The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·11V342000·Announced 2011-06-29

Toyota Recalls 2006-2007 Hybrid Vehicles for Inverter Module Defect

Toyota is recalling 2006-2007 Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400H vehicles because a defective inverter module may cause the hybrid system to shut down while driving, increasing crash risk.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect where the hybrid system may shut down while driving, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly and increasing the risk of a crash, which aligns with the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400H passenger cars manufactured between February 16, 2005, and August 30, 2006. The recall involves a module inside the inverter that may contain inadequately soldered transistors. During high-load driving, heat caused by large current may damage these transistors.

If the transistors are damaged, various warning lamps on the instrument panel, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will illuminate. The vehicle may enter a fail-safe or limp-home mode that limits drivability. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly and increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota/Lexus mailed an interim owner notification on July 19, 2011, advising owners of the recall and 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 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
LEXUS, TOYOTA RX HYBRID, HIGHLANDER HYBRID
Brand
LEXUS
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Category
Vehicle — Hybrid Passenger Car
Hazard
Affected units
82,273

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (2)

  • RX HYBRID
  • HIGHLANDER HYBRID

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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