2012 Lexus RX

Routine

Owners filed 12 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Unknown or Other2
000
Electrical System2
000
Tires1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
000
Service Brakes1
000
Power Train1
000
Engine1
000
Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer1
000
Air Bags1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Sep 14, 2026KS

Alternator completely shut down on Sunday,XXX. Battery warning light came on out of the blue on Sat, XXX at 8:45 PM in Independence, MO in front of Walmart on [XXX], had to go autozone on [XXX] in [XXX]. Test came back showing Alternator failure. Now power steering is gone and prob battery too. All interior electric systems shut down also. Headlight bulbs became affected within 1 month of purchase from dealership on XXX. Replacement bulbs for dims done last week. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Service Brakes
Filed May 26, 2026FL

Failed Brake Actuator

Structure › Body
Filed Apr 22, 2026NC

Pearl White (077) paint is delaminated from metallic car surfaces. The paint appears to be separating from the surface and peeling/cracking, not consistent with normal wear alone. I previously reported this concern to Lexus Corporate.

Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer
Filed Jan 2, 2026257,193 milesIL

Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2012 Lexus RX350. The contact purchased the vehicle, and it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 127,832. The contact stated that at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 257,193.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 16, 2025NE

Air bag issue light turn on, it said b1608 front satellite sensor bus initialization error LH code

Tires
Filed Aug 29, 202530,171 milesNJ

The contact owns a 2012 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that the four rear tires were replaced with Blackhawk Tires, Tire Line: Street HH11, Tire Size: 235/45/R18, DOT Number: 1YJEERYLY. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the low tire pressure warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started pulling to the right. The contact started pumping the brake pedal and was able to pull over safely. The contact observed that the driver's side rear tire had a gash on the side wall. The contact stated that the tires were replaced on June 10, 2025. The contact stated that Roadside Assistance arrived at the scene and replaced the tire with the spare. The dealer was contacted and suggested that the vehicle be brought to their location. The contact was informed that the tire would have to be replaced out of pocket. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 30,171. The tire failure mileage was unknown.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Jun 6, 2025TX

The contact owns a 2012 Lexus RX350. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated, and the ABS seized. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted and functioned as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure persisted. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V054000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Electrical System
Filed Apr 17, 2025MS

My car powers off while driving and then cuts back home within a second. It also has electrical issues the lights so flash during the night when you’re driving and then the front and shakes so bad that it shakes you just about off the road when you hit the brakes

Electrical System
Filed Apr 16, 2025MS

The engine shuts off for a second while driving

Power Train
Filed Oct 20, 2023CA

October 20, '23 Our recent DEAD STOP! Whistle blower! Did you know that when the alternator goes out on a Lexus, that the car draws down energy from the battery to keep the car going? That's only for about a mile or so, then the car shuts down! You can't steer and THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING and you have no power as you come to a dead stop, whether on the freeway, or one lane mountain pass road, where we would have been later. What would we have done? Scary! Luckily, our Lexus stalled on a city street nearing our on-ramp to the freeway. (needing to be towed.) Lexus has a serious engineering-defective-design-flaw that probably is responsible for accidents. Thanks, [XXX] . Pass it on please! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 27, 2022NC

Sunroof exploded while driving in middle lane of 5 lane interstate. Cars, semi trucks all around me, center section of sunroof glass blew up and back into a pickup truck directly behind me. Pieces of glass flew in all directions. Luckily the moonroof/sunroof and interior panel were closed. No one was hurt. Other than a loud POP! then 2-3 seconds later an explosive BOOM! no warning light or message came on. Took the car to a local windshield shop, then a local Lexus dealer, another repair shop next week - all within 10 mi radius from where I live. Problem could not be reproduced, no one will confirm how it could have happened. Filed this report after reading about other Lexus - other mfg - having same issue.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 1, 2022FL

Lexus never informed me or the dealer that the hatchback lift will fail if the weather is below 60 degrees. Sometimes even warmer. I replaced the hatchback lift when I was up in WV and loading up my vehicle and the hatchback almost knocked me out! It happened on several occasions. When I called the dealer they informed me that is normal. Normal. It could of killed me or knocked me out and given me concussion. Came back to Florida and it did the same thing this time high 60's low 70's. I replaced them and it happened again. These hatchback lifts should not happen. A mechanic had a gash in his forehead because I was explaining it to him and the damn hatchback came down on him. He couldn't catch it on time. It came down so quickly. Well, I have to replace the hatchback lift again. This is so wrong. This products especially on a Lexus should not be doing this. Very very dangerous.

12 of 12 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2010
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20267200Routine
202518400Routine
202455400Routine
202361300Routine
202228010Routine
202169100Routine
202046100Routine
201934100Routine
201825000Routine
201747000Routine
201628000Routine
201520010Routine
201411001Fatalities reported
201319010Routine
2012 — this page12000Routine
201129020Routine
201076000Routine
200934000Routine
200870020Routine
200758010Routine
200632120Routine
200527110Routine
200440110Routine
20034000Routine
200212000Routine
200119000Routine
200029000Routine
199935000Routine

Compare every RX year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.