2013 Lexus RX350 Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2013 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that after closing the liftgate door and reversing out of the car port, the liftgate door erroneously opened and struck the car port causing damage to the liftgate. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that recently the liftgate lowered independently. The failure occurred several times while placing items into the back of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 40,000.

NHTSA ID

11513401

Incident

Sep 27, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that while driving at speeds exceeding 70 MPH, the steering wheel was violently shaking and vibrating. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was no longer covered under an unknown Extended Service Campaign. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,000. The contact stated that the manufacturer did not want to address the issue due to the vehicle's model year. There was a TSB involving later model years for the same issue, the faulty steering column.

NHTSA ID

11511160

Incident

Jan 15, 2023

Mileage

46,000 mi

NO PROBLEM AS OF NOW SAW IT ON RECALL IN CONSUMER REPORT

NHTSA ID

11388122

Incident

Jan 11, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS RX 350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL RATTLING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO LEXUS OF TAMPA BAY (5852 N. DALE MABRY HWY, TAMPA, FL 33614) WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11387882

Incident

Oct 1, 2020

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY CAR BLEW UP. THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. MILE MARKER 372 I95S. I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE AND THEN FIRE STARTED SO I PULLED OVER ON THE LEFT SHOULDER AND THE FIRE BURST INTO FULL FLAMES

NHTSA ID

11373660

Incident

Oct 30, 2020

Mileage

85,000 mi

TURNING STEERING WHEEL CAUSING DASH CUTOFF. SEATS AREN'T RESETTING TO ORIGINAL POSITION. BACK HATCH WILL NOT LIFT DEPENDING ON POSITION OF STEERING COLUMN

NHTSA ID

11353756

Incident

Sep 5, 2020

Mileage

129,550 mi

I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS ON THIS VEHICLE STARTED TO FAIL - FIRST IT STARTED WITH FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AND NOW IN ADDITION TO FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, THE DRIVER DOOR AND THE REAR RIGHT DOOR AUTOMATIC LOCKS TO NOT ENGAGE WHEN I TRY TO LOCK/UNLOCK. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THESE AT A COST OF ~$1,000 FOR EACH DOOR AND THINK THIS IS UNFAIR SINCE THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS ON THIS MODEL FAILING ONLINE AND IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE DOOR ACTUATOR FAILING (BUT NOT RECALLED) (SEE LEXUS OWNER SITE AND YOUTUBE - SEARCH "2013 LEXUS RX350 DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING" ON GOOGLE FOR DETAILS). I AM CURRENTLY MANUALLY LOCKING/UNLOCKING THESE DOORS AND FEEL UNSAFE AND FEEL MY PERSONAL PROPERTY INSIDE THE CAR IS EXPOSED TO THEFT SINCE SOMETIMES I FORGET TO LOCK THESE 3 DOORS MANUALLY WHEN DRIVING ALONE IN VEHICLE. NOTE THE ABOVE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, IN MOTION, ON A CITY STREET/HIGHWAY, AND TURNING.

NHTSA ID

11337547

Incident

Jul 1, 2017

Mileage

160,000 mi

MY LEXUS VEHICLE HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH ITS LOCKS AND TRUNK. SOMETIMES THE TRUNK CANNOT BE OPENED AT ALL EVEN IF I ATTEMPT TO OPEN IT MANUALLY. ALSO, MY DOORS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY LOCKED MOST OF THE TIME. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL LOCK/UNLOCK USING THE REMOTE. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK AND UNLOCK ALL OF THE DOORS. THERE ARE TONS OF VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHICH HAS TO DO WITH THE LOCK ACTUATORS. THERE ARE ALSO A PLETHORA OF FORUMS ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL. MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE CHOSEN TO NOT REPLACE THE LOCK ACTUATORS THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL DOOR HAS BECAUSE IT IS VERY COSTLY. I HAVE ALSO READ THAT SOMETIMES THE LOCK ACTUATORS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE, THIS IS A COMMON DESIGN FLAW FOR MY CAR AS WELL AS OTHER LEXUS VEHICLES. EVEN NEWER MODEL LEXUS VEHICLES ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. OBVIOUSLY THIS ISSUE IS A DESIGN FLAW AND DEFECT AND SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS A RECALL THAT LEXUS SHOULD BE MANDATED TO FIX. I ALWAYS HAVE TO CHECK WITH MY SON TO ENSURE THAT HE HAS MANUALLY LOCKED HIS DOOR. WE LIVE IN HOUSTON AND IMAGINE HOW NERVOUS I GET WHEN I APPROACH A RED LIGHT WHERE HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE OFTEN BEGGING FOR MONEY. I HAVE TO MAKE SURE MY DOORS ARE LOCKED BECAUSE SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE BOLD ENOUGH TO PULL ON YOUR DOOR HANDLE AND ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. THIS HOLD TRUE FOR WHEN I AM EXITING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK ALL THE DOORS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE KNOWN FOR PULLING ON YOUR HANDLES AT NIGHT TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET LUCKY. THE RELIABILITY OF THE LEXUS LOCK ACTUATORS IS A TRUE DESIGN FLAW THAT IS LONG OVERDUE FOR LEXUS TO FIX, I AM ASKING THAT YOU HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING THIS DESIGN FLAW RIGHT WITH ALL LEXUS CAR OWNERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328944

Incident

Nov 16, 2017

MY 2013 LEXUS AWD RX 350 HAS A FAULTY WIRE HARNESS WHICH HAS SHORTED OUT ITS GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, RADIO, AND MEDIA CENTER. I REPLACED THE HEADLAMP ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE AND THE BLAST, BUT THE 15 AMP FUSE CONTINUES TO BLOW OUT. THEREFORE, THE FAULTY WIRE HARNESS HAS CAUSED MY HEADLIGHTS, GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, AND RADIO TO NO LONGER WORK.

NHTSA ID

11328787

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

62,100 mi

MY 2013 LEXUS AWD RX 350 HAS A FAULTY WIRE HARNESS WHICH HAS SHORTED OUT ITS GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, RADIO, AND MEDIA CENTER. I REPLACED THE HEADLAMP ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE AND THE BLAST, BUT THE 15 AMP FUSE CONTINUES TO BLOW OUT. THEREFORE, THE FAULTY WIRE HARNESS HAS CAUSED MY HEADLIGHTS, GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, AND RADIO TO NO LONGER WORK.

NHTSA ID

11328785

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

62,100 mi

USE HANDBRAKE EVERY TIME. THERE WILL BE AN EXPLOSION SOUND FROM THE BACK WHEN I RELEASE MY FOOT. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS PROBLEM. I THINK IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. I TRY TO CHANGE THE BRAKE PADS. IT HAS NO EFFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328634

Incident

Mar 15, 2018

THE SOFTWARE LOCATOR IS DEFECTIVE & WILL SEND YOU TO THE WRONG PLACE. LEXUS HAS A CAMPAIGN TO FIX IT THRU 2022 WHERE THEY UPDATE THE SOFTWARE. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DO NOT UPDATE THE NAVIGATION SOFTWARE AT THE SAME TIME AND THAT SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT BECAUSE THE LOCATION SOFTWARE AND THE NAVIGATION SOFTWARE WORK CONJUNCTIVELY. INSTEAD THEY WANT TO CHARGE YOU $400 FOR NAVIGATION UPDATE. NOT SATISFACTORY. I ESCALATED THIS AT LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE & IT WAS NOT ADDRESSED PROPERLY. SO LEXUS WANTS TO DO THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE LOCATION SERVICES BUT THEY WANT YOU TO PAY $400 FOR THE NAVIGATION UPDATE THAT WORKS ALONGSIDE IT? SOUNDS LIKE A BAIT AND SWITCH TO ME.

NHTSA ID

11322623

Incident

Apr 28, 2020

MY VEHICLE STALLS FREQUENTLY ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE SPEED IS INTERRUPTED BY A SUDDEN STOP. IT WILL STALL WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START BACK IN TRAFFIC. I'VE COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A REAR END COLLISION.

NHTSA ID

11298602

Incident

Jan 9, 2020

Mileage

68,000 mi

DRIVING IN SNOW STORM ON SIDE ROAD. GOING APPROX 20 MPH ROAD SLIGHT INCLINE AND CURVES TO LEFT. TRIED TO TURN LEFT AND CAR CONTINUED GOING STRAIGHT. ANTI LOCK BRAKES WERE PUMPING CAR SEEMED TO ACCELERATE CAR HEADED TO TELEPHONE POLE AND HIT VERY DIRECTLY. CAR WAS TOTALED TELEPHONE POLE CRACKED IN HALF I WAS THROWN INTO STEERING WHEEL WINDSHIELD AND CENTER CONSOLE. AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I BROKE MY RIBS AND WAS SEVERLY BRUISED AND HAD PAINFUL IMPACT INJURIES. WHAT DID THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOY?

NHTSA ID

11288444

Incident

Dec 3, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS RX 350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED, RATTLED, LOOSENED, AND WAS COMING OUT OF PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEXUS OF PALM BEACH (5700 OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33427, (561)-291-6004) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE SAME DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT STALLED SINCE THE REPLACEMENT. THE STEEERING SHAFT WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. *LN *TR

NHTSA ID

11277170

Incident

Feb 3, 2016

Mileage

35,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS RX 350 EQUIPPED WITH COOPER MASTERCRAFT TIRES, SIZE: 235/16R18 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NEW COUNTRY LEXUS OF WESTPORT (1317 POST RD E, WESTPORT, CT 06880, (203) 255-1531) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE THREAD WAS SEPARATING AND ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11257513

Incident

Aug 15, 2019

Mileage

72,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 LEXUS RX-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE MAKING A RIGHT HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO THE CONTACTS DRIVER FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE WAS PRESENT, BUT NO REPORT FILED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT AND THEN TO THE INSURANCE LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

NHTSA ID

11241340

Incident

Jul 25, 2019

Mileage

87,000 mi

LEXUS RX350 HAD A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE AT AROUND 43,000. IT WAS NOT VERY CLEAR INITIALLY ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AC WAS ON. NOW AT 76,000 MILES, THE NOISE IS VERY LOUD AND LEXUS SAID IT IS THE WATER PUMP SLOWLY GOING BAD. NOW THE CAR, AFTER 70,000 MILES IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE SEEN REPORTS ONLINE WITH COMMON BEARINGS FAILURE ON TOYOTA/LEXUS WATER PUMPS. I WOUNDER IF THIS IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE GIVEN THE WELL KNOW RELIABILITY OF THE LEXUS BRAND.

NHTSA ID

11232212

Incident

Jun 15, 2016

Mileage

43,000 mi

SEVERAL ECUS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. CAR WOULD NOT START, STEERING LOCKED. LUCKILY, MY CAR WAS PARKED SO I DID NOT LOOSE STEERING WHILE MOVING.

NHTSA ID

11206577

Incident

May 5, 2019

Mileage

102,000 mi

WATER PUMP NOISE

NHTSA ID

11206482

Incident

Dec 15, 2018

Mileage

5 mi

BROKEN COOLING PUMP

NHTSA ID

11195340

Incident

Apr 4, 2019

Mileage

105,555 mi

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2018 I STARTED MY DAY BY FIRST GOING TO THE BANK. I ENTERED THE PARKING LOT OF SUNTRUST BANK ON RACE TRACK ROAD, IN BOWIE MD. UPON ENTERING INTO THE PARKING LOT A CAR EXITING THE BANK OF AMERICA DRIVE THRU SHOULD HAVE STOP FOR ME TO HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY, BUT DID NOT, SO I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO ALLOW THAT CAR GO PASS. I THEN PROCEEDED TO A PARKING SPACE. AS I WAS ENTERING THE PARKING SPACE, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, MY LEXUS RX 350 ' 2013 ACCELERATED. I IMMEDIATELY CONTINUED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES WHICH DID NOT ENGAGE AND WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. THE SUV JUMPED ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND PROCEEDED TO THE STEPS, IT THEN CROSSED THE MEDIA AND WHEN STRAIGHT INTO THE BRICK POLE OF THE BANK OF AMERICA DRIVE-THRU. I WAS CONFUSED AND NERVOUS AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THE DAY BEFORE THE BATTERY ON THIS SUV STOPPED WORKING AND I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA WHERE I PURCHASED A BATTERY AND THE TOYOTA MECHANIC DID A COMPLETE DIAGNOSIS TEST ON THE SUV. NEVER DID I THINK THAT THE VERY NEXT DAY THAT THE CAR WOULD REACT THIS WAY. I PURCHASED THIS SUV APRIL 2017, TAKING THIS CAR INTO ALL OIL CHANGES, WHATEVER WAS REQUIRED TO BE FIX, I FIXED IT. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND SAW THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RX 350, THE LAST COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN OCTOBER 2018 AND STILL NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I WENT TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT HEADACHES, WHICH HAS NOT STOPPED. THEY RECOMMENDED PHYSICAL THERAPY. I ALSO HAD TO GO TO MY EYE CARE CENTER DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAD CATARACT SURGERY JUST ONE MONTH PRIOR AND AM HAVING VISION ISSUES. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL ON THIS SUV AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT OPEN UP.

NHTSA ID

11160508

Incident

Nov 24, 2018

Mileage

85,191 mi

VEHICICLE SHOT FORWARD GAINING SPEED WITH BRAKES FULLY APPLIED WHCH DID NOT ENGAGE THE BRAKE OVERRIDE OF ACCELERATION. RAN THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR GAINING SPEED THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GARAGE BACK WALL. THERE WAS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE ADJACENT KITCHEN WALL COLLAPSED WHICH MOVED THE REFRIGERATOR FORWARD TRAPPING OUR TWO FRIENDS BETWEEN IT AND THE KITCHEN CABINETS ON THE PARALLEL WALL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THE BLACK BOX INDICATED THE CAR HIT THE GARAGE WALL AT ABOUT 17 MPH. BLACK BOX SHOWED FULL THROTTLE AND TOTAL APPLICATION OF BRAKES. CAR WAS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL AND PRODUCED HORRIFYING RESULTS. ONE OF OUR FRIENDS LAPSED INTO A COMA THAT NIGHT AND WAS TAKEN OFF LIFE SUPPORT A WEEK LATER. THE OTHER FRIEND IS IN REHAB AFTER SUFFERING A BROKEN FEMUR, A BROKEN PELVIS, AND SEVERAL BROKEN RIBS. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN OUR MINDS THAT THE CAR WAS AT FAULT AND HAVE NOTED THAT MANY LEXUS VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE FACT THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND AT A SPEED EXCEEDING THE NHTSA STANDARDS IS ANOTHER SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE LEXUS. WE ARE HORRIFIED ABOUT THIS EVENT THAT HAS HAD SUCH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. PLEASE NOTE THIS OCCURED IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

NHTSA ID

11139529

Incident

Sep 14, 2018

Mileage

63,000 mi

DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY WENT BAD IN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. DOOR CANNOT BE LOCKED USING DOOR LOCK BUTTON AND HAS TO BE LOCKED MANUALLY. DOOR ALSO DOES NOT LOCK USING REMOTE OR KEYLESS ENTRY. MECHANIC STATED THAT HE'S SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

11129368

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

THE DOOR LOCK ACCUATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS INOPERABLE.I HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THEN OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR AND LEAN INTO THE CAR AND REACH OVER TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR EACH TIME I NEED TO OPEN THE DOOR. COST TO REPAIR IS $600.00 (PARTS & LABOR) I FEEL THIS IS EXCESSIVE AS THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY 55,500 MILES! PARTS DEALER NOTED HE KEEPS THE PART STOCKED ON HIS SHELF AS IT IS FREQUENTLY REQUESTED.

NHTSA ID

11121675

Incident

Jul 1, 2018

Mileage

55,000 mi