2007 Lexus RX HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls

REPEATED AIRBAG DEFECT IN LEXUS 2007 RX 400H : 2007 LEXUS 400H (HYBRID) HAS BEEN HAVING AIR BAG SAFETY PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED DEC 16, 2006 FROM MAGNUSSEN LEXUS IN FREMONT, CA. IT CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 7000 MILES. THE PROBLEM STARTED SOON AFTER THE PURCHASE, IN APRIL 2007 THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF. THE 1ST VISIT TO THE CAR DEALER (MAGNUSSEN LEXUS OF FREMONT, CA) INVOLVED THEM ADJUSTING THE PIN CONNECTORS TO FIX WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT SIDE SQUIB MALFUNCT…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10198642 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS RX400H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MAP NAVIGATION SYSTEM FORCED THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN ORDER TO VIEW THE MAP. THE MANUFACTURE STATED THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 21,000. UPDATED 10/23/07 *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205242 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2007 RX400 LEXUS HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND ENGAGING THE BRAKES, THE MAT WAS BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND THE BRAKES PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM BRAKING. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUMPER, THE BACK WINDOW SHATTERED, AND THE DRIVER'S REAR WHEEL WELL WAS DAMAGED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER CHEST AND BACK WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FOOT AIR BAG ALSO …

Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205755 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS RX400H. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING TO APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES TO HER CHEST AND KNEES. AS OF NOVEMBER 1, 2007, THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THEY STATED THAT IT COULD TAKE 4-6 WEEKS BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1,500.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207653 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2007 LEXUS 400H. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE NOV. 2006. ON TWO OCCASIONS THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE NOTIFICATION WARNING HAS ACTIVATED. ON THE FIRST OCCASION I JUST ADDED AIR TO ALL FOUR TIRES AND THE WARNING LIGHT TURNED OFF. HOWEVER ON THE SECOND OCCASION WHEN I PLACED THE CORRECT AIR PRESSURE IN COLD TIRES AS SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURE AND TRIED TO RESET THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEM, THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO DO SO. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM WOUL…

Owner-reported narrative. 23,730 miles reported. Look up ODI 10297799 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS RX400H. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, FOLLOWED BY AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER CONTINUOUSLY APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE POLICE WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN FROM THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS AT THE COST OF $4,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10303842 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN BRAKING AND CAR ENCOUNTERS ROUGH ROAD OR A POTHOLE, CAR LURCHES FORWARD AND LOSES COMPLETE BRAKING POWER. HAVE TO DEPRESS BRAKES ALL THE WAY TO BRING TO A STOP. OCCURS CONSISTENTLY WITH ABOVE STATED ROAD CONDITIONS. DEALER SERVICE REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM AND CLAIMED TO HAVE NEVER HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10304366 at NHTSA ↗

I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT MY WIFE AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE ACCELERATING ON THE 2007 LEXUS 400H WHILE COASTING TO STOP SIGNS. THIS OCCURRENCE STARTED ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS AFTER WE GOT THE CAR AND DOES NOT OCCUR ALL OF THE TIME. THE GAS PEDAL SEEMS TO OVERRIDE THE ENGINE ACCELERATION PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE SIMILAR TO WHAT OTHERS HAVE SEEN IN OTHER CARS. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN THE PAST BEFORE THE RECALLS WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION. THIS MODEL IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, BUT I WANTED TO RAISE …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10304637 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2011-02-24 (February 24, 2011)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID, AND MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 LEXUS RX330, RX350, AND RX400H VEHICLES. IF THE FORWARD RETENTION CLIP USED TO SECURE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER, WHICH IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE, IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM.

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY TEMPORARILY BECOME STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION RATHER THAN RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION. A STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN UNINTENDED AND SUSTAINED VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE FREE OR CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2011-06-29 (June 29, 2011)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND LEXUS RX400H PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 16, 2005, THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2006. A MODULE INSIDE THE INVERTER MODULE MAY CONTAIN INADEQUATELY SOLDERED TRANSISTORS THAT DURING HIGH-LOAD DRIVING, MAY BE DAMAGED BY HEAT CAUSED BY THE LARGE CURRENT. IF THIS OCCURS, VARIOUS WARNING LAMPS, INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT, BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT, WILL BE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

Consequence: THE VEHICLE MAY ENTER A FAIL-SAFE/LIMP-HOME MODE THAT LIMITS THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA/LEXUS MAILED AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION ON JULY 19, 2011 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS RECALL AND THE FACT THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTICE WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. TOYOTA DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HYBRID INVERTER PRODUCTION NUMBER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE INVERTER CONTAINS SUSPECT TRANSISTORS AND REPLACE THE MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2013-09-04 (September 4, 2013)

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.

Consequence: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by this campaign.