Lexus · NHTSA safety record

2011 Lexus RX Hybrid

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

Owners have filed 12 safety complaints about the 2011 Lexus RX Hybrid with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 3 complaints, 25% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 88,900 miles, the median across the 11 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers November 2012 to October 2025 · How this is counted

What is on file

12 complaints on file

Complaints

Describe a crash

Mention fire

People injured

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.

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.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system

ENGINE 3 · 25% 3 25%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 17% 2 17%

SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 17% 2 17%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 · 17% 2 17%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 · 8% 1 8%

POWER TRAIN 1 · 8% 1 8%

SEAT BELTS 1 · 8% 1 8%

SEATS 1 · 8% 1 8%

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR 1 · 8% 1 8%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 · 8% 1 8%

STRUCTURE 1 · 8% 1 8%

VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 · 8% 1 8%

0 4 8

One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 12.

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 2012 at 2.

4 3 2 1

12 2012 14 2014 15 2015 18 2018 19 2019 20 2020 23 2023 25 2025

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2012 to 2025.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2011 Lexus RX Hybrid. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Defect investigations

1 on file

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.

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.

SEATS Filed December 28, 2012

1 injured · 15,000 miles

FOOT OF BACKSEAT PASSENGER SITTING BEHIND THE DRIVER WAS TRAPPED AND PAINFULLY MASHED UNDER SEAT POSITIONING MECHANISM WHEN SEAT AUTOMATICALLY MOVED BACK WHEN CAR IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SENSOR THAT DETECTS WHEN SEAT MOTION IS OBSTRUCTED AND STOPS OR REVERSES SEAT MOTION RATHER THAN CRUSHING WHATEVER IS IN THE WAY INCLUDING BODY PARTS. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10490349. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY Filed November 2, 2012

crash · 18,000 miles

VEHICLE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE NEAR MISSES RESULTING FROM LATERAL MIRRORS BULKINESS AND LACK OF VISIBILITY FOR DRIVER WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT IN AN INTERSECTION. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD CLEAR ROAD RIGHT CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES FRONT ENDS, THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE POSITION OF THE LATERAL MIRRORS WHICH ARE HUGE AND THE ROOF SUPPORT CORNER SIDE BAR OF THE VEHICLE MAKES IT TO HAVE A BLIND SPOT WHERE YOU SIMPLY ARE NOT ABLE TO SEE VEHICLE THAT IS CLOSELY APPROACHING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS ISSUE THE DRIVER NEEDS TO MOVE SIDE-FRONT AT ALL TIMES WHEN

NHTSA complaint 10483146, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Filed April 28, 2014

crash · 30,000 miles

I WAS PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY AFTER I FULLY STOPPED MY CAR ( I WAS WAITING FOR ANOTHER CAR TO PULL OUT OF DRIVEWAY FIRST). WHEN I BRAKED TO STOP MY CAR IT DID NOT RESPOND INITIALLY. I COULD NOT STOP IT FAST ENOUGH TO AVOID COLLISION W A PARKED CAR IN DRIVEWAY. THIS WAS SO STRANGE BECAUSE I WAS MOVING MY CAR VERY SLOWLY. I THEN PUT IT IN REVERSE TO BACK UP A COUPLE FEET SO I COULD ASSESS DAMAGE TO CARS. WHEN I DID THIS AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR MY CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL INTO STREET. ONCE AGAIN THE BRAKING WAS INSUFFICIENT TO STOP MY CAR AS DESIRED. NORMALLY THE BRAKES STOP THIS CAR ON A DIME (NOT REALLY ON A DIME, BUT NORMALLY THE BRAKES ARE EXCELLENT). THE LATER ACCELERATION WAS

NHTSA complaint 10585404, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed August 21, 2020

towed · 150,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LEXUS RX450H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE DRIVER COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LEXUS OF ALBUQUERQUE, 4821 PAN AMERICAN FWY, , ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87109, AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL COOLER PIPE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AFTER THE REPAIR THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SAME DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER CLOSED THE CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE

NHTSA complaint 11350701, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed October 30, 2025

ABS, BRAKE, TRACTION CONTROL & YIELD LIGHTS ARE ON AND BEEPING SOUND. ALSO BRAKE PEDAL IS HARD!!!!!

NHTSA complaint 11696697. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC Filed April 26, 2023

towed · 121,000 miles

The contact owns a 2011 Lexus RX450H. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

NHTSA complaint 11519025. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed September 4, 2020

164,000 miles

THE OIL COOLER PIPE BROKE ON MY 2011 LEXUS RX450H STARVING THE ENGINE OF OIL AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. THE PART IS CURRENTLY UNDER WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT BY LEXUS AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON MY MODEL YEAR OF VEHICLE. THE MALFUNCTION IS PARTICULARLY INSIDIOUS AS OIL ONLY LEAKS WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, HOWEVER WITH A HYBRID WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS THE ENGINE STOPS AND SO DOES THE LEAK AT LEAST UNTIL YOU HAVE REACHED A HIGH ENOUGH SPEED FOR THE ENGINE TO KICK BACK ON AGAIN. IN MY SITUATION I RECEIVED NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS, OIL LIGHTS OR ANY OTHER INDICATION OTHER THEN SUDDENLY IT FELT LIKE MY ENGINE WAS RUNNING A LITTLE ROUGH. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER (I WAS JUST ON A CITY STREET) AND

NHTSA complaint 11353208, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed April 17, 2019

88,900 miles

THE COOLANT LEAKED IN MY GARAGE. ENGINE MAKING SOME NOISES WHILE THE CAR IS STATIONARY. DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A BAD WATER PUMP CAUSING A COOLANT LEAK.

NHTSA complaint 11196835. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed September 24, 2018

90,000 miles

SOMETHING IN THE DASHBOARD CONSOLE BY THE RADIO HAS OVERHEATED, MELTING THE AC VENT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. LITTLE FLECKS OF PLASTIC STARTED BLOWING OUT OF THE VENT, AND WHEN I LOOKED INSIDE THE VENT, I COULD SEE WHERE THE LOUVERED PIECES ARE MELTED.

NHTSA complaint 11130908. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Lexus RX Hybrid

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2017	10	0	—
2013	12	0	—

Other 2011 Lexus models

ES350 153 ES 46 IS 250 30 RX350 30 GX460 26 CT 22

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

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file, published October 2, 2026.

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 guarledes
Independent developer and analyst