Total Complaints
56 filings
LEXUS RX · model year
56 NHTSA complaints, 11 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2017LEXUSRX carries 56 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 11 crashes, 0 fires, 11 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 2017 RX is unknown or other with 14 filings, followed by engine (10) and service brakes (8). 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 2017 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
56 filings
Crashes Reported
11 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 14 |
| ENGINE | 10 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 8 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SEATS | 2 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HANDLE:INTERIOR | 1 |
My vehicle is experiencing a mechanical failure of the brake actuator/booster assembly, manifested by a "squawk/bark" noise and abnormal pedal feel during braking. This is a known defect recognized by Lexus under Customer Support Program 23LE04. The dealership technician confirmed the noise is present and recommended a full replacement of the ABS actuator. However, Lexus is denying coverage because the onboard computer has not yet triggered a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). By denying the repair, Lexus is requiring me to operate a vehicle with a confirmed mechanical brake malfunction, which increases the risk of a crash, increased stopping distance, or total brake power assist failure. March 2021 (60k miles): Actuator was replaced under warranty for this exact failure. December 2021 (74k miles): The failure recurred. Lexus and the dealer refused to cover the diagnosis/bleed, forcing me to drive a defective vehicle. February 2026 (110k miles): A Lexus dealer confirmed the part is fai
Please see attached regarding LEXUS RX450h brake actuator failure concern. Thank you for your support.
My vehicle has 39800 miles (64k kms). I have the exact same issue with my driver side heated seat. The lowest setting may take time to warm up then gets scorching hot. Eventually after heating it up, I will turn it off manually to stop heating it, as it burns. My wife also mentions that the passenger side as well doesnât seem to heat much. At this low of kms, I should not have this issue but saw someone else have the exact same issue. I have not taken it to the dealer yet as I fear they will charge a fee just to verify the problem. I have an old ES300 and I do not have this problem with the heard seat. My trim level is also the ultra luxury.
My vehicle, a 2017 Lexus RX 350 with approximately 111,872 miles, experienced a near-total failure of the infotainment/navigation screen approximately five months ago (around June 2025). The system would only display the introductory safety message, backup camera feed, a single radio station, and basic map locator functionalityârendering the navigation, full audio controls, climate integration, and touch interface inoperable. This issue severely impacted the vehicle's usability and safety features, forcing me to seek immediate professional service.
NHTSA Safety Complaint â Seat Heater Defect Vehicle: 2017 Lexus RX 350 Mileage at purchase: 45,430 Purchase date: Feb. 17, 2025 Dealer: Lexus of Tacoma at Fife, WA Description of Problem: The driverâs seat heater does not function properly. It is slow to activate (5â6 minutes), then overheats uncontrollably even when set to âLOW.â On multiple occasions, the seat became hot enough to cause burns through clothing. Defect Confirmed by Dealership Service Staff: Dealership staff confirmed that the driver and passenger seats heat at different rates. This matches a known defect identified in Lexus Technical Service Information Bulletin L-SB-0038-18 (Oct 10, 2018). Additionally, they confirmed that the drivers' seat spikes to uncontrolled high temperatures, even on the "LOW" setting. Despite this, the dealership refused to repair the issue without an extended warranty and suggested using a sheepskin seat cover to prevent further burns, which is prohibited in the vehicle manual. S
3 months before the accident the power steering light came on twice and went off. The day of the accident the brake light came on when I started the car that day. It disappeared when I was put in drive. I was entering onto the highway to merge with the traffic. Another car waiting for the light to turn green so he could enter also. My car didnât stop because my brakes failed and the collision avoidance system didnât work either. No sounds nor warnings. I have photos of the message that was displayed on the dashboard. Tried sending photos but it didnât work.
3 months before the accident the power steering light came on twice and went off. The day of the accident the brake light came on when I started the car that day. It disappeared when I was put in drive. I was entering onto the highway to merge with the traffic. Another car waiting for the light to turn green so he could enter also. My car didnât stop because my brakes failed and the collision avoidance system didnât work either. No sounds nor warnings. I have photos of the message that was displayed on the dashboard. Tried sending photos but it didnât work.
3 months before the accident the power steering light came on twice and went off. The day of the accident the brake light came on when I started the car that day. It disappeared when I was put in drive. I was entering onto the highway to merge with the traffic. Another car waiting for the light to turn green so he could enter also. My car didnât stop because my brakes failed and the collision avoidance system didnât work either. No sounds nor warnings. I have photos of the message that was displayed on the dashboard. Tried sending photos but it didnât work.
The contact owned a 2017 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated while making a left turn exiting a car wash, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated independently and crashed into the commercial building where it came to a stop. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle was in full throttle and failed to stop. The air bags did not deploy. No warnings light illuminated. No Medical Attention was needed. During the failure, the contact was the only occupant seated in the vehicle. The contact sustained injuries to the head, black and blue marks on the left side of her leg and shoulder as well as her left knee sustained swelling the right of her bottom was also bruised. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to impound lot by the insurance company and then towed to a salvage lot. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.
Mileage: 5,300
1. Engine timing cover leaking 2. Oil could leak out emptying which could cause the engine to stop working at any given time 3. Problem has been confirmed by Hennessy Lexus dealership in Duluth, GA but they will not fix it. 4. Vehicle has been inspected by the dealership 5. No signs, I found out from the dealership after taking it in for an oil change
Sunroof exploded while driving down the road!! Called lexus they said it must be due to a rock breaking it.
My car has an oil leak from the timing chain cover gasket that was discovered by an independent mechanic at 37,465 miles. The dealer confirmed the leak on June 14, 2024 during a recall replacement of the fuel pump. The repair is very expensive and the car is no longer under warranty. This is the second occurrence of this same issue. The first occurred in April 2021 at 24,192 miles and was repaired by the dealer under warranty. There were no warning lamps or messages of the problem but there was oil on the ground where I park. The car is available for inspection. An internet search confirms that this is a known and common problem with the Lexus RX350 (and specifically the 2017 model) for many owners with some occurring more than once as in my case.
I bought this car in March 2020. We took it to the Kingsport, TN Lexus dealer Sept. 14, 2020 for several warranty issues and a recall factory interior front door handle replacement. Today, 9/3/24 the front driverâs side interior door handle broke and the door cannot be opened from inside the car. Called local dealer who said that it was guaranteed for 12 months or 12,000 miles. I find this completely unacceptable. I am [XXX] and have driven cars for over 40 years and I have never had a car handle break. For this handle to basically last four years is unacceptable and unsafe for any Lexus driver. At this point I question as to whether the repair was actually made. If in fact replaced, I am shocked by the lack of quality in a repair that was to have fixed a serious issue. Driving a car when you cannot open the door is not something I recommend to anyone! I have called Lexus National customer service and they have opened a case. I do plan to have this repaired and I do not plan to pay f
When checking the emergency SOS function in my car I found that it did not work. I called Lexus support and was told that the following safety systems would no longer be operative: Lexus Enform Safety Connect including Automatic Collision Notification; Enhanced Roadside Assistance; Emergency Assistance Button and Stolen Vehicle Locator; Lexus Enform Remote including Remote Engine Start/Stop, Door Lock/Unlock, Vehicle Finder, Guest Driver Monitor, Vehicle Status and Alerts, Key Fob Remote Start, and Integration with Alexa and The Google Assistant; Lexus Enform Destination Assist including 24-hour live response center agent; Lexus Enform Service Connect including Vehicle Health Report, Vehicle Alerts, and Maintenance Alerts; These include safety systems that I rely on, especially when driving on interstate highways, and were included when I purchased my car. I had no warning that the services would cease to function in October of this year. Lexus states that these systems will no longer
235/65r18 tire. I was driving on the highway and all of a sudden it was a loud noise and immediate tire noise. I struggled to slow the vehicle down and pull to the side of the road The tire is absolutely destroyed both on the inside and the outside side walls of the tire. I could have had a horrible accident because the car was completely out of control when the tire blew
On [XXX], my wife, [XXX] , was driving our Lexus RX 350 when she noticed engine smoke without any prior notifications from the vehicle. Concerned for her safety, she pulled over and contacted Geico for assistance. Geico arranged for the vehicle to be towed to Motor City Lexus, a trusted Lexus dealership in Bakersfield. Once we the dealership performed a diagnosis they advised that the issue involved coolant being leaked into the engine that caused the smoke with in result caused the engine blow head gasket. After doing some research I saw an article from consumer reports about some Lexus and Toyota SUVs doing the exact same thing which made me decide to wrote about this incident. I am including the link regarding the report [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The sunroof glass spontaneously exploded into thousands of pieces while driving on the interstate. There was no impact what so ever to the glass and the outside temperature was 95 degrees. The shattered glass fell into the vehicle and left a huge hole in the center of the glass panel. My safety was at risk due to explosion of glass while driving at an elevated rate of speed of 75mph. All while traveling over 100 miles from home and then having to drive the vehicle home with a gapping hole in the roof. The surrounding drivers were also at risk due to the glass flying off and hitting their vehicles. There were no cracks or failures to the glass prior to the glass exploding. There were no warning lights, messages or symptoms.
During a routine maintenance at the Lexus dealer where vehicle was purchased, we were told that there was a potential oil leak from ("potentially") the engine where the block, cylinder head, and timing cover components meet. The quote we got for the repair is $18,781.52 as a good portion of the car needs to be disassembled to access the motor. This issue was only brought up after the warranty expired. The Toyota 2GR-FKS 3.5L V-6 engine in this vehicle is known to leak in this area due to the gasket mating surfaces in the area mentioned above not sealing completely requiring silicone RTV caulk to be installed during engine assembly. If this is not done correctly leaks occur. Lexus refuses to make good on this saying the car is out of warranty. Ironically, after receiving the quote from the dealer for the repair, we received an offer to extend the warranty - available only after this $18k repair was completed.
The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that prior to starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor on the exterior of the vehicle. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the odor was inside the vehicle. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that while taking the vehicle to the dealer and driving the vehicle into the dealer parking lot, the service representative noticed a trail of fuel coming from the vehicle. The contact and her three kids exited the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed fuel pressure sensor connection and leaking fuel line. The contact was informed that the fuel pump and fuel line needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,403.
Mileage: 73,403
there has always been a sound when braking. took it to the dealer on 6/27/2019. service adviser told me to brake harder to break in the brakes.
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.