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Lexus Rx400H Recall


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Lexus have issued another recall for the Lexus Rx400h


"Lexus has announced a recall today for some of its RX 400h models to correct a potential problem in the intelligent power module – an electronic component located in the hybrid system’s inverter. Following its extensive research, prompted by field reports from around the world, it has determined high temperatures generated in the inverter may result in damage to the module’s transistors.


The recall concerns RX 400h manufactured between September 2004 and December 2008. Models built after this date are not affected; likewise there is no issue with the current RX 450h"

Check your vehicle here...

http://www.lexus.co.uk/owners/reference-library/#/RecallInformation

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isn't this an old re-call? i remember this happened a few years ago.

There was a older recall for the inverter, this is a new one, released today, dealers are aware of it but not what it consists of, as in what components are replaced and what sort of time scale

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This looks like possibly good news!!!!!

I wonder if this is related to the occasional failures of the Inverter unit,which you see posted on the Lexus forums and which are very expensive to repair if you do not have a Lexus warranty package in place.

Was always a small concern,as I do not have the Lexus extended warranty.

I checked my Reg no on the link provided and it says that my car is to be recalled,so will wait for Lexus UK to contact me.

Thanks to OP for posting.

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hi, just called Lexus and they said the recall is not urgent, and no cars n the UK have been effected.

A letter will be sent out in the next four weeks to say your

car is affected and giving you a time to take it down to the local lexus centre to have the part upgraded.

that's what the guy said.

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Has anyone got that tool in the link in post 1 to work?

When I try it, it asks for my reg and then asks me to enter 2 words; I can't see the words or the space to enter them!

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hi all,

mine is also to be recalled. only bought it just over 2 weeks ago. really have mixed feelings about this.

what you guys think? i can return the car as under the 30day/1000 mile rule

i know Lexus are putting right, but its just doesn't feel right if you know what i mean

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Neil. You just need to enter the number and letters displayed into the small box below the numbers and letters.

It is purposely made difficult to read,to minimize risk of fraudulent activity.

Kalpesh,it is your call. Personally I see this as a good thing. It is taking a possible known failure risk out of the equation.

If you are otherwise happy with the car,then I would keep it.

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Neil. You just need to enter the number and letters displayed into the small box below the numbers and letters.

It is purposely made difficult to read,to minimize risk of fraudulent activity.

Kalpesh,it is your call. Personally I see this as a good thing. It is taking a possible known failure risk out of the equation.

If you are otherwise happy with the car,then I would keep it.

thanks for reassurance, but you know when you buy anything and it has to be recalled you always think its going to break.

this weekend we are planning our first trip out of surrey, and will niggle me if my car will pack up...

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I agree - this has to be a good thing that Lexus recognises that there is a potential fault and is aiming at putting it right. A lot of cars are subject to recalls, and very often owners are not aware of it as the recall work is carried out during services etc.

You can check whether or not a vehicle has ever been recalled and for what... and you will find that Lexus car have been subject to very few recalls in comparison to others.

https://www.gov.uk/check-if-a-vehicle-has-been-recalled

Incidentally, my car registration is not recognised by the web site (?), but a pop up window appeared and I was able to talk directly to a Lexus representative within seconds.

Have you had a look at all the useful info provided at the link spurty/Simon's given us? Scroll up and you will see some interesting stuff about the hybrid system, Q&As and tips about how to make the most of the hybrid system.,

My local dealer has confirmed that mine will be subject to the recall and that letters will be posted to all relevant owners once Lexus UK has made the relevant checks with the DVLA etc.

Edited by DanD
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just saw this:

Should a repair be required, the job should take no longer than four hours to complete, and it will be done free of charge.

great free of charge, but when and how is this going to work. ive just moved from 2 cars to 1 lexus, and we need a car daily for wife and kids.. pain in the ...!

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Kalpesh i wouldn't worry. we took our RX around north Devon on holiday, a good 700 miles or so, she never missed a beat! (up and down porlock hill was fun)

This is a preventative matter that Lexus are going to fix, i think its a good thing! they are still looking after "older" vehicles

Enjoy it!

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I understand where everyone is coming from and its good lexy are doing this.

even with a courtesy car its a nightmare. 2 car seat/ 2 schools, wife cant be doing this. i work in and out the country and when i'm in the country im in the city from 6 am to 6pm min. i take time off i loose money.

hence why I'm just annoyed and have to work out how to do this. thats why i feel that my giving it back and pay a grand or two more and get the 08 plate thats on their lot

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You will find that the 08 car you are referring to is more than likely affected. Mine is a 58 plate Exec Limited Edition, e.g. one of the last models sold before the RX450h came out, and is affected by the recall also.

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Just been talking to Lexus Hull,who are my local dealer.

They only found out about the recall yesterday and are awaiting full information on what is required, both time and component wise.

Excellent service response again from Lexus Hull,they helped me with a missing service book when I had the car last serviced by them. Quality.

We decided together after discussion to book a date in early October to have the repair carried out.

Thought it best to get a date in the diary. They said that the service dept was very busy,also by then would expect them to have completed a couple of the recall jobs and have fine tuned the technique

Probably get to get an extended test drive of a CT200H again or maybe a RX450,whilst waiting for the repair to be completed.

Might be interesting to compare the ride on the 400 vs the 450.

cheers

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I understand where everyone is coming from and its good lexy are doing this.

even with a courtesy car its a nightmare. 2 car seat/ 2 schools, wife cant be doing this. i work in and out the country and when i'm in the country im in the city from 6 am to 6pm min. i take time off i loose money.

hence why I'm just annoyed and have to work out how to do this. thats why i feel that my giving it back and pay a grand or two more and get the 08 plate thats on their lot

Ask for the work to be done on Saturday?

Get the dealer to pick up and collect from your home once the school run has been done?

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I understand where everyone is coming from and its good lexy are doing this.

even with a courtesy car its a nightmare. 2 car seat/ 2 schools, wife cant be doing this. i work in and out the country and when i'm in the country im in the city from 6 am to 6pm min. i take time off i loose money.

hence why I'm just annoyed and have to work out how to do this. thats why i feel that my giving it back and pay a grand or two more and get the 08 plate thats on their lot

Ask for the work to be done on Saturday?

Get the dealer to pick up and collect from your home once the school run has been done?

Combine with a service or in the school holidays.

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we may have a solution. will call Lexus tomorrow if wife can drop of car on a friday sometime after kids drops and play it buy ear.

the things is as many of you know how hard its is with kids when you have one teething etc,, As i'm always all over the place it already makes wife's consultancy work difficult as it is.

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I'm sure they won't have a problem with that although probably not worth calling them at this stage. They don't really know about the recall and certainly don't have the parts yet. I would think it will be several weeks before they are ready.

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Lexus Bristol have said the recall letters aren't going out until end of september so the actual work/parts aren't going to happen until October at the latest. Seems like there's a bit of panic about. Basically they know about as much as we do so I think it's a question of wait and see. It will get done.

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I did a little bit of research on the US sites.

They always seem to get more information than the UK sites

It appears that Toyota are saying that this recall for an Inverter fault is slightly different from the recall a couple of years ago. That was caused by sub standard manufacturing process. Solder failure on a batch of PCBs.

This sounds more like design of the PCB.

Below is from the NYT website.

Toyota says the new hybrid recall is necessary because transistors in the hybrid system could be damaged by heat “due to variations in characteristics of the transistors’ parallel circuits.” The condition could cause the vehicle to lose power, although a “limp-home mode” could make it possible for motorists to exit the road. But the problem could also cause the vehicle to lose power completely.

Heat affecting the transistors was also the cause of the 2011 recall, according to the automaker’s report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That recall affected 82,000 Toyota Highlander hybrids and Lexus 400h hybrids from 2006-7.

Toyota sees the new recalls as different because the 2011 recall involved a soldering defect, while the new recalls involves heat damage because of the variations in the parallel circuits, Cindy Knight, a Toyota spokeswoman, wrote in an e-mail. Ms. Knight also said that Toyota was not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the two new recalls.

In a recall report it sent to N.H.T.S.A. on Wednesday, Toyota said heat could cause “solder to degrade and eventually cause heat damage.”

I think it is about 150,000 Hybrid vehicles worldwide to be recalled by Toyota/Lexus,so it is a big one.

Will be interesting to see what the repair method is.

If new PCBs are to be installed in all 150k vehicles,then somebody somewhere is going to be busy making new PCBs!!!!!!!!!!! Only speculation on my account though.

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Due to the big job and numbers, are dealerships going to go into overdrive? or are we going to see long delays?

Lexus better start paying overtime to dealership service centers I hope.

also how do i check if my 57plate was recalled in 2011 and the work was complete? thanks

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