Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Lexus RX350 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Rubber on tailgate handle melted. I believe this is due to an electrical problem. I went online and found many other similar complaints. This May be a fire hazard. Now the tailgate goes up, and then automatically comes right down. The first time it happened the heavy tailgate hit me on the top of my head causing a great deal of pain and some bleeding. I have read that the same thing has happened to others. This is very dangerous. It does not always happen. It tends to happen when the weather is cooler out.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that the entire dashboard was cracking from the driver's side to the passenger side. The vehicle was taken to Lexus of wichita (1555 n greenwich rd, wichita, ks 67206, [phone]) where the contact was informed that the failure was cosmetic; therefore, it would not be repaired for free. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that the automatic trunk door closed down on a family member without warning. There was no injury. The failure occurred several times with the trunk door automatically closing without warning. The contact scheduled a diagnostic appointment at Lexus of richmond (703 midlothian turnpike, richmond, va 23235, [phone]). The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 109,000.
The dashboard is cracking and getting sticky. While reading about some of the Lexus complaints I saw several complaining about the liftgate control on the back of the car melting. I checked and sure enough so is mine. I went to use it and my fingers went right through. Now it is totally useless. I will call Lexus but don't expect any assistance. My car is always garaged and only has about 15K miles.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that the dashboard was cracked on the front passenger side of the vehicle. The contact also stated that the rear passenger seat belt unbuckled without warning. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000. Updated 12/18/18
I was driving on a road, my vehicle began to shake until eventually dropping to the road and dragging until I could gain control of it , by applying the brakes. I noticed out of my driver's side window across the road was my tire rolling at a rapid speed. I called 911 to receive assistance to stop the traffic and to help with my disabled vehicle. Officers assisted with helping myself, my mother and my two toddlers out of the vehicle and to retrieve my tire. The tire had fallen off of my vehicle, at the rim, leaving the bolts and the middle portion of the rim still attached to the vehicle, while the remaining majority of the rim was still attached to my tire rolling down the road. The vehicle was in proper working condition prior to this incident. I did not hit a pothole nor was I in an accident. …
Today, as I was cleaning my SUV, a Lexus 2008 RX350, I 1st noticed that the covering plastic booth, at the opening hatch/latch, was melting. Since that was not expected, I went online and searched for that same issue, to find out there has been other similar reports. I'm concern that an electric overheating May have caused that melting, which could cause a fire or something worse to the car and even dangerous to any human or living thing. Through the online research, I discovered that Lexus has refused to recall the affected vehicles to "freely" replace the problem, but will replace the item for over $100. By means of this complaint, I would like to request a detailed investigation of that problem and the proper fixing of such part without having the consumer to bear any costs.
The dashboard in my vehicle has been cracking over the past 2 years. Initially it was a small crack on the passenger side, so I overlooked it. However the more time has passed, the more it cracks, even on the driver's side and the area around the speed/mileage meters. I have contacted Lexus and they have offered to pay for the parts but I would be responsible for the labor because they claim that my car is out of warranty. I have seen reports from other consumers regarding a defective dashboard mainly for Toyota and Lexus. I believe that this is a manufacturer defect. At this point I am afraid that my entire dashboard will fall apart as I am driving. This is potentially dangerous and hopefully something could be done about this before someone actually gets hurt.
Body complaints in other RX350 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2008 Lexus RX350?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the body & structure of the 2008 Lexus RX350, 19% of the model year's 126 complaints. The component named most often is body (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Lexus RX350 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2008 Lexus RX350. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Lexus RX350 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.