CSR

Lexus · NHTSA safety record

2026 Lexus RX

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

Owners have filed 9 safety complaints about the 2026 Lexus RX with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the steering and back-over prevention.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 6 complaints, 67% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers June 2026 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

9 complaints on file

9

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6 · 67%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 22%
STRUCTURE 2 · 22%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 · 11%
ENGINE 1 · 11%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 · 11%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1 · 11%
POWER TRAIN 1 · 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 · 11%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 · 11%
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 9.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2026 Lexus RX. 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.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM

26V598000 · September 17, 2026

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX350, RX500 Hybrid, TX500 Hybrid, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front steering knuckles may crack and break, which can result in a loss of vehicle steering control.
The risk
A loss of vehicle steering control increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the front steering knuckles, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TA19 and 26LA09.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 617 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

26V162000 · March 18, 2026

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Lexus NX350, NX250, 2023-2026 RX350, and 2024-2026 TX350 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the rearview camera software or replace the rearview camera, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26LB02 and 26LA02.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 144,200 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

25V744000 · October 30, 2025

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 1,024,407 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.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

crash · towed

Technical Incident Timeline Suspected Unintended Acceleration Event 2026 Lexus RX 350h Premium+ (Approximately 96 Miles) Vehicle: 2026 Lexus RX 350h Premium+ Purchase Date: July 10, 2026 Dealer: Woodfield Lexus Incident Date: July 12, 2026 Approximate Time: 11:30 AM Vehicle Mileage at Incident: Approximately 96 miles ⸻ Event Sequence 1. Vehicle Startup * I entered the vehicle and started the vehicle normally. * The vehicle was in Park (P) at startup. * My right foot was on the brake pedal, as required to start the vehicle. * The accelerator pedal was not intentionally pressed. 2. Immediate Vehicle Behavior After Startup * Immediately after startup, the vehicle produced an unusually loud

NHTSA complaint 11750381, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
The factory-installed front spindle grille and bumper assembly on this brand-new 2026 Lexus RX 350 suffered severe thermal material failure, resulting in extensive warping, bubbling, and physical melting under normal, predictable outdoor ambient daylight parking conditions. This thermal deformation poses an immediate safety hazard because the deformed exterior structure directly houses the vehicle’s critical front-facing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). This includes the pre-collision safety radar sensors, pedestrian detection cameras, and proximity sensors located right behind the front Lexus emblem and grille assembly. The physical distortion of the plastic mounting housing can

NHTSA complaint 11767853, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Push brake to start. Displays car not ready low battery. Seat memory not retaining setting. Windshield wiper speed will not remove water fast enough

NHTSA complaint 11767025. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
(1)The original 12-V battery was replaced by the dealership on XXX (after 5-week and 120-mile usage) with a new one, model: 00544-MFH50, S/N [XXX], 540CCA and 100 RC. (2)Upon double-checking with the 2026 Lexus Owner’s Manual for RX450H+, on Page 605, it clearly stated that when replacing the battery, its case size should be the same as the previous one (LN3) ……. with a performance rating of CCA of 603A or higher. (3)The dealership indicated the 00544-MFH50 was the right battery based on the VIN number per Lexus internal database. The database also showed another battery model: 28800-31572. (4)However, according to the battery information at [XXX], both 00544-MFH50 and 28800-31572 are

NHTSA complaint 11764261, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The 12-V battery of a brand-new Lexus RX450h+ died suddenly without any warning, only about 5 weeks into regular driving, with ~120 miles on the odometer. Lexus Roadside Assistance was called in to jump-start the battery, and the vehicle was driven directly to the dealership (about 5 miles away) for service. The dealership service checked the battery and indicated it “passed” all tests and is in "good" condition. However, the service technicians could not identify or suggest any reason for such a sudden death of virtually a brand-new battery (5-week new, 120-mile usage). The dealership indicated that there is nothing they can do for the battery because Lexus warranty protocol would not

NHTSA complaint 11763681, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury AWD Hybrid. Component Affected: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V BATTERY, DIGITAL/ELECTRONIC LOCKS I am experiencing a severe and persistent 12V parasitic battery drain on my 2026 Lexus RX 350h. The vehicle's auxiliary 12V battery drains completely to a dead state if left parked and unused for only two to three days. This is an ongoing manufacturing or software defect that prevents the auxiliary battery from maintaining an adequate charge, resulting in routine vehicle failure. Safety Risks and Incidents: This parasitic drain introduces several critical safety hazards: 1. Emergency Entrapment and Lockout Risk: Because this vehicle relies entirely on electronic door latches

NHTSA complaint 11761410, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

1,000 miles

The contact owns a 2026 Lexus RX 450h+. The contact stated that while occupying the vehicle, the battery lost power, causing the power door locks to fail to disengage and leaving the contact trapped inside the vehicle. Approximately 15 minutes later, the contact located the manual emergency release, unlocked the door, and exited the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact of the manual emergency door release. The following day, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

NHTSA complaint 11759957. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Lexus RX

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 20 4 —
2024 57 4 —
2023 62 3 —
2021 70 1 —
2020 46 1 —
2019 34 1 —
2017 47 0 —
2010 77 0 —

Other 2026 Lexus models

TX 12 RZ 6

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