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.
Safety risk
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.
Manufacturer 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.
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.
Safety risk
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.
Manufacturer 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.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Electrical system
28
110,500 mi
Service brakes
28
110,000 mi
Vehicle speed control
14
86,074 mi
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter
12
113,990 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic
12
27,023 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
10
128,000 mi
Engine
8
87,842 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
8
98,883 mi
Service brakes, electric
5
29,300 mi
Power train
4
123,000 mi
Air bags
3
24,700 mi
Steering
3
146,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling
2
19,300 mi
Hybrid propulsion system
2
112,000 mi
Tires
2
19,000 mi
Unknown or other
2
109,000 mi
Visibility/wiper
2
105,000 mi
Wheels
2
8,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine
1
24,000 mi
Equipment
1
8,500 mi
Exterior lighting
1
130,000 mi
Seats
1
—
Service brakes, air: antilock: ABS warning light
1
96,153 mi
Structure: body
1
87,842 mi
Structure: frame and members
1
55,000 mi
Suspension: front
1
28,000 mi
Traction control system
1
15,000 mi
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
1
29,000 mi
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system
1
173,000 mi
Visibility: power window devices and controls
1
95,000 mi
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
1
28,000 mi
The 2006 model has about a third as many complaints as this one. The 2008 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.