Toyota Motor Corp., June 29, 2011, announced the recall of about 45,500 Highlander Hybrid and 36,700 Lexus RX 400h vehicles from the 2006 and 2007 model years and sold in the United States.
According to Toyota, the vehicles could lose power or stall completely because of a transistor inside the hybrid system's inverter that could overheat. The problem involves certain transistors inside the Intelligent Power Module on the control boards in some of the vehicles which "were inadequately soldered."
If this were to occur, various warning lamps will illuminate on the instrument panel, Toyota said, and the vehicle will enter a "fail-safe driving mode," and it could still be driven for short distances. In limited instances, the power supply circuit fuse could blow, in which case the hybrid system will stop and the vehicle will coast to a stop."
The Japanese automaker said it was waiting for enough replacement parts and, once the replacement parts are available, owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by mail. Toyota said that would be sometime around mid-July 2011.
Once the replacement parts have been produced in sufficient quantities, Toyota will send a second owner notification by first class mail advising owners to make an appointment with an authorized Toyota dealer to have the IPM inspected and if necessary replaced at no charge.
If this were to occur, various warning lamps will illuminate on the instrument panel, Toyota said, and the vehicle will enter a "fail-safe driving mode," and it could still be driven for short distances. In limited instances, the power supply circuit fuse could blow, in which case the hybrid system will stop and the vehicle will coast to a stop."
The Japanese automaker said it was waiting for enough replacement parts and, once the replacement parts are available, owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by mail. Toyota said that would be sometime around mid-July 2011.
Once the replacement parts have been produced in sufficient quantities, Toyota will send a second owner notification by first class mail advising owners to make an appointment with an authorized Toyota dealer to have the IPM inspected and if necessary replaced at no charge.
