Total Complaints
21 filings
LEXUS RX · model year
21 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2013LEXUSRX carries 21 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2013 RX is unknown or other with 6 filings, followed by air bags (2) and service brakes (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2013 RX. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
21 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 |
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 |
| STEERING | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING | 1 |
I was just driving regular and the rx350 started to jerk and apply the breaks by itself and slip and go side ways and the car behind me almost hit me because my Lexus started to stop hard and fast .im pressing the gas but itâs not accelerating.the engine wanted to stop and very dangerous Iâm scared to even drive the vehicle.i am the 3rd owner and now i know why the otheer people donât want it .there is a recall for that problem but im new to the car recalls so im not to shure what to do to get the car repaired .i would like this fix especially because it is a recall .thanks
I was just driving regular and the rx350 started to jerk and apply the breaks by itself and slip and go side ways and the car behind me almost hit me because my Lexus started to stop hard and fast .im pressing the gas but itâs not accelerating.the engine wanted to stop and very dangerous Iâm scared to even drive the vehicle.i am the 3rd owner and now i know why the otheer people donât want it .there is a recall for that problem but im new to the car recalls so im not to shure what to do to get the car repaired .i would like this fix especially because it is a recall .thanks
I was just driving regular and the rx350 started to jerk and apply the breaks by itself and slip and go side ways and the car behind me almost hit me because my Lexus started to stop hard and fast .im pressing the gas but itâs not accelerating.the engine wanted to stop and very dangerous Iâm scared to even drive the vehicle.i am the 3rd owner and now i know why the otheer people donât want it .there is a recall for that problem but im new to the car recalls so im not to shure what to do to get the car repaired .i would like this fix especially because it is a recall .thanks
While my daughter was driving at about 1:15 PM in a residential neighborhood, the steering wheel suddenly jerked hard to the right and locked while in motion. This caused the vehicle to crash into a parked car. After the vehicle was towed home, the steering wheel remained locked with both front tires pointed sharply right. When I restarted the vehicle, the steering wheel immediately spun right on its own and locked again. It could not be moved manually, and the front tires stayed stuck in the fully turned position. This appears to be a critical steering system failure. It presents a severe safety risk and could easily result in serious injury or death. Note: I had the car towed home immediately after my daughter informed me of the incident. She reported the accident to AAA Insurance at that time, and the adjuster later indicated they wanted to tow the car for evaluation and a possible total loss settlement. However, I would keep the car at my home for inspection and can reproduce the
When driving the car the steering column felt loose and when going over a railroad track or bump the steering column would jiggle. The car steering felt unsafe. Took it to the Lexus dealer in Austin Texas four or five times and they said they could not find a problem. This a a known issue on several models of Toyotas and Lexus vehicles since the early 2000âs. Toyotas/lexus continued to be manufactured with a faulty steering bussing. Because the car felt unsafe I took it to an authorized mechanic and they took the steering column apart and replaced a flawed steering bearing. The labor was $741 to disassemble and reassemble the steering column. The steering is fine now. I am so disappointed that this flaw with the steering bussing is known and not covered by Toyota/Lexus. Other models with the same problem have been recalled!
AC or Heating stopped working on Passenger side and Rear after not using it for a couple of weeks. I checked online and a lot of RX350 owners have this issue.
When I was driving down the road there have been times that I smelled smoke and was concerned my car was on fire. I checked the oil and inspected around my car, and didn't find the source. Today when I took my car in for service I found out the source of the smoke has been for the past 4 months. There is engine oil leaking from the timing cover that I was informed by my Lexus Dealership today would cost $7,000 (approximate) to fix. I researched online and found that all vehicles with this particular engine are known to have this problem, and it is fairly common. Leaking oil can be a fire hazard, and it seems unacceptable that Lexus/Toyota let this issue continue without addressing it with a recall. Thanks for your time, and I have also sent a similar letter to Lexus also to let them know of my concern.
The contact owns a 2013 Lexus RX350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was pulling to either the left or right. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the front control arms were torn and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,786.
Mileage: 101,786
I was in the Toyota advantage dealer in Barbousville WV to see why my park assist after replaced are stating there still out per Toyota I need a Wire Harness thatâs on back, back, back order now thatâs two critical items my car needs and Iâm in a new place where I need GPS to work and no one has any ideal when the parts will be available for the Wire Harness nor the Air Bag well per Lexus just wait that does not work for me.
I was in the Toyota advantage dealer in Barbousville WV to see why my park assist after replaced are stating there still out per Toyota I need a Wire Harness thatâs on back, back, back order now thatâs two critical items my car needs and Iâm in a new place where I need GPS to work and no one has any ideal when the parts will be available for the Wire Harness nor the Air Bag well per Lexus just wait that does not work for me.
I was in the Toyota advantage dealer in Barbousville WV to see why my park assist after replaced are stating there still out per Toyota I need a Wire Harness thatâs on back, back, back order now thatâs two critical items my car needs and Iâm in a new place where I need GPS to work and no one has any ideal when the parts will be available for the Wire Harness nor the Air Bag well per Lexus just wait that does not work for me.
This vehicle is missing along with a 25 year old driving it We need GPS data to locate this vehicle however Toyota motor corps is not cooperating in getting this data to us, please help us.
The contact owned a 2013 Lexus RX 350. While the contact was parking her vehicle the vehicle inadvertently accelerated and crashed into a tree. The contact was not sure how fast the vehicle was moving. The contact crashed into the tree head on and crushed the center of the bumper and grill. The contact stated that the air bag had not deployed. The contact stated she did not notice any warning lights. The contact was transported by ambulance to the hospital. The contact suffered lacerations on her hands and face. The contact stated that the police arrived after she had been transported. The vehicle was not repaired and was declared a total loss by her insurance provider. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Rear hatch door let loose and hit my wife in head knocking her out temporarily. Lexus dealership would not run diagnostic unless I paid them 150.00. My 8year or 100,000 mile warranty ran out in 2021.
I purchased a 2013 Lexus RX 350 pearl white in color. After about 2 years I noticed spots mainly on the roof and now it is everywhere. The curious thing about the spots are that they are under the clear coat. We had the vehicle checked by a paint professional and we confirmed that it was factory paint. I like to report this issue .
I have had a reoccurrence of a warning light "Trac Off- Check AWD" ( All Wheel Drive}. This is, apparently, an indication that the Vehicle Stability System has been turned off. The car is now less safe/ controlled in slippery inclement conditions. In researching this issue, I have found numerous indications that many drivers have experienced this problem with Vrious Lexus models and model years. Dealer service departments appear to be baffled and unable to correct the problem. The attempted/unsuccessful repairs have been costly.
Sunroof glass exploded while driving car
Had so many issues with this car. Transmission went out at 52k (was replaced under warranty), and at 86k, it went out again. Car overheated and won't move in traffic. Had to push and move it to the side. Had a independent shop rebuild the transmission. Notified Lexus, but won't help due to it was not taken into their dealer. Nothing came on the dash, nor showed any symptom prior to the incident. Thanking you in advance for looking into this matter.
There seems to be a barking noise when pressing the brakes even when engine is not on. Local shop could not diagnose the issue. I heard this could be the regenerative system that is expensive to repair. Braking seems ok but I am concerned as I thought there were some recalls on brake booster for this year but they say not on my car.
Airbag sign on .. lexus service is asking for recalibration to fix the issue
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.