Owners have filed 34 complaints
about the 2018 Lexus RX with NHTSA between 2021 and 2026.
The largest single group is the brakes.
Across this model's run it ranks 12 of 26 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 35
Against the median year of the Lexus RX. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 91
17.6% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2018 Lexus RX
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Other & Unspecified
617.6%
Brakes
617.6%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
38.8%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 27,000 mi
Fuel & Propulsion
38.8%
Median failure at 42,548 miles
Body & Structure
38.8%
Median failure at 47,518 miles
Electrical System
38.8%
Engine & Cooling
38.8%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
25.9%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
25.9%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Suspension
12.9%
Steering
12.9%
Airbags
12.9%
1 crashes, 0 fires
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Dec 2021peak 3Aug 2026
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Reston, VACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
On XXX, our 2018 Lexus RX 350L was involved in a high-speed collision in [XXX]. The vehicle struck a Jersey/concrete barrier with the left front of the vehicle. The collision caused extensive damage to the left-front corner of the vehicle. The left-front wheel and suspension were severely displaced, with substantial damage extending through the left-front body structure toward the driver's door area. The vehicle was subsequently declared a total loss by the insurance company. Despite the severity of the collision, none of the vehicle's airbags deployed, including the driver's frontal airbag and driver's side curtain airbag. I am reporting this because I am concerned that the Supplemental Restraint System may not have operated as designed. I am not in a position to determine whether the impact met Lexus's deployment criteria and am requesting that the non-deployment be reviewed as a potential vehicle safety issue. The vehicle currently remains available in salvage custody. The insurance company has been asked to preserve the vehicle so that the Event Data Recorder and/or airbag control module can be examined if necessary. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Phoenix, AZCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1. At [XXX] on [XXX], I was pulling into my gym's parking lot, when I stepped on the break to park my car, instead of stopping, the car accelerates rapidly and crashed through the other side of the sidewalk where there were light pole and cement walls, throwing me forward and backward with seat belt on, I was in total shock! 2. My insurance sent a field inspector to the body shop 2X in hope to repair my car but ended up declaring it a Total Loss. 3. Lexus said they would send a field tech to get the EDR (Event Data Recorder) data from my 2018 Lexus RX350 within 30 days, but the results won't be available for 30-45 days after that. Lexus's slow response to this accident concerns and disappoints me b/c it was a serious crash that Lexus should treat it seriously and promptly. 4. The disbelief of a 'young' car with only 12297 miles could have issues like this puzzled me and drove me to do a lot of online research, then I came across this site [XXX] which contains an article titled '10 Common Problems of A Lexus RX350'. Problem #5 described exactly what had happened to me: 'ONE RECURRING PROBLEM THIS CAR HAS IS THAT THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS SEVERELY. THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENES WHEN THE DRIVER IS TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. REPORTS PAINT THE SAME PICTURES REPEATEDLY: THE DRIVER IS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THEY PUSH THE BREAK PEDAL, AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING, THE CAR ACELERATES RAPIDLY, WHICH RESULTS IN A CRASH." Based on this article, it seems that Lexus should have issued a recall, but no! 5. The strange thing was that NO airbags were exploded/activated, yet the vehicle was damaged to beyond repair, it makes me wonder if there was an issue with the airbags too. If this incident had occurred at an intersection, I dare not imagine the outcome...I could have been killed or critically injured along with other innocent people on the road. I am very traumatized by the whole experience and sadly, the feeling seems to have gotten worse as time goes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5
NHTSA complaint #11621427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Phoenix, AZCrash
SERVICE BRAKES
1. At [XXX] on [XXX], I was pulling into my gym's parking lot, when I stepped on the break to park my car, instead of stopping, the car accelerates rapidly and crashed through the other side of the sidewalk where there were light pole and cement walls, throwing me forward and backward with seat belt on, I was in total shock! 2. My insurance sent a field inspector to the body shop 2X in hope to repair my car but ended up declaring it a Total Loss. 3. Lexus said they would send a field tech to get the EDR (Event Data Recorder) data from my 2018 Lexus RX350 within 30 days, but the results won't be available for 30-45 days after that. Lexus's slow response to this accident concerns and disappoints me b/c it was a serious crash that Lexus should treat it seriously and promptly. 4. The disbelief of a 'young' car with only 12297 miles could have issues like this puzzled me and drove me to do a lot of online research, then I came across this site [XXX] which contains an article titled '10 Common Problems of A Lexus RX350'. Problem #5 described exactly what had happened to me: 'ONE RECURRING PROBLEM THIS CAR HAS IS THAT THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS SEVERELY. THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENES WHEN THE DRIVER IS TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. REPORTS PAINT THE SAME PICTURES REPEATEDLY: THE DRIVER IS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THEY PUSH THE BREAK PEDAL, AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING, THE CAR ACELERATES RAPIDLY, WHICH RESULTS IN A CRASH." Based on this article, it seems that Lexus should have issued a recall, but no! 5. The strange thing was that NO airbags were exploded/activated, yet the vehicle was damaged to beyond repair, it makes me wonder if there was an issue with the airbags too. If this incident had occurred at an intersection, I dare not imagine the outcome...I could have been killed or critically injured along with other innocent people on the road. I am very traumatized by the whole experience and sadly, the feeling seems to have gotten worse as time goes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5
NHTSA complaint #11621427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 27,000 milesHouston, TXCrash1 injured
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
The contact owns a 2018 Lexus RX350. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, and as she was approaching a toll road gate, there were several lanes that were closed and marked with traffic cones. The contact stated that as she was turning the wheel to steer into an open gate she crashed into one of the traffic cones. The contact stated that her vehicle was equipped with front collision avoidance and that normally the vehicle would have automatically braked before crashing into any objects in front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled onto its roof. The contact stated that all the air bags had deployed. The contact stated that emergency services and the police were on the scene. The contact stated that the police issued her a traffic violation ticket. The contact stated that she had bruises on her face and arms, shoulders, and chest. The contact refused treatment on-site and was not transported to the hospital. The contact stated that later that day her husband drove her to the emergency room. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and was later declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.
NHTSA complaint #11523435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Reston, VACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
On XXX, our 2018 Lexus RX 350L was involved in a high-speed collision in [XXX]. The vehicle struck a Jersey/concrete barrier with the left front of the vehicle. The collision caused extensive damage to the left-front corner of the vehicle. The left-front wheel and suspension were severely displaced, with substantial damage extending through the left-front body structure toward the driver's door area. The vehicle was subsequently declared a total loss by the insurance company. Despite the severity of the collision, none of the vehicle's airbags deployed, including the driver's frontal airbag and driver's side curtain airbag. I am reporting this because I am concerned that the Supplemental Restraint System may not have operated as designed. I am not in a position to determine whether the impact met Lexus's deployment criteria and am requesting that the non-deployment be reviewed as a potential vehicle safety issue. The vehicle currently remains available in salvage custody. The insurance company has been asked to preserve the vehicle so that the Event Data Recorder and/or airbag control module can be examined if necessary. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coto De Caza, CA
STEERING
I was starting to lose control of the car and took it to the dealership for a check . The car has only 52000 miles and the Ball Joints and the sway bar links are leaking grease according to the dealer
NHTSA complaint #11734361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coto De Caza, CA
SUSPENSION
I was starting to lose control of the car and took it to the dealership for a check . The car has only 52000 miles and the Ball Joints and the sway bar links are leaking grease according to the dealer
NHTSA complaint #11734361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rsm, CA
ENGINE
1. Check engine light comes on. 2. Intelligent collision system (ICS) plashing while driving
NHTSA complaint #11727736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rsm, CA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
1. Check engine light comes on. 2. Intelligent collision system (ICS) plashing while driving
NHTSA complaint #11727736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rsm, CA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
1. Check engine light comes on. 2. Intelligent collision system (ICS) plashing while driving
NHTSA complaint #11727736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lombard, IL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The 12.3-inch display of the instrument panel is blank at startup. Operating the vehicle with this display blank reduces the ability to see certain malfunction indicators. If malfunctions occur while driving, continuing to drive could lead to an increased risk of a crash or an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
NHTSA complaint #11715409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Orlando, FL
ENGINE
Engine block #1 misfire , 02/gasoline ratio level problem
NHTSA complaint #11687357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oklahoma City, OK
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I have a panoramic sunroof and the sunshade retracts when the switch is pressed but the shade bunches up and stops before fully retracting. It appears from online searches that it’s a well known problem with Lexus and can result in a very costly repair that’s caused in no part by the owners of the vehicles. A recall of this manufacturing defect needs to be issued.
NHTSA complaint #11685176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 47,518 milesFrisco, TX
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:INTERIOR
The contact owns a 2018 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that upon arriving to the residence and parking the vehicle, the front driver’s side door failed to open while pulling on the interior door handle. The contact rolled down the window and was able to open the front driver’s side door while pulling the exterior door handle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front driver’s side door handle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to Lexus Special Service Campaign Number: 20LC02. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,518.
NHTSA complaint #11677722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dix Hills, NY
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:INTERIOR
On our 2018 Lexus RX 350 L, the left front interior door handle broke and we had to roll the window down and open the door from the outside. I learned that there was a recall - Lexus Special Service Campaign 20LC02 but our Lexus VIN was not listed. Our Lexus Model/year was manufactured in 05/18 and that was within the production period of the recall, April 2015 to September 2018. I believe that Lexus not including our suv's VIN in the recall was an oversight. As a result, I reached out to Smithown Lexus in NY and they did not honor the recall and wanted $219 + tax just diagnose the problem. I also called Lexus Guest Experience Center at 1-800-255-3987 and thety also did not honor the recall. Since, I purchased and installed the door handle. Is there a way I can get get reimbursed for parts and labor of $450?
NHTSA complaint #11675180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Howell, MI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
iOS lite has come on for the second time. Sensor had to be replaced early this year. Cost $500.
NHTSA complaint #11667553 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chicago, IL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The fuel pump sensor electrically shorted. The assembly failed. (tube assembly, fuel suction w/ pump and gage), gasket, fuel suction tube set. It is available for inspection. The car could stall at any time because the fuel pump sensor cannot accurately determine the fuel level or how much fuel is being injected into the engine. There was a warning light. Lexus covered two other fuel pump safety issues for this make and model (2018 RX 450h), one under a manufacturer recall and one through a customer support program. This is a THIRD defect with the fuel pumps on these vehicles for which Lexus has NOT offered coverage or notified its customers.
NHTSA complaint #11661605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Anchorage, AK
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake squack/barking noise when brakes are depressed.
NHTSA complaint #11652201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Phoenix, AZCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1. At [XXX] on [XXX], I was pulling into my gym's parking lot, when I stepped on the break to park my car, instead of stopping, the car accelerates rapidly and crashed through the other side of the sidewalk where there were light pole and cement walls, throwing me forward and backward with seat belt on, I was in total shock! 2. My insurance sent a field inspector to the body shop 2X in hope to repair my car but ended up declaring it a Total Loss. 3. Lexus said they would send a field tech to get the EDR (Event Data Recorder) data from my 2018 Lexus RX350 within 30 days, but the results won't be available for 30-45 days after that. Lexus's slow response to this accident concerns and disappoints me b/c it was a serious crash that Lexus should treat it seriously and promptly. 4. The disbelief of a 'young' car with only 12297 miles could have issues like this puzzled me and drove me to do a lot of online research, then I came across this site [XXX] which contains an article titled '10 Common Problems of A Lexus RX350'. Problem #5 described exactly what had happened to me: 'ONE RECURRING PROBLEM THIS CAR HAS IS THAT THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS SEVERELY. THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENES WHEN THE DRIVER IS TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. REPORTS PAINT THE SAME PICTURES REPEATEDLY: THE DRIVER IS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THEY PUSH THE BREAK PEDAL, AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING, THE CAR ACELERATES RAPIDLY, WHICH RESULTS IN A CRASH." Based on this article, it seems that Lexus should have issued a recall, but no! 5. The strange thing was that NO airbags were exploded/activated, yet the vehicle was damaged to beyond repair, it makes me wonder if there was an issue with the airbags too. If this incident had occurred at an intersection, I dare not imagine the outcome...I could have been killed or critically injured along with other innocent people on the road. I am very traumatized by the whole experience and sadly, the feeling seems to have gotten worse as time goes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5
NHTSA complaint #11621427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Phoenix, AZCrash
SERVICE BRAKES
1. At [XXX] on [XXX], I was pulling into my gym's parking lot, when I stepped on the break to park my car, instead of stopping, the car accelerates rapidly and crashed through the other side of the sidewalk where there were light pole and cement walls, throwing me forward and backward with seat belt on, I was in total shock! 2. My insurance sent a field inspector to the body shop 2X in hope to repair my car but ended up declaring it a Total Loss. 3. Lexus said they would send a field tech to get the EDR (Event Data Recorder) data from my 2018 Lexus RX350 within 30 days, but the results won't be available for 30-45 days after that. Lexus's slow response to this accident concerns and disappoints me b/c it was a serious crash that Lexus should treat it seriously and promptly. 4. The disbelief of a 'young' car with only 12297 miles could have issues like this puzzled me and drove me to do a lot of online research, then I came across this site [XXX] which contains an article titled '10 Common Problems of A Lexus RX350'. Problem #5 described exactly what had happened to me: 'ONE RECURRING PROBLEM THIS CAR HAS IS THAT THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS SEVERELY. THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENES WHEN THE DRIVER IS TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. REPORTS PAINT THE SAME PICTURES REPEATEDLY: THE DRIVER IS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THEY PUSH THE BREAK PEDAL, AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING, THE CAR ACELERATES RAPIDLY, WHICH RESULTS IN A CRASH." Based on this article, it seems that Lexus should have issued a recall, but no! 5. The strange thing was that NO airbags were exploded/activated, yet the vehicle was damaged to beyond repair, it makes me wonder if there was an issue with the airbags too. If this incident had occurred at an intersection, I dare not imagine the outcome...I could have been killed or critically injured along with other innocent people on the road. I am very traumatized by the whole experience and sadly, the feeling seems to have gotten worse as time goes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5
NHTSA complaint #11621427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fountain Valley, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
I am writing to raise a serious concern regarding a issue with my 2018 Lexus RX450hL involving the brake actuator. Since purchasing the vehicle at 63,000 miles, I have noticed hissing, clicking, and squeaking noises when applying the brakes. As the mileage increased to 83,000, these noises have worsened, becoming unbearable. In addition, I am experiencing a shaky driver-side mirror and a rusting hood latch, both of which present safety concerns. For a vehicle under 5 years old , I believe these problems do not reflect the quality I expected, particularly given the premium price I paid. According to Lexus' Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) #L-SB-0032-23 Rev, issued in October 2023, which addresses squawk or knock noises from the engine compartment when the brake pedal is pressed or released, affecting models like the RX450hL. My vehicle exhibits symptoms similar to those described in the TSB. The vehicle was regularly maintained by the previous owner at Lexus of Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills. Despite this, the major part like brake actuator has failed prematurely. Given Lexus' reputation as a luxury brand, it is unacceptable that such a critical component would fail before the vehicle is 5 years old or has reached 100,000 miles. The combination of the brake actuator defect, the shaky mirror, and the rusting hood latch is disappointing, especially for a vehicle of this caliber. When I initially contacted Lexus Customer Service, I was also dealing with rusting parts and a failing brake booster. Lexus of Cerritos provided a repair estimate of around $5,000 for brake actuator. I was advised to reach out to Lexus Customer Service after my request for a good faith repair was denied due to the inability to obtain the complete maintenance history. However, I have since confirmed with the previous owner and Lexus that the vehicle was regularly serviced. I am also aware that Lexus has issued brake actuator-related recalls for several models.
NHTSA complaint #11618706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chandler, AZ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HVAC servo motor failure. There are many complaints on internet if you google. Multiple other lexus models have CSPs regarding same problem too..
NHTSA complaint #11589950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hollywood, FL
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
The driver-side mirror shakes noticeably while driving making it hard to see what's on your left, specially at night. Even though I'm reporting in 2024 w/ 55k miles, I just bought this L-Certified CPO Lexus 1 week ago, so the problem was likely there before. There are a couple of other signs that this car doesn't handle the South Florida heat very well and my guess is the adhesive on the mirror has started to fail. There is a service notice on late model NX to address this that replaces the entire mirror assembly and they'll likely do this as well when I take it in, but it is a fairly simple issue to resolve yourself following some YouTube videos even if they're not specific to this make/model.
NHTSA complaint #11588843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Aibonito, PR
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
If you by mistake forget to put your car on Parking the transmission does not lock by itself creating a hazard of movement of the vehicule that can cause an injury's or even worse. That was reported to the dealer and dismissed the issue as normal.
NHTSA complaint #11588297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pensacola, FL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Two days ago, upon entering our vehicle, there was a smell of gasoline as we drove. Our fuel guage wend from 1/4 tank to EMPTY in minutes. I pulled into a gas station and when attached the nozzle, gas entering the tank was POURING out from underneath. I drove the car to the venue we were headed to and parked on a dirt/gravel spot so as to limit fuel runoff to nearby vehicles. We had the vehicle towed to Bob Tyler Toyota, the nearest Lexus type service center. I called service at Lexus of Mobile and the employer stated that there are no recalls. The free flowing fuel endangered not only my and my wife but anyone around the vehicle. No warning lights whatsoever. The tow driver concurred that fuel was POURING until the tank was emptied. I have not been contacted by the service department thus far.
NHTSA complaint #11577885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 42,548 milesEagle, ID
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
The contact owns a 2018 Lexus RX350. The contact stated at start-up there was raw a fuel odor entering the cabin of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,548.
NHTSA complaint #11568839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Manhasset, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The driver side indoor door handle no longer works. Despite my model being part of the special service campaign 20LC02, dealer says that my VIN number is not covered despite it being the exact problem described.
NHTSA complaint #11567717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Manhasset, NY
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:INTERIOR
The driver side indoor door handle no longer works. Despite my model being part of the special service campaign 20LC02, dealer says that my VIN number is not covered despite it being the exact problem described.
NHTSA complaint #11567717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Framingham, MA
SERVICE BRAKES
The car makes a "Brake Squawk" noise when the brake pedal is applied. The noise sometimes is unbearable. Dealer replaced the brake actuator. The noise came back after a few months.
NHTSA complaint #11532979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.