2'nd major malfunction - Page 4 - GreenHybrid

Freeze · #31 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiff72

Personally, I think the techline is feeding you a load of crap. There is no way that inverter ACTUALLY costs $10k. They may charge that much for it, but if they are, I think they are robbing us blind. It's a good thing they are covered under warrany for as long as they are!

Hey, if they can charge 200 smackers for an armrest, I don't doubt an inverter is 10 grand.

http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/s...ner.10314.html

Orcrone · #32 (**permalink**) 10-05-2006, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlesc

The national toyota tech line authorized the dealer to replace the "inverter", which I was told is a $10,000 part.

Toyota Camry Hybrid Inverter - $10,000
Rest of Toyota Camry Hybrid - $15,980
Finding a tech who can get Charlesc's to work - Priceless

stevenvillatoro · #33 (**permalink**) 10-05-2006, 04:25 AM

Someone woke up funny today. Second post I've read by Orcrone this morning that cracked me up!

charlesc · #34 (**permalink**) 10-05-2006, 07:58 AM

Thanks Ocrone! ha ha. I needed a bit of levity this morning after yesterday.

Sorry for that strong post yesterday - I was just a bit ruffed up after that phone call. Still cannot believe this.

I'm hoping to get the dealers phone # that worked on Norb's car today, as well as contact the national toyota people again to discuss this.

Common sense to me just seems that the 2'nd largest car maker with a rep for quality - would at the least bit be interested in getting to the bottom of the issue with my car. Finding out what is going on and making sure it doesn't effect any other TCH's... Especially with such a high-profile press grabbing model.

I'm sure going to miss my NAV system today when driving up to LA. Last night I was driving home in the rental and it was eye opening how much my driving style has conformed to a "hybrid". That carolla felt like a slug coming down the mountain having to use the gas on the down grades to maintain speed! I miss my TCH!

charlesc · #35 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 03:24 PM

Quick Update:

I'm finally getting my car back today. After speaking with the national toyota service people they confirmed that the "inverter" was the problem all along. So they say... I sure hope this fixes it once and for all - and no more problems occur!

I'll post another update in couple days if everything is going well.

wcmack · #36 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 03:31 PM

Dear Charlesc,

Let's hope. I am pulling for this as the last fix you'll need!

charlesc · #37 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 10:59 AM

Well I've had the car back for almost two days now and it is running great. This may be my imagination, but I swear the traction battery is holding a charge longer now. I was in stop-and-go traffic yesterday and the battery didn't drop down nearly as fast as it had been prior to the car dying. The HSD seems a bit more responsive too, although that may just be the result of not driving the car for almost two weeks... But the battery is certainly functioning better than before - in fact I hadn't noticed how bad it was until now.

They replaced the HSD/box under the hood - it's the box the two large orange connectors plug into. The service tech told me it was the "interverter" and that is what they replaced. He also mentioned Toyota sent two people down from Los Angeles to look at my car. In fact the service technician told me it was "a good thing" I had called the national toyota 800#. Before I called and opened the case, the national tech line had told my local dealer to give the car back to me because they couldn't find anything wrong!!! Can you believe that!? The service tech said because I had called and opened the case is why they sent the engineers down from LA.

I'm just glad to have my car back and I sure hope toyota has my old inverter in a workshop someplace, and that they are going over it with a fine tooth comb so this doesn't happen to anyone else.

schmidtj · #38 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 11:11 AM

This is what they do with bad inverters:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001-...spagenameZWDVW

wcmack · #39 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 12:41 PM

Great news Charles! Taking action got results...

SPL · #40 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 01:09 PM

Charles:

Let's hope that the new inverter will cure your problem. It sounds to me as if I was probably on the right track when I suggested earlier in this thread that the problem might be caused by electrical leakage from the high-voltage battery, leading to the "Check Hybrid System" error message you received. The inverter is one of the possible (perhaps the most likely) components where this could occur. Moreover, if it's in the inverter, it would only occur when the vehicle is "on," as electrical relays completely disconnect the high-voltage battery when the vehicle is "off" for safety reasons. This would also agree with your experience, I believe. Keep us informed! Good luck.

Stan