jwren

HELP!!! My 2006 Lexus RX400H that I just purchased a few months ago from a local dealer (one owner prior) Has shut down. Taking my boys to school it just stopped in the middle of the road. I was able to coast into my neighbors' driveway and barely able to use my brakes. They didn't work when the hybrid light came on. Extremely scary! It happened a few times prior to this in these last few months, but I was able to get it started again. I am being told by Lexus this has nothing to do with the inverter recall and in fact, they already replaced it prior to my ownership in 2012. I have the service records from the first owner. I need to know what is wrong with my car. It's going to be towed from my neighbor's home about 100 feet down our mountain, back up to our home about 100' back up. This is a safety issue that was either not recalled or needs to be fixed again after the recall. Please give me some advice. I have to have my car towed literally about 500 feet from my home because we can't push it up our mountain. Then I will have to have it towed to the mechanics on Wednesday when they open. Some photos of my dash, any suggestions?

mnewxcv

Well I would definitely want someone with techstream to scan all systems for fault codes. How old is the 12v battery?

ukrkoz

All those lights are standard Toyota package for hybrids, when something goes wrong.
My easy first guess is your 12V is done and over. 2006? it's about 14 yo battery. Sounds about right. Don't freak out yet, many hybrid owners had this fixed with new battery.

mnewxcv

I would bet that isn't the original battery... These batteries suck and usually only last 3-5 years. That being said, even though the lights and standard issue when a 12v battery is on its way out, the car stalling is unusual and not normal.

jwren

My car was towed to our home today and my husband checked the 12v battery and it has exactly 12v. It's definitely another issue.

Nad1370

Just have it towed to a shop with hybrid expertise.
Lexus dealer would be my only choice.
Even if you find out the codes, no way you can just throw parts at a Hybrid system w/out proper diagnosing.

If it was just a dead 12v battery then no problem to fix it.
You mentioned this is not the first time it happened.
As your words....."Extremely scary!"

jwren

I am having it towed to a local mechanic that is highly recommended by all the auto parts places in my town as well as the local towing companies. The only one around that knows how to work on hybrids. They are in the process of moving to a new location so I have to wait to have it towed there on Wednesday...

ukrkoz

Going hybrid indi is the way to do it. Leave dealers to themselves.
Stalling, not starting and other erroneous behavior is quite normal with failing 12V.
Toyota considers 11.7V at battery to be "replace immediately" warning.
OEM battery is deep cycle one and has different from conventional battery testing protocol.
OEM Panasonic is well known to last easy 7-10 years. Mof, my TCH one is still running as back up power for gate opener, while it was made in 2006. Yes.
Btw, I am not saying it's ONLY 12V possible cause. Simply saying - many issues may arise with lots of dash lights, when it goes bad. As it feeds bunch of computers in those cars.

ukrkoz

There are several subtle cues displayed by a hybrid vehicle that can alert you to degrading hybrid battery capacity & performance. If not acted upon, the battery will ultimately display a fault code for battery 'failure'. By paying attention to the warning signs and performing preventative care on the battery before it 'fails', you can easily improve battery health and prolong its life. (Note: The symptoms described below are applicable to Toyota vehicles.
The first indication of decreased battery performance is a reduction on fuel economy and diminished vehicle performance. The vehicle does not get the same fuel mileage that it used to and it feels sluggish - lacking in power during acceleration. If equipped, EV mode may be less frequent and for shorter duration then when the vehicle was newer. This happens because as the hybrid battery weakens, the vehicle is forced to use less of the battery and more of the gas engine. It also spends more time charging the hybrid battery in the background (i.e. not shown on the dash). Both of these behaviors reduce fuel economy. This can last for several months as the battery weakens and fuel economy/performance progressively decreases. Note: sometimes under inflated tires can cause similar symptoms. We recommend checking your tire pressure to be sure that is not the cause of decreased fuel economy.
The second warning that your hybrid battery is failing is called negative battery recalibrations. This is initially seen when parking the car for a few days (such as over a weekend) or when parking the vehicle overnight. Just before the vehicle is parked, the dash battery display shows a full or near full hybrid battery. When the car is started the next morning (or a few mornings later) the battery display shows an empty or near empty battery. The empty battery indication can be displayed immediately when the car is started or drop from full to empty in the first few minutes of operating the vehicle. This occurs most often in warmer climates or seasons, but as the battery degrades will happen in any climate. This is a clear sign of a weak battery that needs attention soon. If ignored, the battery will soon progress to the point of failure. If treated with Prolong Battery Systems before the battery degrades further, the success rate for recovering the pack and restoring it to good operating condition is nearly 100%.
The third and final warning the vehicle displays of a failing hybrid battery is negative recalibrations that occur while the vehicle is being operated. These recalibrations often occurs on warm days or when idling the vehicle for longer periods (such as waiting for a parking spot or railroad crossing), but as the battery weakens can happen at any time. These are seen as the dashboard battery charge display suddenly dropping from near full to near empty. This drop is followed by the gasoline engine revving to a higher than normal idle speed while force charging the battery from empty to full. This event is easily visible on the dashboard battery display and can be audibly heard by the loud, unusual high idling of the gasoline engine. This can be very unsettling behavior as the vehicle seems to ‘take over’ and ignore driver inputs while force re-charging the battery. This is a red flag, serious battery issues are imminent. In these cases, we strongly recommend using the Prolong Battery Reconditioning Package to perform a preventative battery reconditioning as soon as possible. Ignoring these symptoms for more than a few weeks will result in the battery displaying a failure code and being stranded on the side of the road. If treated with Prolong Battery Systems as soon as these symptoms become present, the success rate for recovering the pack and restoring it to good operating condition is nearly 90%.
The next phase of battery failure is a failure light on the dash and cell failure.

jwren

Thanks for all the information. I have printed it for my husband and our local mechanic that is the only one that works on hybrid cars. Our local mechanic is going to stop by where my car is parked at our home, he comes to our area very often. He will bring his computer to read to codes. I can't tow it to his shop until he is moved there in about 1 1/2 weeks. I did find out from Lexus today that the O2 codes it's throwing out were part of a recall from Lexus but the owner didn't have it fixed. and the offer is now expired The other thing I found out after speaking to a service manager at Lexus was that everything happening with my car is the exact symptoms of the recall on that inverter for my car. The only issue was the service was never done on my car because they said my vin didn't match with the recall, yet the symptoms are identical. Even the Lexus service manager said that. Even crazier is the fact that another Lexus service manager from the same location told me two days ago that the inverter recall was already recalled on my car and fixed. Which is why the recall has been cleared from the file. He explained that was why my vin number is not showing up anymore. Something is not right. I am thinking my car was part of that recall and not fixed properly. Now they won't honor it. Just NOT Right!

jwren

Found this on another post.. With all the replacement 12v batteries already replaced on my car from the previous owner. I now have some hope this is all it is. Praying! I have the 2006 Rx400H but also owned the first 2010 Rx450H. Someone's post that led me here: " I have a Lexus 2006 RX 400h and a 2013 RX 450h. I have spoken with different Lexus dealerships about the 2006 400h battery and get different answers. I've had to jump my 2006 400h 3x in last 90 days and the battery has checked out fine both times. Bottom line is this- the 2006 400h has a small battery under the hood. Although bigger than a motorcycle battery, that's what come to mind when I first saw it. My 2013 450h has a normal sized battery in the rear (and I used it to jump the 2006 this morning). Note: I am not talking about the expensive hybrid batteries under the seat; those serve a different purpose. Lexus put such a small battery under the hood in the 2006 RX 400h that it does not last. My current Lexus dealer has no clue that the 2006 has tiny starter battery in it. I am replacing the 400h battery under the hood even though it checks out fine (a false positive reading). It's 4 years old, and my old dealer agrees with me that the small 400h battery does not last long. Keep in mind the 2006 400h was a vintage year hybrid for Lexus. I think they solved the problem by 2013 in the 450h with a normal sized stater battery next to the spare tire in the rear. They just didn't get it right in 2006 so be prepared to replace the battery (under the hood) more often. Other than that, it's a great car. In addition, unless your Lexus service writer REALLY knows hybrids, they might not have a clue that the battery is is ill suited to last long in your 2006 RX 400h."

jwren

Found this on another post.. With all the replacement 12v batteries already replaced on my car from the previous owner. I now have some hope this is all it is. Praying! I have the 2006 Rx400H but also owned the first 2010 Rx450H. Someone's post that led me here: " I have a Lexus 2006 RX 400h and a 2013 RX 450h. I have spoken with different Lexus dealerships about the 2006 400h battery and get different answers. I've had to jump my 2006 400h 3x in last 90 days and the battery has checked out fine both times. Bottom line is this- the 2006 400h has a small battery under the hood. Although bigger than a motorcycle battery, that's what come to mind when I first saw it. My 2013 450h has a normal sized battery in the rear (and I used it to jump the 2006 this morning). Note: I am not talking about the expensive hybrid batteries under the seat; those serve a different purpose. Lexus put such a small battery under the hood in the 2006 RX 400h that it does not last. My current Lexus dealer has no clue that the 2006 has tiny starter battery in it. I am replacing the 400h battery under the hood even though it checks out fine (a false positive reading). It's 4 years old, and my old dealer agrees with me that the small 400h battery does not last long. Keep in mind the 2006 400h was a vintage year hybrid for Lexus. I think they solved the problem by 2013 in the 450h with a normal sized stater battery next to the spare tire in the rear. They just didn't get it right in 2006 so be prepared to replace the battery (under the hood) more often. Other than that, it's a great car. In addition, unless your Lexus service writer REALLY knows hybrids, they might not have a clue that the battery is is ill suited to last long in your 2006 RX 400h."

Nad1370

Recalls dont expire.
Thats why if the problem is recall related, it would be best to have a Lexus dealer look at it and see if they can actually "goodwill" it if it was done already.
According to their records they did the inverter recall.
Your records should still be there but marked "performed".
Lexus came out with a recall to replace the IPM inside the Hybrid system inverter back in 2012.
When the IPM fails, your vehicle will enter a fail safe/limp mode which limits driving speed and eventually shut down.

If it was just the 12v aux battery, replace it with a known good one.
Need to clear codes first and then try starting it. (i would take note on all the codes first before erasing it for future info you might need)
If it doesnt start, then its something else.

As of now, lets wait what codes your mechanic pulls.
And if he can get it running with a fresh new aux battery and no codes -- Awesome..!

jwren

Lexus told me the recalls expire. They told me the O2 sensor recall on my car has expired, even though it was never fixed. They said my vin number was never part of the inverter recall, even though the exact issue I am having now sounds exactly like that recall. What can I do?

Nad1370

Safety recalls dont expire.
I dont know who you talked to but a service manager should know that recalls dont expire especially a safety one.
Now if they ran your VIN and your vehicle isnt cover by this, then you call Lexus Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-255-3987.
Find out from them if your vehicle does fall into the DLF recall
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/201...3V396-6734.pdf

This is assuming that your IPM indeed failed.
Your problem could not be related to this but its likely it could be.

As for an O2 sensor recall, i dont think there was one.
There could be a Service Bulletin out for that.
Now those do expire.

I would call the Lexus Customer Assistance Center first just to see if your vehicle does fall into the recall.
Get your VIN number on hand.
They will need this.

Hoping for the best.