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Lexus · NHTSA safety record

2010 Lexus RX350

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 94 safety complaints about the 2010 Lexus RX350 with the US government. Of those, 23 describe a crash, 6 mention a fire, 11 people were injured and 1 death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering vehicle speed control.

The most complained-about system is vehicle speed control, named in 38 complaints, 40% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 28,000 miles, the median across the 81 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers February 2010 to June 2021 · How this is counted

What is on file

94 complaints on file

94

Complaints

23

Describe a crash

6

Mention fire

11

People injured

1

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 38 · 40%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12 · 13%
AIR BAGS 9 · 10%
ENGINE 8 · 9%
POWER TRAIN 7 · 7%
STRUCTURE 6 · 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 5 · 5%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 5 · 5%
STEERING 5 · 5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 4 · 4%
EQUIPMENT 4 · 4%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 3 · 3%
0 15 31

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 94.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2010 at 30.

32 24 16 8
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2010 to 2021.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2010 Lexus RX350, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4-DR. w/SAB
Overall Not rated
Frontal crash Not rated
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash Not rated
Side barrier Not rated
Side pole Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover 16.4%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

NHTSA made its frontal crash test harder for the 2011 model year, and says ratings from before that change should not be compared with ratings after it. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

12V305000 · June 29, 2012

The defect
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles, manufactured from November 28, 2008, through September 1, 2010, and model year 2008 through 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles manufactured from September 1, 2007, through September 5, 2011. In July 2012, Toyota filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2010 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles. In November 2012, Toyota informed the agency that it was including an additional 10,565 vehicles including certain model year 2008 through 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 164,601. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
The risk
A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
The remedy
Toyota and Lexus will notify owners of affected vehicles and dealers will modify or replace the accelerator pedal and replace any driver's floor mat not specified for the vehicle. Owners of the Lexus vehicles were notified during August 2012. Toyota has not yet provided a notification schedule for the additional Land Cruiser vehicles. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 164,601 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 death · 2 injured · crash

IN A 2010 LEXUS RX 350 MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A PASSENGER IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP WAITING FOR AN APARTMENT COMPLEX SECURITY GATE TO OPEN. THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE CRASHED THROUGH TWO APARTMENT COMPLEX SECURITY GATES, WENT AIRBORNE OVER A BUSY STREET AND CAME TO REST AGAINST THE SIDE OF A BUILDING. TO OUR HORROR, MY GRANDMOTHER PERISHED IN THE ACCIDENT. WE ARE AWAITING THE INFORMATION FROM THE BLACK BOX. I HESITATE SO SAY TOO MUCH BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS OF HOW/IF TO PROCEED REGARDING LITIGATION. DO NOT PURCHASE, DRIVE OR RIDE IN ONE OF THESE VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10401384. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · 37,506 miles

COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. LEXUS DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER AND AIRBAG BLEW OPEN ALLOWING DRIVER TO IMPACT STEERING WHEEL HARD ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN A FRACTURED STERNUM AND CHEST WALL INJURY. .UPDATED 11/03/14 *BF UPDATED 7/15/2015*JS UPDATED 09/04/15 *BF

NHTSA complaint 10649069. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 101,000 miles

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN HITTING A CAR IN THE REAR MOVING 30 MILE PER HOUR

NHTSA complaint 11058316. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 18,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO AN UNEXPECTED HEALTH RELATED ISSUE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO AN UNOCCUPIED PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND CHEST AREA. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG PARTIALLY DEPLOYED AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 10436324. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 199,000 miles

The contact owns a 2010 LEXUS RX350. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, she saw light white smoke floating through the air which she initially assumed came from the vehicle ahead of her. As she exited the highway and came to a stop, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated with an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact pulled over and called her brother for assistance. Upon inspection, the contact's brother discovered that there was no oil in the vehicle, even though the vehicle had received an oil change five days prior. The contact called the local dealer who offered to tow the vehicle to the dealer to be inspected. The contact declined the tow, and

NHTSA complaint 11422808, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

106,955 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE USING THE DEFROSTER, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,955.

NHTSA complaint 11394281. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

140,000 miles

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH THE SUN ROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD AND NO DEBRIS. THE ROOF HAD NEVER BEEN STRUCK AND WE HAVE NEVER TRANSPORTED ANYTHING ON THE ROOF. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 65 DEGREES AND THE SUN JUST RISING SO NO SIGNIFICANT TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS. THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH.

NHTSA complaint 11232264. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

crash · 48,000 miles

MY FARM IS 1/2 MILE OFF WELD COUNTY ROAD 16 IN KEENESBURG COLORADO. THERE IS A GRAVEL DRIVE AROUND THE HOUSE TO A SHORT CONCRETE DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE. WHEN WE DRIVE ONTO THE CONCRETE PORTION, WE ARE ANGLED NORTH EAST TOWARD THE GARAGE DOOR AND HAVE TO BACK UP A SHORT DISTANCE TO HEAD THE CAR EAST TO ENTER THE GARAGE. WE DRIVE VERY SLOW THROUGH THE YARD AS WE HAVE ANIMALS TO WATCH OUT FOR AND MAKE A SLOW ENTRY TOWARDS THE CONCRETE DRIVEWAY. AS SHE TURNED AROUND THE HOUSE TOWARD THE DRIVEWAY THE CAR SEEMED TO BE GOING FASTER THAN NORMAL AND SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND EASED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW AND SHE FELT THE ACCELERATOR WAS PULLING HER FORWARD

NHTSA complaint 11218629, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

69,800 miles

OIL COOLING LINE BLEW OUT! ALL OIL BLEW OUT OF ENGINE WITHIN MINUTES. I WAS STOPPED IMMEDIATELY WITH ENGINE WARNING AND HAD TO HAVE EMERGENCY TOW. THE REDESIGNED PART WAS ORDERED FROM LEXUS AT A COST PLUS SHIPPING OF $90. THE TOTAL REPAIR WAS $170. THIS IS A FAULTY PART WITH RUBBER LINE THAT HAS SINCE BEEN REDESIGNED ALL METAL--NO RUBBER. LEXUS HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE DESIGN FLAW BUT NO RECALL.

NHTSA complaint 11217344. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

123,345 miles

MY WIFE WAS COMING FROM WORK IN THE EARLY MORNING ON APRIL 1, 2019 AT HIGHWAY SPEED AROUND 70 TO 75MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE COULD HEAR BIG NOISE COMING OUT OF ENGINE, WARNING LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON THE DASH AND SHE COULD MANGE TO STOP THE CAR IN THE EMERGENCE LANE. SHE COULD SMELL THE OIL BURNING FROM THE FRONT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE AUTO SHOP AND WAS EVALUATED NEXT WEEK. THEY TOLD ME THAT ENGINE HAVE BIG HOLES IN THE FRONT, REAR AND AT THE BOTTOM. TRANSFER CASE ALSO GOT A BIG HOLE ALONG WITH THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A REGULAR OIL CHANGE AND ROUTING INSPECTION IN ALL THE PREVIOUS YEARS. I HAVE SHOWN THIS TO COUPLE OF REPAIR SHOPS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN

NHTSA complaint 11197035, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Lexus RX350

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2019 31 3 —
2018 18 1 —
2017 46 3 1
2016 58 3 —
2015 42 1 —
2013 59 1 1
2012 33 1 —
2011 30 1 —

Other 2010 Lexus models

ES350 137 RX 77 HS 250 Hybrid 76 HS 70 ES 41 IS 40 IS 250 40 GX460 31

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Lexus on this site — 91 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst