Most common 2008 Lexus RX350 problems
Share of the 126 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus RX350 complaints by model year
Best RX350 years: 2020, 2014, 2022. Years to avoid: 2007, 2008, 2010, 2009. Compare all years →
What 2008 Lexus RX350 owners say
Body & structure all 24 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX350. Two years ago, the contact noticed water on the floor of the vehicle as well as the front driver's and rear seats. The contact also noticed mold in the vehicle along with an odor. The vehicle was taken to Lexus of edison at [phone] (711 U.S. Highway 1, edison, nj 08817) where the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer stated that the carpet needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to Lexus of edison where the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
The dash board began to crack shortly after we purchased the car in March of 2012. At that time I thought that the previous owner might have hit the dash with his fist starting the problem. However, this was not the case. The dash continued to crack in multiple places and chunks of the vinyl started to fall off leaving the foam under the dash covered exposed. With the recent problems with air bags, I feared that if the air bag went off it could send dash pieces flying everywhere possible causing injury. I contacted Lexus, they are aware of the problem but they refused to do anything about it.
Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX350. While reversing, the vehicle spontaneously accelerated and crashed into three trees. The steering wheel became uncontrollable/inoperable and the brake pedal was applied, but traveled to the floorboard. The contact turned off the ignition to stop the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. There were no injuries. The police department arrived, but a report was filed 3 days later. The air bags did not deploy. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and provided case number: [redacted]. The manufacturer inspected the vehicle and stated components were working properly and consumer made no attempt to stop or steer. The vehicle was unable to be driven. The failure mileage was 103,000. Vehicle also crashed into 1 car. …
I had my foot on the brake pulling into a parking space when I felt a quick acceleration surging my car forward, locking my steering wheel causing me to plow onto a parked truck. I had to be towed to repair shop. Steering became difficult.
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX350. The contact smelled a burning odor and stated that the oil coolant coil contained a hole, which caused oil to leak. The dealer indicated that the vehicle was included in a manufacturer recall; however, the contact did not receive a recall notification. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The recall details were not provided. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
The rubber hose in the oil line to the oil cooler failed, allowing all engine oil to quickly leak out. If this had happened at freeway speeds, the engine would have seized and power steering and power brakes would have been instantly lost... Creating an extremely dangerous situation. Luckily I was driving on surface roads at 25-35 MPH when mine failed Lexus knew of this problem and eliminated the rubber hose in its 2011 models but did nothing to warn owners of that vehicle. NHTSA was also aware and addressed in NHTSA id 10056509 (possibly incorrect id). I'm really pissed that it is going to cost me $500 to fix this Lexus defect, but I'm thankful I hadn't driven to my office that day using interstate highways! All Lexus vehicles having this defect should be recalled immediately.
2008 Lexus RX350 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Lexus RX350 a good car?
Based on 126 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 RX350 rates avoid: 2.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the RX350 at the same age. It is one of the RX350 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 2008 Lexus RX350?
The body & structure — 24 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the steering (18) and engine & cooling (17).
How many recalls does the 2008 Lexus RX350 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2008 Lexus RX350. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus RX350?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2014 and 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2009. See the full Lexus RX350 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Lexus RX350 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 69,000 miles; 30% 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.