2018 Lexus RX Hybrid Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 Lexus RX Hybrid, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes125.0%
- Engine125.0%
- Fuel system125.0%
- Powertrain (other)125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
IT STARTED HAPPENING A FEW MONTH'S AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. I DIDN'T THINK OF IT MUCH BECAUSE IT WAS VERY FAINT AND NOT LOUD AT ALL. THE NOISE WAS GETTING LOUDER INCREASINGLY BUT SLOWLY. THE BRAKES WORKED FINE SO I LET IT GO. LATER ON, IT STARTED BOTHERING ME EVERY TIME I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE SQUAWKY NOISE BECAME REALLY ANNOYING SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEIR SERVICE PERSON DIDN'T THINK IT WAS A PROBLEM AND DIDN'T WANT TO TRY TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. A FEW WEEKS/MONTHS (NOT SURE HOW LONG) LATER, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY CONTACTED LEXUS AND DECIDED TO FIX IT. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP, THE NOISE WAS GONE AND I WAS HAPPY FOR A WHILE. AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THE SQUAWKY NOISE STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN. IT WAS VERY NOT LOUD, SO I REALLY HOPED THAT IT WOULDN'T GET ANY LOUDER THAN THAT. THIS TIME, THE PROGRESSION OF THE NOISE WAS SLOWER THAN THE FIRST TIME. I WAITED SOME TIME TO TAKE THE CAR FOR A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. I MENTIONED IT TO THE DEALER WHO FIXED IT. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A LOUD NOISE THAT IS CONSISTENT, WHICH THEY DIDN'T HEAR. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS SOMEWHAT NORMAL FOR A HYBRID CAR, SO THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING SINCE THERE'S NO SAFETY ISSUE. YES, THE BRAKES WORKED FINE, BUT THE BRAKE HAD BEEN MAKING THE SQUAWKY NOISE NOT SOON AFTER I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR! LEXUS ADVERTISES LIKE THIS: LEXUS EXPERIENCE AMAZING. THE SQUAWKY NOISE IS NOTHING CLOSE TO AMAZING WHEN YOU DRIVE A CAR THAT MAKES A NOISE LIKE MY 2018 LEXUS RX450H. ANYWAY, I WAITED ONE MORE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THIS TIME, I COMPLAINED THAT THE NOISE IS GETTING LOUD AND I CAN'T STAND IT. THIS TIME THEY CONTACTED LEXUS AGAIN, BUT LEXUS TOLD THEM THEY DON'T HAVE TO FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. SO BASICALLY I'M STUCK WITH A CAR THAT SQUAWKS ALMOST EVERY TIME I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT IS THE EXACTLY MY PROBLEM AND I NEED HELP.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
HAD AN ISSUE WHILE DRIVING THE 2018 RX450H ON MAY 4TH WHERE THE CAR LIGHTS CAME ON....ENGINE LIGHT, AWD, ABS, ETC AND THE CAR STALLED COMPLETELY. HAD TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS 'FIXED'. 4 WEEKS LATER WHILE TRAVELING AT 70+ MPH ON MAJOR INTERSTATE, CAR STALLED AGAIN THE SAME WAY....LIGHTS ON, ETC.. WAS LUCKILY IN THE RIGHT LANE OF 4 WIDE TRAFFIC AS CAR WENT TO A STOP QUICKLY. WAS STRANDED IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC LANE, CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO PUSH OUT OF TRAFFIC. WAS 2 HOURS FROM HOME, HAD ANOTHER LEXUS DEALERSHIP TOW THE CAR AND THEY CAME BACK WITHIN A FEW HOURS AND SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL TILL THEN AND THIS 18' 450H WAS NOT ON THE CURRENT LIST WHICH ONLY PROVES THAT THIS ISSUE IS SYSTEMIC. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT IN THESE 2 OCCURRENCES BUT WE ARE NOT DRIVING THIS CAR AGAIN UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON FEBRUARY 13, 2020 MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING FROM FORT MYERS, FL TO SARASOTA, FL ON I-75. AT ABOUT PORT CHARLOTTE EXIT THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. WE WERE IN THE LEFT LANE GOING BETWEEN 75 TO 80 MILES PER HOUR. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR INTO THE MEDIAN. AUTOMOBILES BEHIND ME HAD TO SUDDENLY BREAK TO AVOID HITTING US. THE LEXUS 2018 RX 450HL HAS THE SAME GASOLINE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON FEBRUARY 13, 2020 MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING FROM FORT MYERS, FL TO SARASOTA, FL ON I-75. AT ABOUT PORT CHARLOTTE EXIT THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. WE WERE IN THE LEFT LANE GOING BETWEEN 75 TO 80 MILES PER HOUR. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR INTO THE MEDIAN. AUTOMOBILES BEHIND ME HAD TO SUDDENLY BREAK TO AVOID HITTING US. THE LEXUS 2018 RX 450HL HAS THE SAME GASOLINE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .