Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Lexus RX350 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 28, in the owner's own words
MY DEALER JUST TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING RACK KIT LEAKINGAND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. THIS COMMON PROBLEM IN LEXUS,IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS, LEXUS SHOULD BE PAYING FOR IT, NOT ME. THE QUOTE IS FOR $1315
MY LEXUS HAS UNDER 20,000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT AND NOT SEEN WINTERS. MY DEALER JUST TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING GEARBOX NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. THIS CAR IS IN PERFECT SHAPE AND HAS HARDLY BEEN DRIVEN. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS, LEXUS SHOULD BE PAYING FOR IT, NOT ME. THE QUOTE IS FOR $1450.
MY CAR NEVER LEAKED OIL, AND NO SENSOR LIGHTS WERE ON. REGULAR MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE CAR. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON CRUISE CONTROL ABOUT 70 MPH (2,000 RPM) ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO 3,000-3,500 RPM. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITHIN 0.25 MILES, THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR CAME ON AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS AWAY FROM THE EXIT RAMP TO REACH A SIDE STREET AND BY THEN THE CAR WAS BARELY MOVING, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, AND SEVERAL OTHER SENSOR LIGHTS WERE ALSO ON. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE GARAGE THAT TOLD ME THE OIL COOLANT LINES HAD LEAKED CAUSING THE LOW PRESSURE CONDITION IN THE ENGINE. AFTER THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE OIL COOLER LINES AND PERFORMED AN OIL AND FILTER CHANGE THEY FOUND "LARGE QUANTITIES OF METAL SHAVINGS IN OIL FILTER CARTRIDGE INDICATING INTERNAL DAMAGE OF ENGINE." SEVERE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED AND ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IN MY EXPERIENCE, IT SEEMS THAT A LARGE QUANTITY OF OIL WAS LOST VERY QUICKLY, AND IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE CAR COULD HAVE SEIZED UP AND I COULD HAVE GOTTEN IN AN ACCIDENT.
MY LEXUS HAS JUST 50,000 MILES ON IT GARAGE KEPT, JUST WAS TOLD MY RACK&PINION GEAR WAS LEAKING TO THE TUNE OF 1800.00 DOLLARS. I WAS LOOKING UP LEXUS FORUMS ON LINE, THERE IS QUITE OF LEXUS OWNER'S THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND IF YOU DON`T TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM IT COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS. I THINK LEXUS SHOULD REIMBURSE OWNER'S FOR THERE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES.
SERIOUS STEERING RACK POWER STEERING FAILURE/LEAKAGE, MECHANIC SAYS COMMON LEXUS AND TOYOTA PRODUCTS AND CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT BY LOSING STEERING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THANK GOD, NO ACCIDENT YET, JUST FACING $1600 REPAIR. PARTS AND LABOR, ONE YEAR WARRANTY. DO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THIS IS ADDRESSED??
I TOOK MY RX350 FOR REGULAR SERVICE AND ASKED FOR THE STEERING TO BE CHECKED SINCE IT MADE NOISE AND DID NOT FEEL SECURE WHEN MAKING HARD OR SHARP TURNS AND WHEN PARKING IN TIGHT SPOTS. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT COULD BE HAZARDOUS IF NOT ADDRESSED. IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE LEXUS ESTIMATE WAS $2000! GIVEN THE AGE, I HAD LESS THAN 80K MOSTLY LOCAL AND HIGHWAY MILES ON THE SUV. WHEN I RESEARCHED COST ESTIMATES I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. I BELIEVE LEXUS SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REIMBURSE THE OWNERS WHO HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET! AFTER I SAVED UP TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR THE COST WAS $2058.11!
WHILE GETTING MY INSPECTION AT THE LEXUS DEALER, THEY SHOWED ME THAT MY STEERING RACK IS LEAKING WITH LESS THAN 32,500 MILES ON THE CAR. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DAMAGED OR DRIVEN RECKLESSLY AND GARAGED KEPT. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND INCLUDES RECORDS. MY VOLVO 240 RACKS LAST 20-25 YEARS. SHAME ON LEXUS/TOYOTA ON A COMMON, SERIOUS ISSUE INVOLVING A PREMIUM BRAND. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING COULD FAIL. THE LEXUS DEALER NOTED IT AS A "CAUTION TASK" WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. I HAVE WRITTEN IN THE DATE OF 14 DEC 2016 AS BEING OBSERVED. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED LEAKING SOMETIME THIS YEAR. *TR
I BROUGHT MY RX350 IN FOR A "FREE" YEARLY INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT MY RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED AT A COST OF $1800. THIS CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE, ALWAYS GARAGED, AND ALWAYS SERVICED AT A LEXUS DEALERSHIP (2). I WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK AND PINION PRESSURE WAS CHECKED EVERY TIME IT WAS BROUGHT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND IT JUST HAPPENED FOR NO REASON. I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH LEXUS AND HAVE RESEARCHED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE RX'S. SHOULD THIS BE PART OF A RECALL AS IT IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS NO WARNING. MY CAR WAS RUNNING IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THIS WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE "FREE" INSPECTION OF ALL TIME.
DURING VEHICLE SERVICE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK OF POWER STEERING IS LEAKING, WHICH COSTS AROUND $1500 FOR REPLACING POWER STEERING RACK. AFTER LOOKING ON LINE, I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR RX 350 WITH LOW MILEAGE . THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE LEXUS SHOULD RECALL AND TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
TOOK TO DEALER FOR REGULAR OIL CHANGE. THE 25 POINT CHECK - RIGHT SIDE RACK AND PINION LEAKING, RIGHT REAR STRUT LEAKING FRONT BRAKES LOW BATTERY FAIL TEST FROM A BATTERY I RECEIVED FROM LEXUS IN 2012. BRAKE FLUID FLUSH NEED 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE CORPORATION NEEDS TO DO A RECALL I'VE RESEARCHED TO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES ARE BEING CITED WITH THIS RACK AND PINION. THEY RECALLED PRIOR YEARS WHY NOT THE 2009 AND UP? I AM TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE WITH THE LABOR, BUT AS WE KNOW LABOR IS THE BULK OF CHARGES.
WHILE HAVE MY CAR SERVICED, THE SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING FLUID AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AT A COST (PARTS & LABOR) OF $1562. THIS SEEMS OUTRAGEOUS TO ME GIVEN THAT THE CAR HAS ABOUT 33K MILES ON IT. WHEN I CHECK THE BLOG ON ARFC.ORG, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHY HAS LEXUS NOT BEEN REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM?
DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AT LEXUS DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING AND THE ENTIRE RACK NEEDED REPLACING SOON AS IT POSES A SAFETY ISSUE. LEARNED THIS IS A VERY COMMON REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR AND VALIDATED AS SUCH ON-LINE. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR THAT I WAS QUOTED: $1,678.85. DUE TO THE POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES I DO NOT SEE HOW THIS IS NOT A RECALL ISSUE AND THAT THE COST SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER AS IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.
I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE OF AN OIL CHANGE ON MARCH 21, 2015. I WAS INFORMED BY MY ADVISOR THAT THE POWER RACK & PINION ASSY. IS LEAKING FLUID. THE ENTIRE ASSY. HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1, 900.00 (REALLY). IF THE FLUID IS LEAKING THAT WOULD AFFECT MY STEERING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING (GOD FORBID). THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD HOW CAN THIS POSSIBLY BE. DUE TO THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD I AM CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH MY FAMILY. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND REPORTED THE MATTER WAS INFORMED THAT ISN'T A RECALL ON THE PART. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR THIS SAFETY HAZARD AND DEFECT OF PART. I AM ASKING FOR ASSIST IN THIS PRESSING (DANGEROUS) MATTER. I WILL CONTACT ANY ONE I KNOW THAT IS LOOKING TO PURCHASE THIS MODEL VEHICLE. I WILL LET THEM KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS MODEL VEHICLE. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AT LEXUS DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING BOOT WAS LEAKING AND THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACING SOON AS IT POSES A SAFETY ISSUE. LEARNED THIS IS A VERY COMMON RECURRING ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR AND VALIDATED AS SUCH ON-LINE. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR THAT I WAS QUOTED: $1,536.88. DUE TO THE POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES I DO NOT SEE HOW THIS IS NOT A RECALL ISSUE AND THAT THE COST SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER AS IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR
WHILE BEING SERVICED FOR BRAKES FOR 3RD TIME , DEALER NOTICED TORN/LEAKING RT FRONT BOOT. APPEARS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. $15 PART, $475 LABOR. FORTUNATELY THIS WAS COVERED DUE TO 3RD PARTY EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND TSB'S ON THIS ISSUE, THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE COVERED. THIS NEGLIGENCE SHOULDN'T HAPPEN ON A PREMIUM BRAND, THIS WILL BE OUR LAST LEXUS. *TR
DURING VEHICLE SERVICE TODAY, I WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK OF POWER STEERING IS LEAKING. I WAS CHARGED $1750 FOR REPLACING POWER STEERING RACK. AFTER LOOKING ON LINE, I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR RX 350 WITH LOW MILEAGE . THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE LEXUS SHOULD RECALL AND TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
I TOOK OUR 2009 LEXUS RX 350 IN FOR ROUTINE 60K MILE SERVICE AND WAS NOTIFIED BY THE SERVICE ADVISER OF A POWER STEERING LEAK WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE RACK AND PINION MECHANISM. WAS QUOTED A COST OF $1700 - $1800 FOR THE REPLACEMENT. I DENIED THE SERVICE RECOMMENDATION. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH TOYOTA/LEXUS SHOULD ADDRESS. *TR
I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN OIL LEAK AFTER HAVING MY OIL CHANGED, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS LEAKING FROM A CRACK IN THE BOOT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS CHARGED OVER $1400.00 TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING PART. A DISCUSSION WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP AND A REVIEW OF A NUMBER OF WEBSITES MAKES IT OBVIOUS THAT THIS HAS BECOME A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. *TR
ON 22 JULY 2014, I PROCEEDED TO THE LEXUS OF HUNTSVILLE DEALERSHIP FOR A 75,000 OIL CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION, AND SERVICE MAINTENANCE FOR MY 2009 RX 350. I WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING HAD A LEAK NEAR THE LEFT SIDE BOOT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I ALSO WAS TOLD THAT MY FRONT AND REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE SERVICED AS WELL. I WAS GIVEN AN APPROXIMATE QUOTE OF $1600.00 TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING PART, AND A NEEDED FRONT END ALIGNMENT ALONG WITH HAVING MY FRONT AND REAR BRAKES REPLACED AND THE ORIGINAL OIL CHANGE, AND TIRE ROTATION. I ENDED UP PAYING $2,265.00 THAT DAY. I WENT AHEAD AND HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED WITH THE INTENT OF FILING THIS COMPLAINT AS I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT LEXUS HAD A HISTORY OF THESE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND BOOTS LEAK AS I SHOWED HIM THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE. IN ADDITION TO PAY AT LEAST $38,00 DOLLARS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND STILL GET CHARGED FOR A MAJOR PART TO HAVE IT FIX IS WORTHY FOR A COMPLAINT. TO HAVE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PARTS OVER THE AMOUNT OF YEARS TELLS ME WHY HAVEN'T THIS BEEN ON THE RECALL LISTS AND WHAT ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR? WILL IT TAKE A FATALITY TO GET THE ATTENTION OF A RECALL. I LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, AND THIS HAS PUT ME IN A MAJOR BIND FINANCIALLY. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR
TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND THEY DID A OIL CHANGE AND TOLD ME THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED REPAIRS OF 1667.00. SEEMS LIKE A COMMON MALFUNCTION AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *TR
AFTER A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND MAINTENANCE SERVICE AT 94,000 I WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION NEEDS REPLACEMENT FOR A FEE OF $1854, PLUS BRAKE PAD AND REPLACEMENT AND RESURFACING OF THE REAR ROTORS FOR $385. I FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF OIL LEAKAGE ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. *TR
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND THEY RECOMMENCED SEVERAL THINGS, INCLUDING REPLACING THE POWER STEERING RACK DUE TO A LEAK. I GOT A SECOND OPINION BEFORE REPLACING IT AND THEY SAID IT SEEMED VERY ODD TO HAVE THAT AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I THEREFORE DID LOTS OF RESEARCH TO SEE IF I WAS JUST UNLUCKY AND HAVE FOUND MANY PEOPLE THAT OWN A LEXUS OR TOYOTA HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE ONLY EVER TAKEN MY CAR TO BE SERVICED AT LEXUS AS THEY STATE NEEDED, AND THEREFORE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE HAPPENING AND THINK IT'S COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THIS. IF THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN (MY CAR DID NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO IT) HOW CAN LEXUS NOT RECALL THE PART AFTER SO MANY INCIDENTS? *TR
DEALERSHIP SAID THERE IS A LEAK . THE STEERING COULD FAIL. NEED TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM. *JB
WENT TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR OIL CHANGE TODAY & WAS TOLD THAT RACK & PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY IS LEAKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 51,000 MILES ON IT & HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AT DEALER. NOTICED MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON LEXUS RX VEHICLES. THIS SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURE RECALL! AVERAGE COST TO REPLACE IS $1500. *TR
DURING VEHICLE SERVICE,WAS TOLD THE RACK AND PINION, POWER STEERING WAS LEAKING. AFTER LOOKING ON LINE I DISCOVERED THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH RX VEHICLES. MOST WITH LOW MILEAGE OR AGE. LEXUS APPARENTLY ORDERED NO RECALL OR UPGRADED THEIR PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *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
Data on this page last refreshed .