I Can't Believe It... Inverter Leak? 08 Rx400H

[cduluk]

Hey guys,

Well "lemon", you're not alone. After seeing your many posts regarding your inverter leaks, i checked under the hood today and what do you know, mine is leaking too. I thought i'd check just for kicks, but i never thought i'd see anything.

Mine is a 2008, with 73,000 miles (117,500km). At the time of this posting, it's only 4 years old. Thankfully we have a Lexus extended warranty which runs out at 100,000 miles or July 2013 (whichever comes first).

Here are some pictures; you can see the pink fluid which has "crusted" around the edge. I checked the left and right sides, however the front (as you see here) is the only area leaking. I also checked the area down below where lemon also saw leakage, but mine is clean.

And here's the fluid level (i think?)

So, what should i do? Is this amount of leakage (doesn't seem to be "active") normal? Or is this thing supposed to be air tight? The last time i really "looked around" down there was probably last fall (if that) so i have no idea how old it is. Should i show the leaks to Lexus now, or wait? Any input is appreciated!

Thanks lemon for the heads up- and to everyone else, CHECK YOURS too!

[lemon]

First of all...you have now checked for the inverter leak that I suffered way back in 2009. See here...

http://us.lexusowner...showtopic=60231 (interestingly, on page two of that thread another owner posted pics of his leaking transaxle, which is what led to me checking mine last year and having my tranny replaced (my recent thread is about the replacement tranny leaking again)

The leak or seepage is NOT normal. My replacement inverter is bone dry and has not leaked in that area in just over two years now.

Please be aware that this leak IS COMPLETELY different than the leaking transaxle that I have been talking about in the other post. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK FOR BOTH LEAKS...one is the inverter, the other is the transmission (transaxle). If they are pulling the inverter off anyway, and the transaxle is also leaking, it would be MUCH easier to replace them both at the same time.

***edit*** ooops. I see you already checked the other area...

Interestingly, my inverter leaked after four years and 115000km....very similar to yours in regards to time/mileage.

I can't stress enough for all you 400h owners to check the two areas for leaks. All the leaks I've seen have been in the same place on the inverter (front) and transaxle (that seam between the two halves of the transaxle.

***edit*** The level in your inverter coolant reservoir is low, but not dangerously low (not below the lower marking). Why wait..take it to Lexus now and get a new inverter while you're under the hybrid warranty. One benefit is you'll get all new coolant in the inverter cooling system and won't have to pay for that bit of maintenance.

[cduluk]

Do you think replacement of the inverter will just cause more harm than good? I'm worried that they might damage something else doing the repair (like cause the transmission to leak). Since I have another year left of the warranty, would I be better off waiting on a replacement? Knowing my luck, they'd replace it now, and the replacement would start leaking just outside of warranty. :(

[lemon]

Better to do it now, so if something else gets damaged it will be under warranty.

However, the inverter and the tranny (aside from sharing coolant) are not directly connected. The inverter just sits on top of the tranny on a support. Removing and replacing it shouldn't have any effect on your tranny...and if it does...see first line above.

The other thing to consider (and I'm not 100% sure on this, since the dealer is telling me one thing and Lexus Canada is telling me another), is if the replacement part has a one year and XX mile warranty (Lexus Canada tells me replacement parts do), you might be better to wait. However, if the replacment part is only covered under what's left of the warranty that it's replaced under (this is what the dealership is telling me), then you'd be better to do it now.

[estcstm3]

Do you think replacement of the inverter will just cause more harm than good? I'm worried that they might damage something else doing the repair (like cause the transmission to leak). Since I have another year left of the warranty, would I be better off waiting on a replacement? Knowing my luck, they'd replace it now, and the replacement would start leaking just outside of warranty.

Did you end up doing anything with this? I have basically the same leak.

Here is the pic of mine...not sure what to do, im out of warranty 140k on a 2007.

[RX400h]

If this is considered part of the hybrid system, warrant is at least 100,000 (more in California).

[lenore]

I would dump the vehicle unless it is under warranty. $7k for inverter is way too big a repair.

[volosong]

If this is considered part of the hybrid system, warrant is at least 100,000 (more in California).

What is the length of the CA warranty? Looks like my '06 AWD RX hybrid has the leak. It has a whisker under 200K miles. The cost of repair and amount of miles pretty much makes the car worthless.