Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 10% | — |
| 2020 | 1 | 14% | 2,000 miles |
| 2019 | 3 | 10% | 3,000 miles |
| 2018 | 3 | 17% | 12,000 miles |
| 2017 | 6 | 13% | 5,000 miles |
| 2016 | 5 | 9% | 18,000 miles |
| 2015 | 9 | 21% | 28,000 miles |
| 2013 | 2 | 7% | 106,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 12% | 66,000 miles |
| 2011 | 9 | 30% | 76,000 miles |
| 2010 | 11 | 12% | 110,000 miles |
| 2009 | 15 | 15% | 103,000 miles |
| 2008 | 17 | 13% | 110,000 miles |
| 2007 | 48 | 29% | 85,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2019 Lexus RX350. While driving with the adaptive cruise control activated and set at 72 MPH, the driver reduced the speed to approximately 60 MPH when switching lanes. After releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle continued to accelerate past the set cruise control speed of 72 MPH and continued to accelerate to approximately 80 MPH. After deactivating the cruise control feature, the vehicle continued to accelerate and the rpms increased before the speed eventually was reduced. The cause of the failure was not determined. Lexus escondido (1205 auto park way, escondido, ca) and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. Prior to the failure, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating and was serviced. The same Lexus dealer reprogrammed/flashed the transmission, but the failures continued. The failure mileage was 2,800.
Car was pdi and delivered on 06/14/20 with an open recall 20la01 that was likely to be a life-threatening issue. Even after pdi was performed, the breaks were disfunctional, so had to take the vehicle for service on 06/19/20. Lexus found that rotors required resurfacing to fix the breaks and at the same time completed the open recall 20la01. However on 07/03/20, the car stalled in the middle of a highway traffic putting the pax thru a life-threatening situation. Car has been finally towed to the service and I am verbally promised that the car has been fixed to not present any life threatening issues. Since it is just 15 days of purchase and vehicle been into the service review for 3 times with some life-threatening open issues, I am requesting Lexus to either refund or provide me a replacement.
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 Lexus RX350. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V012000 (fuel system, gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called keyes Lexus (5905 van nuys blvd, van nuys, ca 91401, [phone]) where it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to start the vehicle on several occasions. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The failure was intermittent. The contact also stated that while driving uphill there was rattling sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The approximate failure was 21,500. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I tried accelerating on the highway (pch in santa monica, ca) while traveling forward at about 45-50 MPH, but the vehicle hesitated. This is the forth time there has been a hesitation in acceleration since owning the car, but this time there was a message on my dash. The message stated that there was "an obstruction with the pedal and acceleration was retarded." I later looked down at the pedals felt around the them, but found nothing obstructing. At the time, the vehicle had less than a quarter tank of gas but not low enough for the low fuel warning to come on. After driving about 15 more miles - the low fuel warning came on. I have always put premium fuel in the vehicle and my wife doesn't put gas in the vehicle. A recall was recently performed pertaining to the fuel pump at the dealer - pertaining to low
In order to start the car, the brake must be pressed. However, if the car sits without use for several days, the brake pedal cannot be pressed down and the car will not start. A warning light indicates that "brake power is low, stop in a safe place". Attached is a picture of the warning light. The car can generally be subsequently started by either waiting several minutes or exerting a lot of pressure on the brake pedal, and the warning light disappears. I've had many conversations with Lexus service and Lexus corporate office. They've said that this condition exists with "every 2016-2018 rx 350" and is not unique to my car. They've also said this condition cannot be repaired, despite the fact that the warning light indicates it is dangerous to drive the car. …
Car is unsafe as you never know how it will react when you press the gas pedal. Often times you press it to accelerate a little and it's like you let off the gas entirely. You then have to aggressively press the pedal down to which it reacts wildly. Sometimes you barely touch the pedal and it takes off but most times you get little to no response. Acceleration does not react linear in conjunction with the gas pedal. This issue only exists as the car learns your driving. Car drives fine when this learning is cleared from computer memory. Lexus says this is normal but how can rolling out into traffic and waiting to get hit be normal? They won't release or update the programming because this would then affect the mpg number they are claiming. To be clear, gently start to pull out to merge into traffic, press gas pedal to get out of the way of cars coming at you and no reaction from car. …
I was on my way in car from home (bridgewater nj) with my daughter to drop her for volleyball practice in hillsborough nj. About in 7-10 mins drive, my daughter and I smelled smoke coming from the ac vent and also noticed smoke from the front hood. I immediately pulled the car to the shoulder. There were no signs of alert indication on the dashboard. I turned the engine off and turned on the hazard lights. When I got off the car, I immediately opened the front hood and saw the fire between radiator and engine cylinder block. I immediately called 911. My daughter called her mom saying our car is on fire. My wife suggested my daughter to video tape this. While my daughter was video tapping this event, the 911 responder suggested we get in a safe distance from the car and that the fire responders are on their way to this incident. We immediately got to a safe distance. …
This car experienced an unintended acceleration at the top of my driveway while being put into park. The car took off and hit the center posts of the two car garage and only stopped because it was caught on the supports in the foundation. We had experienced this sudden unintended acceleration several times during the first year we own the car when we were getting onto the highway. We did report it when we brought the car in for a service, they were aware of the complaint but at that time there was no remedy for the computer slash transmission issue. I was parking the car at the top of the driveway, my foot was going on to the break and the car unintentionally accelerated and flew through the air into the center post of a 2 car garage. I luckily was not physically injured but was emotionally distraught. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Lexus RX350 years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (48), 2008 (17), 2009 (15), 2010 (11) and 2011 (9) model years. Engine complaints make up 29% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Lexus RX350 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Lexus RX350 model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Lexus RX350 engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (5 mentions), followed by the cooling system › hoses/lines/piping/fittings (2).
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.