RX450h (2010) coolant leak/check hybrid system

[DariusB]

Good afternoon All,

  First time poster. In need for some advice...

  Yesterday myself and my better half were on a trip to Nottingham and 10 miles in the dreaded hybrid check message came on. Car carried on working fine, 50 miles in cruise control disappeared and there were no animations on energy monitoring screen. We got to Nottingham fine, two hours later came back to the car and I saw a little puddle under the engine, which looked like coolant. Checked levels, inverter coolant is slightly higher than full, engine coolant tank was almost empty. Topped up with water and managed to get back home. Total of 300 miles covered with hybrid check light on.

  Tried to find where the leak is coming from and it seems its back/bottom of the radiator (visible looking through engine bay).

  First question, what engine coolant could have anything to do with hybrid system?

  Second question, is it worth taking it to Lexus or does anyone know any Toyota/Lexus specialists in Lancashire that would cost less than Lexus main specialist?

  Car has done 126k miles, we owned it for just under a year.

  Thanks in advance

[Spock66]

1 hour ago, DariusB said:

Second question, is it worth taking it to Lexus or does anyone know any Toyota/Lexus specialists in Lancashire that would cost less than Lexus main specialist?

I would expect any competent garage to be capable of changing a radiator or hose if that is the problem, but clearly a Lexus dealership would give you most piece of mind the job will be done properly.

There could well be a sensor on coolant level which would have caused the warning message.

[DariusB]

Just asked Lexus bolton for a quote for radiator replacement and was told they need to do diagnostics first (£144) before they give me a price. Guess its my only option at the moment, as I don't have a trusted mechanic in the area.

My biggest worry is how much Lexus charge for a radiator.

[granadaman]

Why not try a radiator company there must some in Lancashire, we have northern radiators in Leeds, if it’s a rad leak or pipe they would be able to fix it, after all it’s just a radiator nothing special. There seems to be company similar in preston 

Motor Radiator Specialists

[Lydiamight]

I had a leak in a similar place in my 2008 Rx400h---the radiators and spigot pipes for the hoses are made of plastic. After many years and miles the plastic become brittle and hardened and the natural slight rocking of the engine on its mounts eventually causes a leak where the spigot pipes enter there radiator core and flex with the slight engine movement.. It's definitely a radiator out job and you may be able to plastic weld around the spigot pipe onto the radiator. My Lexus specialist advised me that  would only be a relatively short term solution and it would be best to fit a new radiator. No problems since then. I am afraid that I have no idea why it should affect the hybrid system.