Most common 2017 Lexus RX problems
Share of the 47 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus RX complaints by model year
Best RX years: 2012, 2013, 2014. Years to avoid: 2023, 2024, 2021, 2022, 2025. Compare all years →
What 2017 Lexus RX owners say
Engine & cooling
3 months before the accident the power steering light came on twice and went off. The day of the accident the brake light came on when I started the car that day. It disappeared when I was put in drive. I was entering onto the highway to merge with the traffic. Another car waiting for the light to turn green so he could enter also. My car didn't stop because my brakes failed and the collision avoidance system didn't work either. No sounds nor warnings. I have photos of the message that was displayed on the dashboard. Tried sending photos but it didn't work.
During a routine maintenance at the Lexus dealer where vehicle was purchased, we were told that there was a potential oil leak from ("potentially") the engine where the block, cylinder head, and timing cover components meet. The quote we got for the repair is $18,781.52 as a good portion of the car needs to be disassembled to access the motor. This issue was only brought up after the warranty expired. The Toyota 2GR-FKS 3.5L V-6 engine in this vehicle is known to leak in this area due to the gasket mating surfaces in the area mentioned above not sealing completely requiring silicone RTV caulk to be installed during engine assembly. If this is not done correctly leaks occur. Lexus refuses to make good on this saying the car is out of warranty. …
Brakes
3 months before the accident the power steering light came on twice and went off. The day of the accident the brake light came on when I started the car that day. It disappeared when I was put in drive. I was entering onto the highway to merge with the traffic. Another car waiting for the light to turn green so he could enter also. My car didn't stop because my brakes failed and the collision avoidance system didn't work either. No sounds nor warnings. I have photos of the message that was displayed on the dashboard. Tried sending photos but it didn't work.
The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX450H. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with brake actuator assembly, bleeder plug cap, brake actuator cover, and brake fluid reservoir assembly failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 59,380.
Driver assistance
I WAS SITTING AT A COMPLETE STOP FOR MORE THAN 45 MINUTES BEHIND A FATALITY ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY THEY HAD CLOSED WHILE OCCASIONALLY REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE TO INCH FORWARD A FEW FEET A BEST AND THEN STOP AGAIN NEVER TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR WHEN I REALIZED AT ONE POINT TRAFFIC BESIDE ME WAS MOVING, I THOUGHT, IT WAS MY RX 350 WHILE PRESSING BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO SEE IF IT WAS SLOW ME DOWN AS AN UPCOMING CRASH WAS UNAVOIDABLE. NO BRAKE ASSIST, PRECOLLISON WARNING OR ASSIST, NO EMERGENCY BRAKING, NO RESISTANCE FROM BRAKE PEDAL AND ** WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE BACK OF A STOPPED SEMI TRUCK** and during the entire incident the speedometer remained at zero or moved a tiny bit off of zero as if it was pulsing somehow and the accelerator was never touched while car felt like I was being pushed …
After slowly making a left into a parking space at Dunkin Donuts and trying to deploy my brakes, my car lunged forward spontaneously accelerating, jumped two curbs and hit a barrier and the window of the store. The impact of the crash wrecked my front end and the radiator was damaged and was laying on the ground. With this intense impact, the airbags did not deploy on impact. My insurance agency totaled the car. After the crash the warning came on the screen that the Collision System had malfunctioned.
2017 Lexus RX engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl hybrid | CVT | AWD | 31 / 28 / 30 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Lexus RX a good car?
Based on 47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 RX rates avoid: 3.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the RX at the same age. It is one of the RX years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Lexus RX?
The engine & cooling — 10 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (9) and driver assistance (4).
How many recalls does the 2017 Lexus RX have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2017 Lexus RX. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus RX?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2013 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2024, 2021, 2022 and 2025. See the full Lexus RX years comparison.
At what mileage do 2017 Lexus RX problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 67% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.