10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
82,023 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #20

Oct 012021

RX 330

  • miles
Front dashboard cracking and peeling off - have not received any recall notices but have seen this issue appear on others complaints. We have heard there have been recalls but have received no notices to date to be able to have repaired

- West Linn, OR, USA

problem #19

Jan 082021

RX 330 6-cyl

  • miles
2005 LEXUS RX 330 Vin# [XXX] Problem: Dashboard crack and peel all over the surface happened on January 2021.I might be eligible for Lexus to cover this approximate $ $800 repair at no charge to me. This is WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION. Letter I never get from LEXUS. List of Models Lexus IS covering under this warranty Enhancement 2007-2008 ES 350 2003-2008 GX 470 2004-2006 RX330 2007-2009 RX 350 2005-2008 RX 400h My warranty expire on august 2017 The Dash start cracking and peeling on 2021. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Summerfield , FL, USA

problem #18

Dec 232018

RX 330

  • 42,000 miles
Hello, this complaint is not of Lexus vehicle I own. I am filing the compliant about the Firestone destination le 2 tires I purchased from local Firestone store couple years again. I purchase 5 tires including a full size spare. I did first tire rotation this month at the same store location. This morning while driving on the high way. The brand new spare tire rotated to the rear passenger side had a sudden blow out. I almost lost control of my vehicle. By the time I stopped on the shoulder, on side of the tread was completely separated from the wall. I think the tire has manufacture defect and would like to report to you. In case this is not an isolated problem the manufacture should notify other customers about the problem.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #17

Aug 262018

RX 330

  • 91,000 miles
I was in the process of parking my car (going slow) in front of a dry cleaners and suddenly the car just took off and accelerated right through the store front. I have never been so shocked and scared in my life. Due to the force of the car moving so fast, I was not able to reach the brakes to stop the car. Fortunately, no one was hurt, since it was a Sunday and the store was closed. Without much time to think, I told the police that my shoe must have gotten caught on the pedal. However, the more time I have had to think about it, I do not recall my shoe getting caught on the pedal. This was the only thing I could think of at the time. I have read that this has happened before with the Toyota Lexus include the rx 330 model.

- Greenwood Village, CO, USA

problem #16

Jul 282018

RX 330

  • 68,000 miles
Car was parked and a fire broke out underneath the car. Fire department put it out and said there was leakage, but they didn't know what caused it. I had car towed to Lexus dealer in lexington ky.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #15

Sep 122017

RX 330

  • 120,000 miles
Lexus had a recall to repair cracks rapidly developing in the dashboard. When the recall came out I was in the hospital having cancer surgery. The date for the recall had just passed. I called Lexus and was told to bring the car TO9 the dealer. The dealer found the problem and wrote of an estimate to summit from headquarters for coverage. Headquarters got back to me and said I was too late to have it fixed under the recall. This was after the dealer said they would. I wrote to the CEO of Lexus usa and never even got the courtesy of a reply. Now the dashboard is cracking worse.

- Reston, VA, USA

problem #14

Apr 202018

RX 330

  • 117,000 miles
My complaint is not about the airbag but rather about the dashboard protecting the airbag! Lexus is aware of cracking dashboards in the Rx since they issued an extended warranty to replace these dashboards that expired 05/31/2017! my dashboard did not start cracking until April 2018 and has now started cracking in 5 different locations in just the last month, three of which are in proximity to the passenger airbag. When I took the car to my mechanic for an estimate to replace the airbag he mentioned the safety issue with the dashboard developing cracks in the area that protects the airbag. He said it was a safety issue and recommended that I contact NHTSA with a complaint about this potential safety issue. I purchased this 2005 model in Dec 2004 and it has been garage kept the whole time so these cracks are age related not weather related.

- Tullahoma, TN, USA

problem #13

Mar 242018

RX 330

  • 188,000 miles
Sunroof shattered for no reason while driving on California hwy 580 near berkeley, I heard a loud noise, combination thud cracking sound, thinking that the car had been struck, except the car was not hit or under an overpass; the sunroof had spontaneously shattered and broke into pieces. Luckily the cover was closed and the glass did not fall on us. It was both scary and a shock that this happened. The glass is defective. I was driving on the hwy in clear conditions, near berkeley California on 580, no over pass above the car, no other cars passing or in front when the glass broke, no turning involved. I have taken the car to my local Lexus dealer, they said that they would get back to me in a day or two to let me know if they will take care of the defect or not.

- Corte Madera, CA, USA

problem #12

Apr 012017

RX 330

  • 86,600 miles
"takata recall" dashnoard cover is cracking due to the Florida heaat

- Sunrise, FL, USA

problem #11

Aug 282016

RX 330

  • 194,583 miles
Obdii monitor reads "not ready" for the catalyst inspection category during smog check. Car will not pass smog.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #10

Oct 162016

RX 330

  • 174,000 miles
Not passing smog test. Test result says catalyst not ready

- Pittsburg, CA, USA

problem #9

Jul 272016

RX 330

  • miles
Transmission cooler lines were severely corroded and needed replacement. Fluid leaking. Transmission cooler lines are stationed on the bottom frame of the vehicle - in a place where the effects from road salt and water are the most extreme.

- Waldorf, MD, USA

problem #8

Dec 162015

RX 330 6-cyl

  • 145,416 miles
I was driving in the far right hand lane on Thursday, Dec. 16 at approximately 8:45 pm. I entered I 680S at the bollinger canyon road exit and I was approaching the alcosta blvd exit. I hit something I assume was in the road because I didn't see anything and the item flew up in the air after the impact. I didn't stop, but continued to drive and I heard a whirring sound. I continued to my destination to the hilton garden inn in livermore where I was meeting a friend, who was staying at the hotel. When I arrived at the hotel and told my friend what happened, he came to my car to look at the damage. I drove my car to B&S hacienda auto body on old santa rita road and left my car in the parking lot. On Thursday, Dec 17, I drove on I 680S and saw a mangled shovel with a green handle on the shoulder as I was approaching the alcosta blvd exit. Cal trans was doing work on the left side of the highway beyond the alcosta blvd exit the night I hit the item in the road. I believe the shovel I hit was left in the road by a cal trans work crew. I have over $6,000 worth of damage done to my car as a result of hitting what I believe to be a shovel that was left in the road.

- San Ramon, CA, USA

problem #7

Jul 012013

RX 330

  • miles
The dash of my car is cracking and chipping

- Carrollton, GA, USA

problem #6

Sep 132011

RX 330

  • 55,000 miles
1. I have always kept my car in a garage & only used products recommended & bought directly from Lexus. Upon entering my vehicle my daughter noticed a large crack in the dash running from bottom side of glove compartment to top of dash. Pieces that fall off crumble to dust the second they're touched. My local dealership told me they've had hundreds of cars coming in w the same issue and it would be $1500 for the replacement and that didn't include labor! 2. my moon(sun) roof stopped working literally just one day wouldn't close all the way. I had to have the dealership cut the cable so they could close it so rain etc didn't leak into my vehicle. Again there was no reason for this! I was told again the part wad at least $1500 not including labor..... how coincidental it's the same price as replacing my dash. 3. when I purchased the vehicle from Lexus I was given a "paint pen" for some light scratches that were from the previous owner (I bought the car with a little over 3000 miles on it in 2007)and I asked them to use it so I wouldn't have to worry if I applied it wrong. After the repair gentleman did a few spots I stopped him because you could see exactly where he had applied it, it was raised and the color was off. They said there was nothing they could do to fix it. Now these issues were not due to any accident or improper driving or having some inexperienced mechanic doing work. I have Lexus taking care of my services etc and these problems are expensive and something I should not have had to deal with. I am flabbergasted that Lexus/Toyota will not stand behind their products and fix issues that hundreds of thousands of owners are having. I want Lexus to correct this for myself and the other owners that are voicing their concerns. As it stands many of us will never buy another Lexus again because of these issues.

- Perry, GA, USA

problem #5

Aug 192011

RX 330

  • 80,450 miles
While backing out of my parking place in our underground garage I put on the brake to go from reverse to drive. When I put the vehicle in drive the engine raced up and the car surged forward. I was only 15 feet from a brick wall of which I hit at an angle. I bounced off this wall and went 10 feet further head on into another wall. I did not touch the gas petal, the mats are rubber and were not a problem. The vehicle just suddenly accelerated. The air bags did not deploy and I shut the engine off as soon as I could but given the fact that the total travel length was around 30 feet this was not possible. This is a know problem with Toyota!! we love our car but we are now afraid of it. My insurance rates will be going up because of a factory defect and all I have seen are excuses in regards to this problem.

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #4

Apr 052011

RX 330

  • 92,000 miles
I was parked in a garage on a ramp and left the car in gear (drive) and after exiting the vehicle, it rolled back into another car. The Lexus 330 is supposed to prohibit one from removing the keys from the ignition when in gear. My car continues to allow me to remove the key (engine off) while in drive.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #3

Nov 052010

RX 330

  • 96,423 miles
I took my Lexus rx 330 in for it's 90,000 mile scheduled maintenance and told them that it had a roaring noise like a wheel bearing. The scheduled maintenance included replacing the timing belt and they did both rear wheel bearings, with some fluid replacement and other items. I have owned new cars for over 45 years and have always kept them for over 10 years and over 100,000 miles and have never had to have a timing belt replaced. In that same time period I have had to have only one wheel bearing replaced and that was on a vehicle that was 17 years old with 180,000 miles on it. To have to have this done on a vehicle that is only 5 years old is unacceptable, especially on a high end vehicle like a Lexus. This suggests to me that either inferior parts are being used or they were defective at installation. Of course Lexus would never admit to either. I have contacted the dealer maintenance with no response and their customer service, which responded with an apology for my concern. Nothing has been done however. If you can bring some pressure on Lexus to make good on their "alleged" quality I would appreciate it. Thank you.

- Brunswick, OH, USA

problem #2

Sep 062009

RX 330

  • 89,979 miles
On Sept. 6, 2009 while turning into a general store parking space at less than 5 miles an hour when vehicle suddenly began high acceleration to an estimated 30mph or more before running over parking blocks, attempted braking and crashed into seating benches and building, and proceeded to shut down engine. Police arrived at scene.

- Brewster, MA, USA

problem #1

Jul 122005

RX 330

  • miles
The tail light lense of the new Lexus SUV is clear/white plastic and is a safety hazard to the vehicle following it when the sun shines on it from that direction.I have been distracted/blinded a number of times.what ever happened to the law that required the tail lights to be red?Toyota must think that this is a cool styling feature.this is a definite safety problem and should be addressed.

- Beacon, NY, USA