IllustrationWHILE DRIVING I GOT A MESSAGE TO CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM - THEN THE CAR DIED
2008 Lexus Rx Hybrid
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Rx Hybrid years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
180–25K
625–50K
750–75K
1175–100K
4100–150K
3150K+
49 reports with mileage · 8 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
5 reportsA MOMENT OF TERROR IN MY LEXUS 2008 RX400H ON MAY 01 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. ON BUSY ROUTE 111 IN NH. IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I LOST ALL POWER. ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT ON. IT WAS ALMOST A MULTICAR PILEUP. WITH SCREECHING TIRES AND CARS MAKING PANIC STOPS IT WAS A WONDER THAT NOBODY WAS HURT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX400. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX400. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WALKED AROUND IT, SUDDENLY THE WINDOWS AND MOONROOF OPENED. UPDATED 04/05/10.*JB UPDATED 4/30/10 *CN UPDATED 07/09/10.*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX400H. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE LACK OF ELECTRICITY IN THE BATTERY CAUSED THE CONTACT TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WITHIN MINUTES THE BRAKES BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY SINCE THE BATTERY RECHARGED BY PUMPING THE BRAKES. THE …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX400H. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE LACK OF ELECTRICITY IN THE BATTERY CAUSED THE CONTACT TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WITHIN MINUTES THE BRAKES BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY SINCE THE BATTERY RECHARGED BY PUMPING THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND BOTH TIMES THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE COULD IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM COULD CAUSE A CRASH TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.
I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON US290. WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY WENT BLANK (EXCEPT FOR THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM). I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. THERE WAS A MESSAGE TO CHECK THE ACV SYSTEM. I TIGHTENED THE GAS TANK CAP AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING …
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I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON US290. WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY WENT BLANK (EXCEPT FOR THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM). I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. THERE WAS A MESSAGE TO CHECK THE ACV SYSTEM. I TIGHTENED THE GAS TANK CAP AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
Official recalls
113V396000 · Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter
Sep 4, 2013
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.