2.4

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
64,347 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.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2007 Lexus RX 350:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #17

Aug 062022

RX 350

  • miles
Electrical system malfunction began (to my best calculation & recollection) in summer 2021 with the first of four battery malfunctions in one year. Each time, AAA discovered low battery response and recommended battery replacement. This time around, battery was replaced about two weeks prior, due to battery failure/AAA reporting would not accept charge. THE NEW BATTERY FAILED (8/3) and the starter broke while attempting to charge. Mechanic repaired starter and battery accepted the charge. No problem, right? Wrong. This driver drove about 30 miles and while driving, the electrical system shut down altogether. With I believe ALL WARNING LIGHTS LIGHTING UP, extremely dangerous situation. NO BREAKING, NO STEERING, NO WARNING. Fortunately, it occurred in a suburban residential area as opposed to the highway. SECOND tow to my mechanic and now, after a full week, no diagnosis, though the car has been running in the shop. This is an intermittent problem. I suspect the alternator.

- Havertown , PA, USA

problem #16

Nov 012021

RX 350 6-cyl

  • miles
Dear all I bought this car in 2016. It was imported from USA to UAE now registered in Abu Dhabi. The car completely stalled while stopping at inclined position for about 10 minutes in front of a security barrier. READY lasts for less than 5 seconds and disappear. The car could not be started again for three month. Local dealer [XXX] Indicated they are not handling imported vehicles except from GCC region. A local repair company identified the problem by error code P0A78 but told the repair cost will be heavy. What could I do with my car which still under recall in USA for repair of the same INVERTER problem? Appreciating your help. Best regards [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Abu Dhabi, MD, USA

problem #15

Jul 212021

RX 350

  • miles
Water gets into the body of the vehicle over time. Came outside one day after rain and my passenger carpet was SOAKED all my windows were up and my complex don-??t get flooded. Car smells like mildew in cabin! Middle of July I came outside and all the lights were on the dash, no rain the previous day or during, and car wouldn-??t start. Took it to the dealership and they can-??t explain how water got into my car but magically the sunroof drain was clogged with water.

- Lindenwold, NJ, USA

problem #14

Oct 022020

RX 350

  • 169,000 miles
"check vsc" system with accompanying continuous beep noise, brakes become hard to push/activate. This started a few weeks ago, and would happen intermittently, and progressively longer in the dysfunctional brakes phase. I had an employee at auto zone clear the code 2 days ago, but the problem started again, intermittently upon vehicle start, but would go away shortly, with normally responsive brakes. This intermittent issue occurs when I am driving, therefore this is a serious road hazard as my brakes become significantly less responsive when the problem occurs. In other words, this occurs when stationary and when driving, intermittently.

- Rockwall, TX, USA

problem #13

Mar 302016

RX 350

  • 42,891 miles
Rear caliper blew while driving - almost lost brakes on highway - vehicle was unsafe to drive. Ignition coils failed (twice) while driving - lost power - almost got hit by a truck steering fluid leak - dealer says to get entire steering replaced or may lose steering while driving!! all this started at a mere 42,891 miles - and we narrowly averted possible accidents at high speed!

- Princeton, NJ, USA

problem #12

May 022016

RX 350

  • 150,000 miles
The passenger side outside mirror exploded sending glass shards and caustic liquid on the side window and painted surface of the door and fender areas. Explosion was spontaneous with no apparent cause, ambient temp 50's, no bird strike, thrown rock or projectile. Explosion was gun-shot loud. Vehicle was being driven at 10mph on neighborhood street. No other moving cars at the time and the mirror did not come in contact with anything. Internet search of exploding mirrors revealed similar complaints from owners of many brands of vehicles. Cause of the explosion has to do with the dimming function in the mirrors of late model vehicles. The exact mechanism can only be guessed. The caustic liquid might, under pressure and electrical charge tend to bend the mirror in some way, and after some time, fail catastrophically. This theory was confirmed by a state inspection officer who has heard of similar problems with late model year side mirrors with dimmer function. Cost of repair from one estimate was $1300 for a new mirror and repainting of the marred surfaces. Lexus has refused our request to reimbursement or even to consider that the mirror could have exploded. I would also add that had there been a passenger seated and the window down, glass shards and caustic liquid would surely have struck the passenger in the face. There is a problem with these mirrors and a recall is clearly in order.

- Springfield, VA, USA

problem #11

Jan 012015

RX 350

  • 120,000 miles
I have noticed for sometime while driving with my wife.the airbag light on the panel for the passenger side does not come on. Sometimes it comes on after we have been driving for a while.I figure the airbag will not work if we were in an accident.I have no idea how many cars could be effected with this issue.

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #10

Jul 312013

RX 350

  • 130,000 miles
Shortly after buying the vehicle used (one previous owner), upon cold start a loud rattling noise could be heard coming from the engine area for about 30 seconds. Took to a Toyota/Lexus dealership for routine oil change, vehicle inspection, and asked the technicians to also address the noise. We were told that they couldn't reproduce it, and that it shouldn't be a problem. Driving down the freeway in greater milwaukee, the car stopped functioning. After visiting a local mechanic, then later resorting to a Lexus dealership, found that the vvt bolts had fractured. All of this is exactly as outlined in NHTSA campaign 13V395000. Now we have a dead luxury SUV due to an engineering problem, but Lexus will not provide any resolution to their known problem, even with physical evidence (photos, and failed parts still in hand).

- Beaver Dam, WI, USA

problem #9

Nov 012012

RX 350 6-cyl

  • 35,000 miles
The rear lift gate handle is melted and gooey. When I touch it to open the rear door, I get this gooey tar-like substance on my fingers. My dealer told me it requires a complete replacement of the door's electrical components to fix. Seems unusual that this is electrical, but if it is, then something is generating an unusual amount of heat to melt the rubber cover. My car is black, but it is stored in a garage...and the handle is covered and out of the sun.

- Miami Beach, FL, USA

problem #8

Sep 122014

RX 350 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
The car completely halted while driving on a city road. The steering locked and the car completely stopped in the middle of the road. The manufacturer inspected the car. During inspection they found A/C compressor locked up causing vehicle to stall under load. Once the A/C system is activated, vehicle will stall out. They also confirmed that this could happen while the vehicle is in motion on a highway going 60 mph and if it did, it would stall the car and lock up the vehicle just like it did in the first incident. It seems completely unreadable to stall a vehicle in motion for some confirm/convenience feature like A/C. I feel this is a fundamental engineering problem with the way the car is designed. I would like to ensure this is declared as an issue with the design of Lexus vehicles and there is a trigger to disconnect ac under such circumstances where ac can stall a car in motion.

- Pleasanton, CA, USA

problem #7

Jan 022014

RX 350 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
The exterior lift gate button has become a black sticky gooey mess. It is concerning that an electrical issue could be melting the black rubber button. Found many other cases of this with Lexus and Toyota sienna's online. Has something been done about this occurrence?

- Lenexa, KS, USA

problem #6

May 162013

RX 350 6-cyl Diesel

  • 85,000 miles
Check engine light came on and vsc off came on while driving. Vehicles vibrate violent shortly after. Was diagnosed by Lexus technician that ignition coil #6 has failed.

- Savage, MN, USA

problem #5

May 102013

RX 350 6-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
Headlamp condensation make light on off. It is safety concern.

- Centreville, VA, USA

problem #4

Feb 012013

RX 350

  • miles
Moisture in headlights causing spread out light beam and possible rust/short circuit in electrical system.

- El Sobrante, CA, USA

problem #3

Jul 072009

RX 350

  • 38,000 miles
All the dashboard instrument warning lights come on and stay on until the engine/ignition key is turned-off. No apparent mechanical or electrical failure as indicated by all the dash warning lights. The sudden appearance of the entire dash warning light system energizing is unnerving to say the least. This has been an ongoing malfunction that the dealer cannot locate or reproduce. The most recent occurrence was on April 7th and again on April 11th, both while the car was in motion and stayed on until the engine was shutdown. The lights did not come on after a restart. The repeating occurrence renders the warning system totally ineffective, in the event of a real mechanical or electrical failure.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #2

Jul 102010

RX 350

  • 42,500 miles
Idiot/trouble lights all come on intermittently while driving; no apparent affect or impact on operation of vehicle; other than the anxiety created by the sudden appearance of all the dash trouble lights coming on all at once, for no apparent reason. This continues to occur intermittently while the vehicle is moving. After shut down and restarting, the trouble lights return to normal "all-off" status. This has been occurring for the last two (2) years. I have discussed the condition with two different dealers (coconut creek, fl and greenville, SC), but they cannot duplicate the condition.

- Spartanburg, SC, USA

problem #1

Jul 162009

RX 350

  • 36,506 miles
Our two 2007 Lexus rx-350 (and all models 2004-2009) have electromagnetic field near the dashboard of approximately 100 milliguass. This is causing our knees and hand cells to degenerate as Lexus has not done adequate job of providing faraday cage or shielding from emf. This reading of 100 milliguass is what you find under high voltage transmission lines and studies have linked 2 to 3 milliguass to childhood leukemia, cancer, headaches or cell deneration. I contacted Lexus customer service but they brushed off our safety concern, saying most household appliances produce emf. For reference, 2010 Lexus rx-350 or current model ES-350S have 15 to 20 milliguass. Therefore Lexus has technology to shield but has done inadequate job of shielding 2004-2009 Lexus rx-350 bu issuing a recall. We are very concerned about this health and safety issue and need help from NHTSA as you are the only entity that cares.

- Sugar Land, TX, USA