aajos

Here are links to a few sites reporting inverter failures as requested, mine had only done 28k miles:- http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f31/06-highlander-inverter-failure-21426/ http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2006/lexus/rx400h http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=67644 http://www.justanswer.com/questions/3osk9-im-investigating-hybrid-inverter-failures-in-the-2006-highlanders http://townhall.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f136279

The water damage was very minor and the garage had replaced the battery that was contaminated, they lead me to believe there was a warrantee still on the car. It has worked for 3 years with no problems, if water had caused damaged then it would of effected it a long time ago. All the other inverters that have failed have not been subjected to water damage so you are totally missing the point. I am glad to report that lexus GB dont take your view and have supplied a replacement inverter free of charge.

Thanks for the helpful advice, i did contact them and after getting past the admin girl with the standard "not covered, go away" attitude, i manage to speak to her manager. I explained my concerns that it appeared to be a defect in the inverter in 2006 models and after consulting her technical people came back and said "as an act of good will" they would supply a new inverter at no cost to me, and they spoke to the lexus garage and ask them to carry out the labour at a reduce. So a good result and lexus pulled out the stops to get the car repaired with just the cost of the 6 hours labour to install it.

My 2006 RX400h has just failed on me as i was accelerating up a dual carriageway, there was a bang from under the car and then total drive failure in the outer lane. I managed to get it to the side before it totally stopped. This has got to be a safety hazard, lucky I wasn’t on a motorway in the fast lane like some have reported. I got it to lexus in Cheltenham who have taken 3 days to suspect that it maybe the inverter that has failed. Normally this would have been covered under the warrantee but apparently because when I brought the car from a garage 3 years ago it was classed as cat D insurance then all the warrantees are void. It apparently had minor flood damage back in the 2007 floods and was in excellent condition when I brought it. It had only done 6K miles when I brought it and has only done 28k now 3 years later, so very low mileage. They didn’t tell me that when they were servicing it every year which I had done to maintain the warrantee. They replaced the steering rack early this year under a recall but the inverter is not classified as a recall even though there appears to be many failures especially on 2006 models. Normally the inverter failures are hidden because they are paid for by lexus under the warrantee, does anyone know how many have failed , bet lexus don’t publish that information. Surely the ones replaced under warrantee would have been examined by lexus to see what the common point of failure was, where is this data?. Have all the newer ones been modified or now the 5 year warrantee are about to run out will this start highlighting this problem. Surely the resale price of a hybrid over 5 years will be zero with the cost of an inverter is £3k just for the part without the labour. Does anyone know if these inverters can be repaired.

They quoted £750 supply only or £ £1100 fitted

Just got my 2006 RX400h but got a few queries:- 1. The side mirrors are so dark at night i cannot see out of them when reversing. Before i hit something or someone can anyone tell me how to make them usable and lighten them. The camera is very good but i need to see the sides as well. 2. Unfortunately i did not get an owners manual can you tell me if you can download a copy. 3. I am really pleased with the car but i am not getting more than 24 mpg over a tank. Is this correct. I am driving short journeys of about 2 to 4 miles in town. 4. My next job is to get a towbar fitted. the lexus garage in cheltenham is quoting £1100 fitted for a detachable type. Is there any cheaper installers. Thanks for your assistance