NHTSA Complaint #11083871 — 2010 LEXUS RX HYBRID

VEHICLE SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT DURING A HEAVY RAIN THAT TURNED INTO FREEZING RAIN. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I WENT TO START THE CAR A WARNING CAME ON TO CHECK THE HYBRID SYSTEM. WHEN CALLED, LEXUS SAID THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION/REPAIR. AFTER VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY FLATBED CARRIER TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION/REPAIR AND UNLOADED AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE AND LEXUS TECHNICIAN SAID LUCKILY ONE OF THE DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEES SAW THE SMOKE, LET HIM KNOW, AND HE DISCONNECTED THE HYBRID ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND HAD HE NOT DONE SO, IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. THE WATER PENETRATION WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE COME FROM THE TOP REAR ROOF/BODY SEAM WHERE TWO PIECES OF BODY METAL JOIN. EXACTLY THE SAME SPOT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR LEAKED. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE OR CORROSION AT THE LOCATION OF THE LEAKS AND NO EVIDENCE OF PRIOR OR PROLONGED LEAKING. ONCE THE WATER GOT INTO THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NOTHING TO PREVENT IT FROM GETTING TO THE HYBRID BATTERIES AND THEIR RELATED ELECTRONICS, THEREFORE ALLOWING WATER THAT GOT INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO CAUSE THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM AND CREATE THE FIRE RISK. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALER. THERE IS NO REASON WATER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT BODY SEAMS THAT HAD NOT BEEN DAMAGED. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THERE SHOULD BE NO WAY THAT ANY LIQUID THAT GETS INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REACH THE HYBRID BATTERIES AND CREATE THIS DAMAGE AND THE RISK OF SYSTEM FAILURE AND FIRE.