Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 40 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Lexus RX. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 40 · page 1 of 2
Odometer reading in vehicle doesn't match information on carfax, zilocar, or title reading. Also sellers may have titled jumped vehicle. Recieved call from owner on title I recieved and she said that she had sold vehicle on 2/4/2026 to couple. I purchased vehicle on 2/13/2026 with her name on title. Odometer was correct mileage to carfax when she sold to buyers, yet changed when I purchased vehicle with about 150,000 mile differebce.
Dashboard crack in 2024, that started on passenger side near air vent, expanded recently causing the "passenger air bag off" alert to light up and stay on continually. If I were to have a passenger at the time of an accident, the air bag might not deploy, which would be a safety issue. This could possibly lead to a liability issue, so I have not had any passengers but that isn't sustainable, so I contacted the dealer. I was told that the previous recall for cracked dashboards ended in 2017 and that it was cosmetic only, not safety related, but that the part was available for $964.50, not including labor, tax, etc. I feel that a safety related recall should be issued, the previously known dash cracking problem didn't end when their recall did, the fact that my vehicle is primarily garaged preserved the interior integrity, I don't believe I should be penalized for my dash not cracking 8 years earlier. Thank you for your consideration.
Power steering very stiff and difficult to steer vsc light on and air bags light goes on and off and unknown cause.
I was driving with the driver’s seat heater turned on. While I were traveling, I noticed that the seat heater was very hot, so I turned it off. I arrived at my destination and parked the vehicle for about two hours. I did not turn the seat heater back on when you returned to the vehicle. I was removing snow from the vehicle with the driver’s door open and some of the snow landed on the driver’s seat. When I brushed the snow off the seat, I noticed a burn mark in the seat cushion. I called Lexus USA to report this 2 days later and showed my local dealer (Lexus of Portland) and they had never seen this before. Here is the response from Lexus today: "In response to your concerns, a vehicle inspection was conducted by a Lexus Field Technical Specialist (FTS) on January 19, 2022 at Bud Clary Toyota of Yakima. A visual inspection confirmed there was a small 6mm x 7mm burn hole in the driver’s seat leather cover on the bottom cushion. The hole was in the outer bolster portion of the bottom cushion. Resistance was checked through the seat warmer grid. The seat back was recorded at .7 ohms and the seat bottom had an open circuit. The seat cover was removed to examine the seat heater grid. Two wires were found near each other at the burn area. One wire was broken at the location. Our FTS disconnected the seat heater switch after the inspection was completed." They left me with now 2 non functioning seat heaters by disconnecting it during a cold winter. They did not offer any sort of assistance or recommendations for next steps, I feel like they hung me out to dry.
I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 17TH OF JUNE 2021. I NOTICED THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED REALLY BAD. I DID RESEARCH ON THE LEXUS DASHBOARDS AND FOUND PREVIOUS RECALLS ON THE LEXUS DASHBAORDS INCLUDING THE 2004 RX330 MODELS. HOW CAN I GET THIS FIXED IF THE RECALL IS NOT LISTED FOR THE VIN NUMBER ON MY VEGICLE?
DASHBOARD CRACKING EVEN THOUGH WINDSHIELD SCREEN USED WHEN NOT IN GARAGE. VEHICLE KEPT IN HOME GARAGE AS WELL AS GARAGE AT HOSPITAL WHILE I WORKED.
WAS ON FREEWAY, HEARD A LOUD POP , LOOKED AROUND AND EVERYTHING LOOKED OK, SAW SOMETHING FLY OFF VEHICLE IN REARVIEW MIRROR. NOW THERE IS A SOUND OF WIND RUSHING, CHECK WINDOWS ALL CLOSED, DECIDED TO PULL OF FREEWAY TO SEE IF THERE WAS DAMAGED TO VEHICLE . STOPPED GOT OUT DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING UP TILL WE LOOKED AT THE ROOF AN SAW A HOLE. LOOKED LIKE IT BLOW OUT NOT IN , DID NOT NOTICE IN THE CAR BECAUSE SUNROOF COVER WAS CLOSED.
DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING, CONDITIONS WERE DRY, SUNNY FALL WEATHER. AVG SPEED 45 MPH, LIGHT TURNED YELLOW, VEHICLE IN FRONT STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, DAUGHTER APPLIED BRAKES, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, NO SLOWING DOWN, REPEATEDLY PUSHED BRAKE AND APPLIED FULL FORCE, CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN, HIT OTHER VEHICLE, TOTALING THE LEXUS. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL AFTER MY DAUGHTER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. WITNESS REPORTED SEEING MY DAUGHTER TRYING TO BRAKE BUT THE CAR NOT RESPONDING. NO EVIDENCE OF TIRE MARKS ON THE ROAD
DEALERSHIP INSPECTION. DISCLOSURE-SATISFACTORY THROUGHOUT THE LIST ACTUAL INSPECTOR-VISIBLE LEAKS TO THE NAKED EYE WHEN LOOKING UNDER THE CAR. I WAS MISLED IN THIS PURCHASE AS THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT WERE NOT DISCLOSED TO ME BEFORE PURCHASE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS RX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRUMBLING AND MELTING. THE FAILURE WAS PRESENT NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG HOUSING OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER (BUTLER LEXUS LOCATED AT 4025 JONESBORO RD, UNION CITY GA) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
MELTING/CRACKED DASHBOARD PASSENGER SIDE - SMELLS OF CHEMICALS - DOES THIS AFFECT PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT? I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 4 YEARS AND WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF ANY PROGRAMS - DASH FIRST STARTED MELTING/CRACKING ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS AGO LONG AFTER THEIR CONSUMER ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM WENT AWAY.
SUNROOF GLASS SPONTANEOUSLY BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, IN A STRAIGHT LINE, ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT.
WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, THE CABLE HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE (SPARE TIRE CARRIER PART #51900-0E012) UNDER THE CAR, BROKE AND SPARE TIRE AND ACCESSORIES FOR IT FELL INTO STREET INTO TRAFFIC CREATING A HAZZARD
DURING NIGHT DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY GO OFF. I HAVE TO SWITCH THEM OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. IN A FEW MINUTES I HAVE TO REPEAT. THE BULBS ARE NOT BLOWN BECAUSE WHEN I SWITCH THEM ON, BOTH LAMPS COME ON. HAVING TO CONSTANTLY TURN THEM OFF AND ON DURING DRIVING. IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. I WORK NIGHTS AND THIS IS GETTING TO BE A BURDEN. OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSES THIS TO HAPPEN SO I TOOK IT TO GET IT REPAIRED AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE HEAD LIGHTS. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE THE RECALL NUMBER. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY RISK BECAUSE THEY GO OFF RANDOMLY WHILE I'M DRIVING.
THE LEXUS RX 330 IS ON RECALL BY LEXUS BECAUSE THE DASH HAS DEVELOPED CRACKS,I HAVE BEEN WAITING 2 YEARS FOR A REPLACEMENT AND WAS TOLD BY LEXUS OF ORLANDO I AM NUMBER 1024 ON THEIR LIST FRO REPLACEMENT. BY THE TIME THEY GET TO ME ACCORDING TO MY CALCULATIONS THE YEAR WILL BE 2095 AT THE PACE THAT THEY ARE REPLACING THE DASHES. ALSO LEXUS HAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCHES,ALL OF THEM SEEM TO DEVELOP A PROBLEM WHERE THE VSC,BRAKES AND ABS LIGHTS ALL COME ON AT THE SAME TIME. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THREE LEXUS' THAT I HAVE OWNED. THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE RIGHT NEXT TO THE SHIFTER IS A SMALL COVER TO BYPASS THE HARD SHIFTER.
I HAVE A SEVERELY CRACKED DASHBOARD AND A LOT OF THE VERY DEEP CRACKS ARE OVER WHERE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS LOCATED. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR A FEW YEARS NOW BUT LATELY IT HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE IN THE AREA OF THE AIRBAG. LEXUS ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM BUT THEY SAY IT COULD BE SEVERAL MORE MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS BEFORE THEY HAVE ENOUGH REPLACEMENT DASHBOARDS. I BELIEVE MY DASHBOARD IS MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE THAN JUST COSMETIC. UNABLE TO ATTACH PHOTOS BUT COULD EMAIL THEM TO YOU IF AN EMAIL ADDRESS IS PROVIDED. *TR
THE DASHBOARD IS DISINTEGRATING. THE CAR HAS BEEN PREDOMINANTLY KEPT COVERED AND WELL MAINTAINED. INITIALLY A LARGE PIECE (CREDIT CARD SIZE) BROKE OFF DASH. WE REPAIRED WITH VINYL RESTORATION COMPANY, AND ANOTHER AREA ABOUT A YEAR LATER. SINCE THEN, NUMEROUS CRACKS ARE PRESENT - TOO MANY TO REPAIR. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR! *TR
MELTING DASHBOARD. *TR
RECENTLY, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, MY 2004 LEXUS RX 330 STARTED MAKING A "HOWLING" SOUND (FOR LACK OF A BETTER DESCRIPTION). UPON HEARING THIS DISTURBING NOISE, I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT RIGHT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP (IRA) IN PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS. THEY DETERMINED IT WAS THE BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLY IN MY LEFT REAR WHEEL. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT MUST BE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. THIS ENDED UP COSTING ME $676.87 (11/14/14). THIS ISN?T THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS CAR. IT HAPPENED MARCH 3, 2011 AND IT COST ME $704.35 THEN. I HAVE HAD AT LEAST 6 CARS DURING MY DRIVING HISTORY AND NONE OF THEM EVER HAD ANY BEARING AND/OR HUB PROBLEMS AND THIS HAPPENS TWICE WITH SAME CAR??? IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MY PREVIOUS CARS WERE LESS EXPENSIVE CARS; BRANDS THAT MAY BE EXPECTED TO HAVE MORE ISSUES THAN LEXUS; HONDA'S, PONTIAC'S, NISSAN'S, AND CHEVY'S. *TR
UNKNOWN DATE AND TIME. VEHICLE MADE ALARM NOISE, TURNED VEHICLE OFF. SAFETY BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND DASHBOARD CRACKED; RADIO STOPPED WORKING. *TR
OUR 2004 RDX, EXTREMELY LOW MILES, ALWAYS GARAGED, MINT CONDITION, HAS A DASH THAT HAS CRACKED ALL THE WAY AROUND AND IS BEGINNING TO EXTEND TOWARD THE MIDDLE. WHEN I WENT TO THE LOCAL LEXUS SERVICE DEPARTMENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THEY TOLD ME "LEATHER ALWAYS DOES THAT". STUPID ASS. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE THIS ISSUE. I THOUGHT LEXUS QUALITY WAS BETTER, BUT IT'S THE SERVICE THAT IS APPALLING! WE WERE OFFERED A 25% COURTESY ASSISTANCE. *TR
I PURCHASED MY 2ND LEXUS IN 2011; BY 2012 THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKING, AND IN 2014 THE DASHBOARD MELTED. I REPORTED THE CRACKING PROBLEM TO LEXUS OF ORLANDO IN 2013, AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO TYPE OF SPRAY I WAS USING TO CLEAN THE CAR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE CRACKING AND MELTING DASHBOARD SCENARIO, I READ THE CUSTOMARY RESPONSE FROM LEXUS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS IS, ??TYPE OF SPRAY YOU ARE USING TO CLEAN THE CAR??. I WENT BACK TO LEXUS IN JULY ON 2014, AND THIS TIME THEY TOOK PICTURES OF THE CRACKED AND MELTING DASHING. I DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM LEXUS THEREFORE I CALLED THEM FOR A STATUS, AND THEY FORGOT TO REPORT MY COMPLAINT TO THE CORPORATE OFFICE. WOW, REMEMBER THIS IS A LUXURY DEALERSHIP. AFTER WAITING ANOTHER 2 WEEKS, I CALLED LEXUS OF ORLANDO AGAIN, AND WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM THE CORPORATE OFFICE, AND WOULD CALL THEM FOR A RESPONSE. AFTER A FEW DAYS, SOMEONE CALLED BE BACK JUST TO REPORT THAT LEXUS WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO REPAIR MY MELTING AND CRACKING DASHBOARD, AND I NEED TO PROVE MY LOYALTY TO LEXUS. REALLY, WHAT ABOUT LEXUS LOYALTY TO THEIR CUSTOMERS TO PURCHASE A LUXURY CAR WHERE THE DASHBOARD DOES NOT CRACK OR MELT? I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN LEXUS WITH THEIR RESPONSE AND THE UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR OF THEIR EMPLOYEES IN HANDLING THIS PROBLEM AT LEXUS OF ORLANDO. IT SHOULD NOT MATTER THE YEAR OF A CAR; A DASHBOARD OF A CAR SHOULD NOT MELT. I AM FRUSTRATED AND DISGUSTED WITH LEXUS. *TR
THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD HAS DEVELOPED SEVERAL LONG VERTICAL CRACKS. THE DASH SIMPLY CRACKED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT THE CRACKS ARE LARGE ENOUGH THAT WE ARE AFRAID THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY NOT PROPERLY DEPLOY IN AN EMERGENCY. THE DASHBOARD CRACKS ARE IDENTICAL TO MANY SIMILAR POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET. LEXUS CLAIMS THEY ARE "DEDICATED TO PROVIDING VEHICLES OF OUTSTANDING QUALITY AND VALUE." , IN THIS CASE THEY HAVE, ONCE AGAIN, STUCK THEIR HEAD IN THE SAND!! *TR
THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO MELT. LITERALLY. I TRIED TO WIPE IT OFF AND THE TOWEL MELTED INTO THE DASHBOARD THE DEALERSHIP BLAMED IT ON ARMOR-ALL. THE CAR WAS ABOUT 7 Y/O AT THE TIME. I AM THE SECOND OWNER. I DID NOT RESEARCH THIS UNTIL I SAW A PROGRAM THAT SUGGESTED THE AIRBAGS MAY BE AFFECTED. THANK YOU. *JS
THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG WAS DESIGNED WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE FROM THE DASHBOARD. MAJOR CONCERN WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SPEED WITH LESS RESISTANCE FROM DASHBOARD. ALSO CONCERN ABOUT FRAGMENTATION OF DASHBOARD DURING DEPLOYMENT. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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