RoadVitals

2011 Lexus RX

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
29
Latest May 27, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
6
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 29 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Lexus RX, most frequently naming the engine, body & structure and brakes categories. 81 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine1033.3%
  • Body & structure413.3%
  • Brakes413.3%
  • Electrical413.3%
  • Airbags413.3%
  • Fuel system26.7%
  • Powertrain (other)13.3%
  • Suspension13.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Filed May 27, 2026

Dealership rolled back the odometer to 125,460 miles, but the last service was performed at 162k miles at Lexus of Murray.

NHTSA ID
11740509
Incident
May 27, 2026
Filed May 27, 2026

This vehicle is being sold at a dealership in Layton Utah. They have rolled back the odometer to show 119,287k miles, but the vehicle was last serviced by the Lexus dealer at 164,279 miles.

NHTSA ID
11740508
Incident
May 27, 2026
Electrical
Filed Apr 10, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Lexus RX450H. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 116,000. It was later discovered that the mileage was 195,937 upon scanning the vehicle upon scanning the vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11730364
Incident
Apr 10, 2026
Mileage
195,937 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 23, 2026

I made a 6-mile trip from my garage and back (12 miles total). The next day, my neighbor asked me to come outside to inspect my driveway where I found a trailing stream of oil. The oil leak was substantial enough to visibly observe an unbroken ribbon of oil spanning the entire length of the asphalt street leading to my driveway and a large pool of oil where I waited momentarily for the garage door to open. Needless to say, I then discovered a large pool of oil under the front of the engine on the passenger side. It was the lower oil cooling line. No warning signal appeared reflecting the leak or low oil pressure. I remembered receiving a letter from LEXUS Corporate stating that this was a known defective part and could be repaired at the dealer at no cost to me. However, the caveat was that the age of the car could not exceed 10 years and the mileage 150,000. My mileage was only 106,400, but the car age exceeded the 10 year limit. Did LEXUS think that the defective part would magically heal itself after 10 years? Why put a limit? LEXUS would NOT assist me in any way, so I had the repair completed at an independent shop. I only repaired one side and now fear the other side will go out and the leak will not be discovered in time before blowing up the engine. I'm white-knuckle driving in a car I used to love. I'm extremely disappointed in the lack of "good-will" provided by LEXUS for a known defective part (a rubber hose, replaced with a metal one) because they would not stand behind their product. Loyalty is a delicate trait, and they have lost mine.

NHTSA ID
11712933
Incident
Jan 15, 2026
Brakes
Filed Oct 16, 2025

ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE LIGHTS & BEEPING SOUND ALL ON. BRAKE PEDAL IS HARD. PEDESTRIANS, OTHER DRIVERS & FAMILY ARE AT RISK DUE TO SAFETY RISK. DIAGNOSIS CODES C1253 - C1256 DURING TEST INDICATES ABS PUMP ASSEMBLY ISSUES. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTICED BY ME IN LATE AUGUST 2025.

NHTSA ID
11693944
Incident
Aug 26, 2025
Electrical
Filed Sep 9, 2024
Fire reported

The contact owns a 2011 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH the front driver seat heater was activated and moments later smoke and flames were present coming from the center console of the vehicle. After stopping and exiting the vehicle the fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away by the insurance company. No injuries were reported and no police or fire reports were taken. The cause of the fire was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted regarding the incident. The failure mileage was 150,000.

NHTSA ID
11613473
Incident
Sep 4, 2024
Mileage
150,000 mi
Suspension
Filed May 1, 2024

Rear control arms are rusted and can break and cause an accident.i went for an alignment and they couldn’t do the full alignment beater of the corrosion

NHTSA ID
11586380
Incident
May 1, 2024
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 25, 2024

Tranmission failure around 100k miles. Spoke to few others with similar engine and transmission from lexus who had similar issues. This could be a widespread issue. Costs between 6 to 9 thousand dollars to fix.

NHTSA ID
11585271
Incident
Sep 23, 2023

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

L-SB-0030-24 Rev2

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

L-SB-0017-19 Rev1

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard™. The wrinkles may trap water and cause the paint to stain from the trapped moisture, especially on horizontal surfaces such as the hood, roof, and trunk.

L-SB-0017-19 Rev1

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard™. The wrinkles may trap water and cause the paint to stain from the trapped moisture, especially on horizontal surfaces such as the hood, roof, and trunk.

L-SB-0030-24 Rev1

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

L-SB-0030-24 Rev1

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

L-SB-0030-24

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to all model and model year specific Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Lexus RX by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026320
2025184066.9
2024544058.2
2023553058.8
2022280050.5
2021691054.7
2020441054.9
2019331056.6
2018240045.5
2017460051.0
2016280042.2
2015200053.8
2014110050.6
2013190057.2
2012110041.8
2011Viewing290055.4
2010760048.0
2009340040.9
2008700044.6
2007580140.6
2006311152.3
2005271157.4
2004401148.1
2003400
2002120052.3
2001190032.3
2000290034.1
1999350033.0

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.