lemon

For that amount of damage, one would think the impact would have made a loud BANG of some sort. Did neither the driver or passenger hear anything. The plant debris is still suspect in my mind - I doubt plant debris blowing across the highway would have lodged in there at that impact point. I'm still leaning to someone taking this thing where it shouldn't have been.

Disconnecting the battery is exactly what causes this. You need to look in your owner's manual. There are instructions there on how to reset the one touch up/down for the windows and also how to reset the sunroof switch. This needs to be done every time the battery is disconnected.

Three years out of the ridiculously small battery (as in CCA and reserve capacity) that Lexus specs for the 400h is about average. I replaced the one in my 2006 in 2009. I believe other owners have experienced about the same lifespan. I would suggest just throwing in a new battery. Too late now, but I would have spent the $100 on the Lexus diagnosis on the battery instead.

And, on the other hand - my 2006 needed an inverter ($7000 part, covered under the hybrid warranty) and a transmission ($5000 part, covered under an extended warranty (not third party, but a Lexus extended warranty). The second transmission started leaking in the same spot as the first tranny within one year and 25 000km. Warranty was done..I'm now driving an MDX.

You know this because you've tried all other brands of tire on the vehicle?

Just further proof that they didn't do the isc reset and don't know what they are doing. Did you print the .pdf file from here and show it to them?

I'm not an engineer, but that looks like a very poor design. Your pictures really show how low that sucker hangs down. The other thing I'd worry about (living in an area where the road get salted to death at the first sign of a snowflake - truly it's ridiculous) is how well that actuator is going to work after four or five winters. I can see that rod rusting and seizing. Just as an aside, I had a closer look at your first pic with the damaged heat exchanger and I see what looks like plant debris (dandelion maybe) on the rubber exhaust hanger. Are you sure someone else (wife / kids etc.) wasn't driving and tried driving over a curb or something?

Good lord...that's an insane price, and a ridiculous design. You've just been a beta tester for Lexus, and I bet in newer models that system will either be protected by a skid plate or redesigned. I'm surprised there haven't been more reports of this, especially for those that live in snowy areas and may be driving over a snow drift or two. This reminds me of the first couple years of the last generation Honda Odyssey (I had a 2006). Many owner's suffered holes in the radiator or A/C condensor from rocks flying through the enormous lower grill opening. Crafty owner's installed "gutter guard" mesh in that hole to protect the rad/condensor. Sure enough the 2008 models onwards came from the factory with mesh in the lower grill, just like gutter guard.

Part # 6, maybe? http://www.partswebsite.com/oemlexusparts/index.php?i=2&model=2238&make=134&year=2007&section=141&catid=30224&type=parts&subcatid=31469&item_collision=1&items=noneℑ=8950660&catid=30224

If it wasn't a hybrid, a bad A/C compressor (bearing etc.) might contribute to engine shaking (or a faulty idle up switch that failed to increase engine idle speed when the compressor was running), however, in the 400h the compressor is electrical, powered by the traction battery. It would not cause engine vibration. Mine was also making a buzzing noise, but only for the first few minutes upon startup. After a short run time, the noise was reduced (but not completely gone) The dealer (as expected) said it was normal, even though I mentioned that it never made the noise when I first got the vehicle.

I don't think the OP is so much complaining about the fact that it got damaged - it's more that the heat exchanger was not designed to be replaced as an individual component, necessitating the replacement of the perfectly fine cat and muffler and thus unneccessary expense.

Is that something insurance would cover? What about approaching Toyota for some goodwill service, since it's not a defect but maybe bad design with the heat exchanger hanging down vulnerable to impact damage? Otherwise, see if you can find a wrecked RX450h, pull that part out and go to a custom exhuaust shop and have it welded in? By the way, any pics? I'm curious to see this part. Just did a quick search and I found it cheaper online by about 3 or 4 hundred bucks...Still freaking expensive. One place wanted over $8000 bucks...insane....must be a mistake I'm thinking..

What did you ever do about your leaky inverter? I doubt it's causing the shake, but you would (hopefully, if the technician know what he is doing) get the ISC reset done properly (via the diagnostic computer) when the new inverter was put in. Are you due for new spark plugs, air filter? Make sure your tranny is not leaking where mine leaked (twice) - just look at my old posts for the pics..

I tried a FRAM the first time I changed the engine air filter on my RX and it didn't fit. I returned it and bought the Toyota filter (from a Toyota dealer) and was surprised it was cheaper than the FRAM and, of course, it fit perfectly. For the cabin filter, I just used a FRAM - it fit fine and was MUCH cheaper than the dealer.

2006 model year was the first year for the 400h, was it not? Yours may have been built and went on the road in 2005, but it's a 2006 model. Anyway, yes, the ISC reset applies to ALL years of the 400h. Your dealer may be clueless about the ISC reset, so be sure you print off a copy of the .pdf and show it to them.