Rx450h - Check hybrid system orange triangle

[jb111s]

To be fair I wouldn’t touch them normally. My Lexus failed its MOT during lockdown due to corroded parking brake cables and couldn’t get an appointment with any Lexus garage for weeks.

They did a fantastic job and kept me fully informed on progress & saved me hundreds compared to main dealer. It was a horrible job due to the corrosion of the parts (the underside corrosion was so bad I got it rust treated and sprayed last year) and didn’t charge me extra despite the extra time needed to get everything off.

if they can at least pinpoint the exact fault for not a lot then if and ring around and find specialist or back to main dealer.

[Greisingel]

I advocate being 100% certain you don’t have a moisture problem. 
I can’t seem to load my Techstream pic showing 526 and 612. This one shows you have to press List. Then you get more granular report. If I remember rightly. Archive pic not very clear. Press the snowflake for drill. 
Actually, I concur re finding normal mechanic shop for regular fixes like brake lines, ICE stuff (though I would look for those with experience) etc. 
But for hybrid checks and servicing Lexus shop only IMO. 

[jb111s]

Thanks so so much guys. Progress! I made sure my VM running techstream was routing its network through my mac & it now gives the ice logo and data list doesn't crash!

Ok, so I have p0aa6 as the fault, and drilling down further i have.. 

Detail code 1: 526

Detail code 2: 614

[Greisingel]

35 minutes ago, jb111s said:

Thanks so so much guys. Progress! I made sure my VM running techstream was routing its network through my mac & it now gives the ice logo and data list doesn't crash!

Ok, so I have p0aa6 as the fault, and drilling down further i have.. 

Detail code 1: 526

Detail code 2: 614

614 looks like your inverter or DC cables. This is outside my experience. 

This looks at RX400H 
https://artsautomotive.com/home/art-icles/articles-for-the-curious/high-voltage-and-water-dont-mix/

[jb111s]

Looking inside the engine bay the inverter looks bone dry, no obvious leaks or damaged cables 😞

Have a horrible feeling this could be the inverter on the way out 😞
 

 

[Greisingel]

10 minutes ago, jb111s said:

Looking inside the engine bay the inverter looks bone dry, no obvious leaks or damaged cables 😞

Have a horrible feeling this could be the inverter on the way out 😞
 

 

Don’t despair just yet. I know the feeling all too readily. I am the one that shorted his auxiliary Battery and blew the main fuse. Then had to sort out an indoor swimming pool in an RX400H sloshing the HV Battery  

Have a bit of a root around  

http://zatonevkredit(blocked word)/repair_manuals/raw_content/AWHoRH79rzlLPWuu-hIP

Have a look here. If you needed an inverter from a breakers you could be in for £400-600. A sound auto electrician or independent Lexus/Toyota garage may be able to fit a replacement you bought for you.  

[Herbie]

Just a thought - you've not had your aircon regassed have you?

Although the refrigerant gas is the same, the lubricating oil needs to be a special high dielectric one (ND11) rather than the normal PAG oil. This is because the aircon compressor isn't driven by a belt from the engine, instead it uses a 500V three-phase variable frequency AC motor and the motor windings are submerged in the oil for cooling purposes. Even just 1% contamination by PAG oil can cause the insulation on the windings to break down and short either to each other or windings to body.

If you haven't done anything with the A/C, have a look here instead at these pages from the workshop manual

[Greisingel]

Line of inquiry: A/C as Herbie suggests

• Inverter with converter assembly

• No. 4 floor wire

• Air conditioning system

• No. 4 floor wire (air conditioning harness) (for LHD)

• Air conditioning harness (for RHD)

• Hybrid Battery junction block assembly

[jb111s]

Will try and get up on ramps and have a good rummage around tmrw when light to see if anything obvious (actually hoping to find mouse droppings/nest) 🙂. Aircon was regassed 2 years ago as part of full service so don't think it's that.

Given the inverter doesn't appear to be leaking any fluid, is working and orange warning triangle not red, perhaps it is hopefully something as simple as a perished cable shorting somewhere.

I'll see if Lexus get back to me tmrw and ask how much they'll charge for the diagnosis & then can review my options & emailed a couple of Toyota specialists nearby to see if they would be able to investigate.

 

 

[jb111s]

More drama!

So, thought I'd give it one last shot. Unplugged the negative terminal from the Battery to give it a complete reboot. Thought I'd leave it at least 10-15 minutes as previously when I swapped the 12v batteries over it was only about 4 mins or so between the old one being disconnected and the new one plugged in.

As it was raining I then stupidly closed the boot & then when I returned 10 mins later realised it was Battery powered! A bit of crawling over the back seats, managed to lift up the boot floor and reconnect the Battery, so all in had around 30 mins of disconnection.

Everything seemed reset. The clock went back to 1am, and cleared the warning triangle. Drove off, leaving the fans off to isolate the AC from the system (just in case this was triggering it). Kept on driving, and driving, no warning light. Went for 20 mile drive and returned home, and still working fine with no triangle.

Right, must be the AC compressor causing something to go wrong then. Set off again, putting fans on full, enabling AC, heated seats, the lot. Again, kept going up and down the A3 for 30 mins and nothing!

Practiced pulling over, turning the engine off, getting out, locking, going in again and setting off & it didn't miss a beat.

I do not know what is going on but the car is now pulling the best MPG I've ever had (getting 36 on the dual carriageway in 3 degrees, when I never usually beat 27!) and just feels so much better. Obviously I'd been driving with a failing 12v Battery since I've owned it the last 2 years, but maybe somewhere in some system it hadn't cleared the previous Battery concerns or crashed somehow throwing up false positives???

Truly baffling, but my car feels fantastic and I'm over the moon.

 

[Greisingel]

27 minutes ago, jb111s said:

More drama!

So, thought I'd give it one last shot. Unplugged the negative terminal from the battery to give it a complete reboot. Thought I'd leave it at least 10-15 minutes as previously when I swapped the 12v batteries over it was only about 4 mins or so between the old one being disconnected and the new one plugged in.

As it was raining I then stupidly closed the boot & then when I returned 10 mins later realised it was battery powered! A bit of crawling over the back seats, managed to lift up the boot floor and reconnect the battery, so all in had around 30 mins of disconnection.

Everything seemed reset. The clock went back to 1am, and cleared the warning triangle. Drove off, leaving the fans off to isolate the AC from the system (just in case this was triggering it). Kept on driving, and driving, no warning light. Went for 20 mile drive and returned home, and still working fine with no triangle.

Right, must be the AC compressor causing something to go wrong then. Set off again, putting fans on full, enabling AC, heated seats, the lot. Again, kept going up and down the A3 for 30 mins and nothing!

Practiced pulling over, turning the engine off, getting out, locking, going in again and setting off & it didn't miss a beat.

I do not know what is going on but the car is now pulling the best MPG I've ever had (getting 36 on the dual carriageway in 3 degrees, when I never usually beat 27!) and just feels so much better. Obviously I'd been driving with a failing 12v battery since I've owned it the last 2 years, but maybe somewhere in some system it hadn't cleared the previous battery concerns or crashed somehow throwing up false positives???

Truly baffling, but my car feels fantastic and I'm over the moon.

 

Well!! If your codes are cleared and the car is reborn... enjoy. Maybe it is that thing with RXs – a healthy auxiliary Battery solves all.

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, jb111s said:

Truly baffling, but my car feels fantastic and I'm over the moon.

I build/repair computers for a living and you know what the motto of our industry is - "Have you tried turning it off and on again?"

It's an undeniable fact that electronics can sometimes get their knickers in a twist and only a complete absence of power will allow capacitors to discharge and reset the fault condition.

Fingers crossed for you Jonathan