Transmission complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 4 | 13% | 13,000 miles |
| 2018 | 4 | 22% | 5,000 miles |
| 2017 | 6 | 13% | 3,000 miles |
| 2016 | 7 | 12% | 15,000 miles |
| 2015 | 2 | 5% | 58,000 miles |
| 2014 | 3 | 20% | 15,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 12% | 1,000 miles |
| 2011 | 6 | 20% | 44,000 miles |
| 2010 | 7 | 7% | 33,000 miles |
| 2009 | 8 | 8% | 70,000 miles |
| 2008 | 7 | 6% | 120,000 miles |
| 2007 | 9 | 5% | 100,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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.
We took the car in because when the car is cold it does not shift properly. This problem has been happening and getting worse since it was there for a recall on the transmission software. Dealer refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem stating the diagnostic computer shows no error codes, while ignoring the fact when you shift from park to reverse or drive the vehicle jerks and the gear lever requires a lot of force to move into desired gear. Dealer refuses to repair the car or acknowledge the problem, instead they tried to sell me a $875 oil change. Dealer is also refusing to send me any paperwork that my car was there even after calling many times to request it, they promise to send it that day and never send it because "they are busy". Service advisor david ( taou) was very arrogant, condescending and dishonest.
When stepping on the gas petal one of three things happen. 1. Normal acceleration which you expect after 60 years of driving and which we obtain from a 2014 Lexus RX350 that we own. 2. Hesitation of between 1 and 5 seconds before acceleration begins. 3 excessive acceleration ( surg of acceleration much more than expected). This excess acceleration May happen after the hesitation or there could be "normal" acceleration after the hesitation and happens when accelerating after being stopped.. The hesitation and excess acceleration can be from a stopped position ie stop sign or traffic light or while moving and normal speeds. There seems to be a consistent hesitation at the 60 to 65 MPH when attempting to accelerate on highway. At 70 MPH everything seems to work as expected. …
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
Vehicle roll over driver after being placed in park at the residence causing fatal injuries. Driver reversed out of garage and exited vehicle. Inspection at the scene by the sheriff's office revealed the vehicle was in park backed against some trees. This vehicle is equipped with a automatic transmission and a automatic emergency brake. The gear shift lever can be placed between park and reverse and not move. If the gear shift lever is moved slowly from drive to park or reverse to park the automatic emergency brake does not engage this condition is very dangerous.
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. …
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. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Lexus RX350. While driving various speeds, the vehicle jerked without warning. The vehicle was taken to Lexus of las vegas (6600 w. Sahara ave, las vegas, nv, [phone]), but the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and referenced TSB number: l-sb-0109-17 to the dealer. The technician resettled the transmission according to the TSB instructions. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 500.
Frequently asked questions
Which Lexus RX350 years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (9), 2009 (8), 2008 (7), 2010 (7) and 2016 (7) model years. Transmission complaints make up 5% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Lexus RX350 transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles; 57% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (5 mentions), followed by the driveline (1).
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.