CSR

Lexus · NHTSA safety record

2018 Lexus RX350

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

Owners have filed 18 safety complaints about the 2018 Lexus RX350 with the US government. Of those, 3 describe a crash, 2 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the gasoline fuel system.

The most complained-about system is the fuel and propulsion system, named in 6 complaints, 33% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 12,000 miles, the median across the 11 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers November 2018 to April 2021 · How this is counted

What is on file

18 complaints on file

18

Complaints

3

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

2

People injured

0

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
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 6 · 33%
POWER TRAIN 4 · 22%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 · 22%
ENGINE 3 · 17%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 17%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 · 17%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2 · 11%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 · 11%
AIR BAGS 1 · 6%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 6%
STRUCTURE 1 · 6%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 18.

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 2020 at 12.

16 12 8 4
18 19 20 21

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2018 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 2018 Lexus RX350, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 16.4% 17.9%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

20V012000 · January 13, 2020

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 1,830,752 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.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 20,000 miles

I GOT INTO ACCIDENT AND NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED EVEN AT HIGH IMPACT AND OTHE OTHE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER.

NHTSA complaint 11286397. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed · 20,000 miles

WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 95 IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH AFTER SWITCHING INTO LEFT LANE SAW BRAKE LIGHTS AHEAD AND STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL. HEARD SLIGHT POP SOUND, BRAKE PEDAL WENT IMMEDIATELY TO THE FLOOR. CAR DID NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN. SWERVED TO LEFT TO AVOID DIRECTLY HITTING CAR IN FRONT OF ME BUT HIT JERSEY WALL AND THE CAR. MY CAR KEPT GOING ANOTHER COUPLE HUNDRED YARDS BEFORE IT FINALLY STOPPED. CAR WAS TOTALED.WITHOUT FUNCTIONING BRAKES ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL OR FORWARD COLLISION BRAKING WERE USELESS.

NHTSA complaint 11373532. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

crash · 9,825 miles

ON APRIL 15 2020, WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE IN FRONT OF A SPROUTS SUPERMARKET AT 12500 WESTHEIMER RD., HOUSTON, TEXAS 77077. THE LEXUS RX350 (2018) FAILED TO STOP AND CRASHED INTO A LARGE BUILDING SUPPORT COLUMN WHICH DID SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE LEXUS AND TO THE COLUMN. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE CAR AND CAME EQUIPPED WITH THE EMERGENCY CRASH SYSTEM. THIS FEATURE DID NOT WORK TO STOP THE CAR FROM HITTING THE BUILDING. IN THE PAST IT HAS STOPPED THE CAR BUT ONLY MOST OFTEN IT DOES NOT WORK...NO ONE WAS INJURED NOR WERE ANY PEOPLE ON THE PARKING AREA AFFECTED. *TR

NHTSA complaint 11321297. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

100 miles

WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PETAL ONE OF THREE THINGS HAPPEN. 1. NORMAL ACCELERATION WHICH YOU EXPECT AFTER 60 YEARS OF DRIVING AND WHICH WE OBTAIN FROM A 2014 LEXUS RX350 THAT WE OWN. 2. HESITATION OF BETWEEN 1 AND 5 SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATION BEGINS. 3 EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION ( SURG OF ACCELERATION MUCH MORE THAN EXPECTED). THIS EXCESS ACCELERATION MAY HAPPEN AFTER THE HESITATION OR THERE COULD BE "NORMAL" ACCELERATION AFTER THE HESITATION AND HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER BEING STOPPED.. THE HESITATION AND EXCESS ACCELERATION CAN BE FROM A STOPPED POSITION IE STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT OR WHILE MOVING AND NORMAL SPEEDS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONSISTENT HESITATION AT THE 60 TO 65 MPH WHEN

NHTSA complaint 11413511, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

12,000 miles

I TRIED ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY (PCH IN SANTA MONICA, CA) WHILE TRAVELING FORWARD AT ABOUT 45-50 MPH, BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THIS IS THE FORTH TIME THERE HAS BEEN A HESITATION IN ACCELERATION SINCE OWNING THE CAR, BUT THIS TIME THERE WAS A MESSAGE ON MY DASH. THE MESSAGE STATED THAT THERE WAS "AN OBSTRUCTION WITH THE PEDAL AND ACCELERATION WAS RETARDED." I LATER LOOKED DOWN AT THE PEDALS FELT AROUND THE THEM, BUT FOUND NOTHING OBSTRUCTING. AT THE TIME, THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN A QUARTER TANK OF GAS BUT NOT LOW ENOUGH FOR THE LOW FUEL WARNING TO COME ON. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 15 MORE MILES - THE LOW FUEL WARNING CAME ON. I HAVE ALWAYS PUT PREMIUM FUEL IN THE VEHICLE AND MY WIFE

NHTSA complaint 11377504, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

14,460 miles

BRIDGESTONE TIRES, TX8A EC1, SIZE P235/55R20, ARE 2 YEARS OLD WITH JUST OVER 14000 MILES, AND ALL TIRE THREAD IS GONE. LOCAL TIRE STORE TELLS ME THAT THEY MUST BE REPLACED AND HE SUSPECTS MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. TIRES WERE ROTATED BY LEXUS AT 5000 MILES AND 10000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint 11366406. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN I-75 ON A VERY RAINY DOWNPOUR. SHE TURNED ON THE WIPERS AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPERS DID NOT WORK. SHE ARRIVED HOME AND TOOK THE CAR THE NEXT DAY TO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP. THE BOLTS WERE LOOSE. THERE SHOULD BE A FAIL SAFE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. OF ALL THE CARS WE HAVE OWNED..........THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.(INCLUDING A 2007 LEXUS WE ALSO DRIVE).

NHTSA complaint 11362565. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
DEAR CUSTOMERE SERVICES, I GOT A NOTICE FOR RECALL FUEL PUMP MAY FAIL 1- I MAKE AN APPOINT WITH LEXUS OF LAS VEGAS FOR A RECALL ON MAY 06, 2020 LATER ON THE LEXUS OF LAS VEGAS CANCELED MY AN APPOINTMENT DUE TO THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE ' 2- I MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY CAR FOR A RECALL WITH THE SAME ISSUE AFTER 1 DAY THEY SEND ME AN EMAIL TO CANCELED MY SERVICES DUE TO THE PART IF THE PART NOT AVAILABLE OR LEXUS NEED TO RECALL FOR SAFETY IF THE VEHICHE STALL OCCUR WHILE DRIVING, THIS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF CRASH LEXUS DO NOT NEED TO SEND THE RECALL NOTICE TO THE CONSUMER AND LATER THE LEXUS DEALER CANCEL THE SERVICES DUE TO THA PART NOT AVAILABLE

NHTSA complaint 11340025. 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 —
2017 46 3 1
2016 58 3 —
2015 42 1 —
2013 59 1 1
2012 33 1 —
2011 30 1 —
2010 94 1 1

Other 2018 Lexus models

LS 14

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