smassey321

Both inverter and transmission failures are very rare in the RX. Only 3 or so of each has been posted. Also, in CA you may have a longer warranty.

VNTR

Thanks a lot for the input smassey.

Do you think they will still warranty a 2006?

volosong

2006 AWD with 200,000 miles on the odometer. CA car. Long out of warranty. Inverter coolant leak was first noted 20,000 miles ago. Recently started getting worse. Too expensive to fix, trade-in value nil. Time to call the junkyard?

jooksing82

What was the trade in value? I imagine it has to be better than junk yard price.

Alexbenz

It wasn't covered under warranty?

rcy

As you can see I was one of the owners that this happened to earlier on. . Fortunately, I was still within warranty as I needed a new inverter and shortly after a new transale. When I heard that a new inverter would have cost me about $7000 if I hadn't been in warranty, and a transaxle $5000 I decided that as soon as it was repaired I would be trading it in. Sounds like I made the right decision, although I really liked the 400h and the excellent fuel ecinomy. I traded it in on a 2006 Mdx back in 2012. The MDX now has 320 000 km on it and I have had no problems (fuel economy of course is brutal compared to the 400h)

Does anyone know if there have been similar problems with the 450h, the oldest of which are now approaching six years old? . Hopefully, Toyota upgraded the components in the 2nd Gen hybrid.

smassey321

I assume you had coolant leaks from both correct? I believe the coolant leaks were related to the early ones. I have not seen coolant leaks affecting newer RX. My 06 had a trans axle coolant leak that was simply a leaking freeze plug. They replaced the entire trans axle under warranty but If I was not under warranty I would have had a machine shop fix the leaking freeze plug.

Alexbenz

should be covered under the recall

thomas1

I have not heard of recall for coolant leaks, which are you referring to ?

smassey321

The RX400 inverter recall was for a board replacement inside the dry part of the inverter. When they changed mine no coolant was drained. So I doubt they will cover a leak under that campaign.

Alexbenz

Guess I misread but how is volosong's issue a major thing? He wrote his coolant leak wasn't worth fixing...and he's going to junk the car??

rcy

He didn't say it wasn't worth fixing, he said it was too expensive to fix.

rcy

Yes. My posts are on here somewhere with pics (assuming the links aren't dead after all these years).

Yes, I had an early VIN #.

The first leak was on top of the inverter where the black cover mated to the main body. Repair was a new inverter.

The second leak was at the seam where the transaxle mounted to the engine. Repair was a new transaxle.

jooksing82

Darn, my 08 has started to leak.119k miles.

smassey321

If that were my car, and it probably will be some day, I would wipe it off and keep an eye on it. My transmission had a similar leak and it took 6 months until it got bad enough to leave a drop on the garage floor. The dealer actually did not change it under warranty until it got worse than what you currently have.

Once it got bad enough to make a mess I would disconnect the batteries, drain the coolant and pull the inverter so I could take it apart and see what is going on in there. Although I have never seen one apart, it sure looks similar to replacing a leaking oil pan seal. The dealers only replace things like this so there is not a lot of info on how to actually repair.

While you have the inverter out change the thermostat in the gas motor as the inverter is completely in the way .