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Lexus · NHTSA safety record

2010 Lexus RX450H

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

13

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2010 Lexus RX450H have filed 13 safety complaints with NHTSA between October 2012 and February 2023. The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 3 of them (23%). The typical failure was reported at 50,000 miles, the median across the 11 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Pedestrian alert sounds

DP22005

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 13.

AIR BAGS 3 23%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 23%
ENGINE 3 23%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 8%
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER 1 8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 8%
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 8%
SEAT BELTS 1 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 8%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 8%
STEERING 1 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 8%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2013 at 2.

2012 2013 2023
2012 to 2023

In owners' own words

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

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 50,000 miles

WE WERE IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT IN MAY OF 2015 AND AIR BAGS EXPLODED AND SHOT FRAGMENTS OUT AT US AND WE HAD TO BE BROUGHT TO ER BY AMBULANCE. AND I HAD TO HAVE SURGERY.

NHTSA complaint 11014271. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 40,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 LEXUS RX 450H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER 'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANTS AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES AS A RESULT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE LOT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 02/11/2014 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE, THAT RAN A RED LIGHT. SHE WAS THEN PUSHED INTO A UTILITY POLE, AND THE FRONT END WAS CRUSHED. THE

NHTSA complaint 10557015, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · 45,000 miles

LEXUS RX450 WAS TRAVELING DOWN A ONE-WAY ROAD AND APPROACHED A STOP SIGN GOING 35 MPH. AFTER RUNNING THROUGH THE STOP SIGN DURING LATE HOURS OF THE NIGHT, THE LEXUS DROVE DIRECTLY INTO A DARK PRIVATE PARKING LOT, CONTINUING AT THE 35 MPH, BOUNCING THROUGH A DEEP POTHOLE AT THE PARKING LOT ENTRANCE (BREAKS WERE PUSHED BUT NOT ENGAGED) WHICH LED TO THE COLLISION WITH A PERPENDICULAR, PROPERLY PARKED LIMO. NO BRAKE IMPRESSIONS ON THE GROUND ALTHOUGH BRAKES WERE PUSHED. AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. PASSENGER WAS KNOCKED OUT, SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND HAD TO BE PULLED OUT OF VEHICLE. CAR WAS RETITLED AS SALVAGE, AS WELL AS THE LIMO THAT WAS HIT. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10621593. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 168,022 miles

TL *THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 LEXUS RX450H. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE OIL FROM THE ENGINE DEPLETED AND THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SEWELL LEXUS IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL COIL HOSE RUPTURED, WHICH DEPLETED ALL OF THE OIL, AND THE ENGINE SEIZED AND FRACTURED. HENDRICK LEXUS KANSAS CITY IN MERRIAM, KANSAS AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,022. *TT

NHTSA complaint 11079092. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS

towed · 185,000 miles

The contact owns a 2010 Lexus RX450H. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine cooler line fractured and the vehicle lost oil very quickly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine cooler line needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but the vehicle was out of the warranty. The failure mileage was 185,000.

NHTSA complaint 11506023. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
OUTER MIRROR, DRIVER'S SIDE, TURNS DOWN WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE AND WILL STAY IN THE DOWN POSITION. OCCASIONALLY IT WILL TURN DOWN ON ITS OWN WHEN CHANGING FROM PARK. WHEN GOING TO DRIVE, THERE IS NO WAY TO SEE ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON THE LEFT WITHOUT TURNING HEAD AND LOOKING: SOMETHING A DRIVER ISN'T EXPECTING. THIS ALWAYS OCCURS GOING FROM STATIONARY TO MOTION. OCCURANCE IN RANDOM.

NHTSA complaint 11207613. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

101,000 miles

THE STEERING LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED IN THE LOCKED POSITION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. ALTHOUGH IN THIS INSTANCE THERE WAS NO SAFETY HAZARD, IT SEEMS POSSIBLE THAT THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE STEERING TO LOCK AND CONSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I INFORMED LEXUS US ABOUT THIS FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint 11187088. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

151,000 miles

I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL LEXUS OWNER FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAVE METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE AT ONLY LEXUS DEALERSHIPS. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE 10 DAYS AGO, THE OIL COOLER HOSE BURST, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE (ENGINE FAILURE/SEIZURE WHILE DRIVING) WITH CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. LEXUS HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HAS COVERED IT FOR MANY OTHER VEHICLES WITH 150K MILES OR LESS, HENCE THE "ENHANCED WARRANTY" ABOUT WHICH I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE. I HAVE 151K MILES AND THEY REFUSE TO COVER IT OR OFFER ANY KIND OF COMPENSATION FOR THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING THE HOSE. THEY DO NOT DEEM IT A SAFETY ISSUE, WHICH IS ABSURD FOR THE REASON STATED ABOVE. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A

NHTSA complaint 11056136, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2010 Lexus models

ES350 137 RX350 94 HS 250 Hybrid 76 RX 76 HS 70 ES 41 IS 250 40 IS 39

Every Lexus on this site — 88 vehicles, 116 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

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. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

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