The vehicle exhibits a severe, load-based mechanical transmission whine strictly during active acceleration. The pitch of the whining sound rises and falls in direct proportion to the engine's RPMs. This vehicle utilizes the Toyota/Lexus 8-speed automatic transmission architecture, which has a well-documented manufacturing flaw involving internal bearing wear, gear misalignment, and fluid starvation.This mechanical defect poses an immediate and severe safety hazard. The continuous internal wear and gear friction create an unpredictable risk of sudden transmission lock-up, unexpected dropping out of gear, or complete engine stalling while operating at high highway speeds. A sudden loss of motive power on a fast-moving highway leaves the driver completely unable to accelerate out of harm's way, creating an imminent risk of a severe rear-end collision or a catastrophic traffic accident. The manufacturer has failed to issue a safety recall for this known powertrain failure."

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11758409 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Battery drains which locks car unexpectedly. No warning, even with car FOB inside car which creates a safety issue if child or someone is in the car. All doors lock and with no access to FOB cannot open the door with manual key. Also, safety issue if this happens at night or in a parking lot etc. Cannot open doors at all - There is obviously an issue with the battery draining after only a few days. Dealer solution - plug in a battery maintainer - problem if you are parking the car at an airport for multiple days. No place to plug the car in... Lexus needs to figure out what is draining the battery or some fix to stop this from happening - I drive my car several times a week 30 miles at least - still happens. Have had to replace battery twice so far.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11759669 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

The contact owned a 2023 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, it suddenly accelerated without warning. While driving in a parking lot, the vehicle again surged forward approximately 20 feet. The contact was able to swerve to avoid striking a pedestrian. The vehicle became uncontrollable, and the brakes were inoperable. The vehicle ultimately crashed into a dumpster fence, which fell onto the vehicle. The contact sustained injuries to her mouth, including cuts to the inside and outside of her mouth, and medical attention was provided by a plastic surgeon. The fire department responded to the scene. The air bags did not deploy during the crash. There was no fire, and a police report was not filed. The fire department was on the scene. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The insurance company later deemed the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer has not been notified. The failure occurred at approximately 18,000 miles.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11723281 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Hi. I noticed my vehicle was randomly making a clunking noise in the rear end. Also, on the highway, it would drift and was difficult to steer. I took it to dealership to be examined because it was still under warranty. They showed me that the driver's side rear trailing arm was disconnected. The bolt was not even there. They stated that it was caused by outside influence, possibly from hitting something. But I did not hit anything. The only sign of damage was where the loose trailing arm rubbed against the steering knuckle. They also told me it was too dangerous to drive off the lot. Because they claimed outside influence, they did not cover it under warranty. I took it to my mechanic. He believed the bolt had come loose on its own. He thought this because the trailing arm bolt on the passenger side was very loose and about to fall out. The mechanic replaced the missing bolt and tightened the loose bolt. I would like to document that this happened and see if any other people had reported this problem. Lexus denied that there was an issue.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11710520 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

The rain-sensing wiper system in my 2023 Lexus RX has been inoperative since I purchased the vehicle in May 2023 (current mileage: approximately 55,000 miles). The automatic wipers consistently fail to activate in response to rain, requiring manual operation while driving — a dangerous distraction that significantly reduces safety, especially during heavy rainfall when visibility is already compromised. This defect has been present since the day of purchase and is therefore a manufacturing defect, not a wear-and-tear issue. Lexus has since officially confirmed this through TSB L-SB-0025-25, which specifically addresses rain-sensing wiper failure in certain 2023 RX models. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Rather than visiting a dealership, I filed a complaint directly with Lexus Customer Care after discovering through owner forums that multiple dealerships had been unable to diagnose or repair this issue, with all repair requests being turned away. A case number was assigned by Lexus Customer Care, documenting that this defect was reported within the warranty period. No warning lamps or dashboard messages appeared at any point. The system simply never functioned correctly from the time of purchase. Although the vehicle's warranty limit is 50,000 miles, this defect existed from the manufacturing stage and was formally reported to Lexus well within the warranty period. I believe this repair should be covered regardless of the current mileage, and I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this matter.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11757460 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

First Lexus I have ever owned and prob last. I am very disappointed in the paint quality of there cars. I have sustained so many rock chips and scratches from normal driving , no tailgating, or following to closely. Surprised how bad the paint is able to hold. The chips go straight through the paint to the black plastic underneath. My bumper looks like Swiss cheese. I was told by the dealer the design of the car requires it to be PPF. I would have done it if they told me before I drove it 13k.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11587839 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov