Serviam

My 2006 Gs450h has a blown inverter. It's a right hand drive inverter, I live in Australia If you're wondering. So the story is I was driving home from work and started merging onto the highway, put my foot down and heard a loud pop. My car was completely dead besides the flashing on my dash 'Check Hybrid System' and all that. So I had to coast the car to the side of the highway and get towed. I towed it to Lexus they confirmed it was the inverter and said it would be $8000 for just the part itself and not including install. I obviously wasn't gonna pay $8000 for a car that cost me $11000 so I decided to try fix it myself. I got a quote for an inverter from a wreckers in australia for $2500 but they were cheaper online so I bought one online for $1000. The one I bought was a used one from UK, a RHD inverter and had the exact same part code: G9200-30030 so I assume I haven't done anything wrong so far. I've read a couple of forums and know about the fact you can't put a LHD inverter into a RHD car. Anyway I installed it today and... It didn't work. I just wanted to make sure there was nothing I was missing like I need to program anything to make it work. The errors on the dash are: Check Hybrid System , Check VSC, Check ECB. Right now I'm assuming the part I bought is either not compatible with Australian ones or is actually busted aswell. I would appreciate any advice or help. If you got any other question, ask away. The first picture is the original inverter that is blown and the second picture is the one bought from the UK all installed and NOT working. Cheers

The old confirmed blown inverter

The used inverter bought from UK and NOT working

RamAirRckt

Any updates on getting the inverter working? Wish you lived stateside, I would like to see the old inverter and see what failed on it.

Lwerewolf

RHD and LHD inverters not being interchangeable is a bit of a... let's say that it might be people not connecting the motors the right way. Still better to use the right part

Check the fuses in the engine compartment - ICGT number 2 in particular.

Check this thread:
https://priuschat.com/threads/invert...gs450h.197632/
That fuse was blown on mine as well.

Get an OBD adapter - techstream-capable is preferable. Mongoose, tactrix openport, vcx nano, etc. Read the codes - this car throws "check hybrid/vsc/so on" for just about everything.

Are you sure that you've plugged in the service plug at the battery all the way in?

Also, out of curiosity - when you were merging, was the transmission already in 2nd gear, and did you put your foot down when your speed was between 55 and 80kph (well, approximately)?
https://openinverter.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=776
The last "tool" (wet film thickness gauge) arrives tomorrow, might have some answers soon as to (potentially) why these pop. The taller gearing on the non-US/JDM models certainly helps, I guess.

Hues10

Stupid question, but you have a gas engine, why can’t you just drive it without the inverter?

Lwerewolf

The inverter controls both electric motors. The electric motors + inverter are essentially the starter, alternator and transmission (so-called eCVT) combined.

Hues10

Oh. I guess I never thought about this concept. The perfectly good gas engine will not run if there is a problem with the electric battery/inverter. I just figured it would just be a somewhat normal gas only car. But, since all electrical components work when engine is off, I see your point.

fillerf

have You scanned the car with techstream ?
and have downloaded a replacement guide for the unit ?
Sometimes when replacing faulty devices you will need to reset /reactivate things
A replacement guide for the unit will explain this and how to
Techstream might also contain procedure info.

Lwerewolf

Techstream doesn't.

Replacement guide is, roughly:

-Disconnect 12v
-Disconnect battery service plug
-Wait at least 10 min
-Remove the inverter's battery and AC connector cover
-Measure voltage at both terminals there with a voltmeter - should be 0v, can be up to 750v if the smoothing/filtering/DC link/whatever you want to call them capacitors haven't discharged - there are bleeder resistors in place for this to happen, and it should happen way faster than 10 minutes, but don't fool around with this.
-Disconnect everything from the inverter - MG1 & MG2 connectors, battery & AC connectors, wire harness connector, water hoses (make sure you protect all connectors from coolant drops/spillage/spray/etc - especially if you decide not to drain the system beforehand).
-Replace the inverter
-Install water hoses, MG/Battery/AC/Harness connectors
-Install battery service plug
-Connect 12v
-Initialize car (windows & sunroof up & down, all doors open & close, transmission learn, etc) - not really necessary
-Bleed coolant loop (inverter water pump can be run with techstream, alternatively it runs 20sec after car goes in "ready" mode)

That's it, officially.

samsonn25

The gas engine can run with a weak or bad traction battery. I ran my car over 100k extra miles with a good 12v battery and weak traction battery.

Xenith

How u go with this
when my inverter went once replaced it did not go stright up but futher investigation found a blowen fuse

aa4123

Update on OP's car which I bought from him:
After he installed the inverter and the car didn't work, he had a hybrid specialist have a look at the car who said that the inverter he bought was bad and needs to be replaced again. The OP left the car sitting for a year before selling it.
I bought the car and replaced the inverter with a cheap used one from Japan and the car still does not start. I used techstream to get the codes and I got P0A1B-788 and U0110-657. I also opened up the top cover from the old inverter and it looked clean and no burn marks so I think that this inverter was actually fine and that there is some other issue with the car. I am lost on how to diagnose the problem.

Xenith

he bit that fails is in the lower half and i have pulled down ten odd blowen ones of these and two had no signs of damage or smell when the top was removed .
if u look at my (how to replace thermal paste in a gs450h inverter it will show u how to strip it further to look at the igbts)

im going to keep aclose eye on this as i know of two gs450h that have blowrn inverters had them replaced anf still not work (i have sepositions that the hybrid control ecm has been spiked ) i just have not had the time to test them

Lwerewolf

Check the ICGT no.2 fuse in the engine bay compartment.

Also, the MG IGBTs are in the mid-section, mounted upside-down.

aa4123

I opened the bottom part of the inverter and it looks pristine. Is there anything else to look for?

aa4123

I checked ICGT no.2 fuse and that is fine. I don't know what MG IGBT is and how to check it.