh gads, that is scary -
I am demanding they change my battery this mon, I have taken it in 2x and told them to check battery, but they told me it was fine. ITS NOT fine, now that I have more ammunition from this forum, I can be more demanding. it is under warranty.
time to dump this car :mad:
My question, to you and others who have had this failure is this:
Do you (as I did, but am re-thinking) use the"B" shift position extensively?
I was pretty pleased with myself that I didn't have any brake repairs until 60K. I'm now wondering if this puts an excessive load on the inverter system, and am just leaving it in "D" for now. I'd rather pay for brakes than an inverter!
I'd like to take a survey of others who have had this failure, to see if this might be part of it. Not that it doesn't make it Toyota's fault, of course - but once we're out of warranty, if this is a weakness we should all avoid it...
Since these problems appear to affect the safe operation of the vehicle, I would suggest you go to the NHSTA website and file a report. If they get enough reports they will force a fix and or repair on Lexus. It is important that the National Highway and Safety Administration get these reports.
Also check with your states "Lemon Laws". In many states, if a vehicle requires 3 or more repairs for the same problem the dealer has to replace or buy back the vehicle.
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/
Only takes a few minutes. Have your VIN number handy.
Some of us have our vehicles at dealers waiting repairs so this DOES matter. Please report your failure even if it was covered by warranty. Don't let Toyota get away with this dangerous and costly defect.
First instance after acquiring the car, I started to set up some of the car functions through the navigation screen with the car on accessory/on. After a few minutes of setting up the various functions, everything went blank and could not start the car. However, after a few minutes, I was able to start the car. This happened on more than one occasion during the weekend.
Second instance:Parked the car in the drive way, parking brake on, all power off; after washing the car with a pressure washer, including the inside of the mags, I could not start the car. Both 12 volt and hybrid indicated fully discharged after I finally got the car started. On the navigation system, which shows the status of power, the hybrid has only the two lowest bar on the graph, and the color was violet/mauve. Took the car for a spin, and everything appears to have returned to normal. Are those signs of something much serious. Looking forward hearing from others who may have experienced similar problems with the RX450h.
Toyota 06 Highlander Hybrid 2wd - Ending in 60009725
Toyota 06 Highlander Hybrid 4wd - Ending in 60019910
Lexus 06 Rx 400h 2wd - Ending in 60002207
Lexus 06 Rx 400h 4wd - Ending in 60036526
My dealer did the right thing and brought my bill from $9000 to $1200, but how many owners are still driving these dangerous cars??
It started having starter battery troubles almost immediately. Had to be jumped if I left the four-way flashers on for a few minutes, and would not start occasionally, so I took it in several times to dealer and they said they couldn't replicate the problem, that it operated normally while it was in the shop. Finally, it wouldn't start in their driveway and they quickly put in a new small battery (the starter battery).
It's been fine now for a couple of years, but last week it started acting funny, wouldn't start first try, and would tell me I needed to shift to "park" before starting, well, I was in "park"!! Then I jumped it and it ran fine a few days. Now it won't start unless I jump it. Am taking it in tomorrow.
I'm curious, maryland john.... how did you come by the VIN break list? I'd like to walk in the Lexus dealer tomorrow AM, armed with as much ammo/info as I can. I don't want the same run around as I got in the past.... thanks
Spread the word !!! Complain !!!
Regards , Luke
:shades:
Thought about buying an RX 400h, but now no way!
Thanks for your info. Wonder if the Prius has same problem?
Let us know if Toyota changes the design.
John
I have seriously been considering purchasing a 400h (most likely one that is 3 to 4 years. But I have put it off because of concern with this problem.
Thanks for making us aware that this problem exists. Hopefully Toyota will replace all of these $$$$ inverter/converters in future models. Wonder why it's not a recallable item?
John in Sunny Southern Cal
Please let me know what Lexus agrees to do to fix this problem. It sounds like a design flaw.
My wife and I had decided on purchasing a low-mileage Lexus 400h but after hearing this we definitely will not purchase a 400h.
Wonder if the Prius has this same problem? If anyone knows, please advise as that will be our next choice.
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) click the link
link title
:shades: Luke
http://www.autoobserver.com/2011/02/nhtsa-examines-highlander-hybrid-complaints.- html
same inverter?
This is definately a NHTSA recall item if they can get it together and push enough paper to get it done.
So far no other issues with the car and I do drive lots . We will see when the hybrid battery get older if my faith is shaken or wallet stripped bare but hopefully not if they want to keep me loyal Lexus fan.
My service tech said that some of the early build 2007's had the old motor design installed. hey replaced my door motor under warranty. Now , of course, since I realise my 2007 was an early build, I am concerned that I may have a 2006 design inverter. Basically an accident waiting to happen. Is there any way I can find out if this is so?
Luke :shades: