2018 Lexus RX

Routine

Owners filed 26 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the brakes. No safety recall has been issued.

One of the better Lexus RX years: fewer complaints than most, without an unusual share of serious ones. Which Lexus RX years to avoid →

Most common 2018 Lexus RX problems

6 of the 26 complaints (23%) are about the brakes.

ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes · brakes6
100
Unknown or Other5
000
Engine3
000
Structure › Body › Door › Handle › Interior · body and frame2
000
Fuel/Propulsion System · fuel and propulsion system2
000
Electrical System2
000
Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior1
000
Visibility/Wiper · wipers1
000
Steering1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump · fuel system1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Sep 29, 2026CA

Car dead stopped two times in the middle of roads. No warning. No signal. Just hard stopped.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 20, 2026VA

On XXX, our 2018 Lexus RX 350L was involved in a high-speed collision in [XXX]. The vehicle struck a Jersey/concrete barrier with the left front of the vehicle. The collision caused extensive damage to the left-front corner of the vehicle. The left-front wheel and suspension were severely displaced, with substantial damage extending through the left-front body structure toward the driver's door area. The vehicle was subsequently declared a total loss by the insurance company. Despite the severity of the collision, none of the vehicle's airbags deployed, including the driver's frontal airbag and driver's side curtain airbag. I am reporting this because I am concerned that the Supplemental Restraint System may not have operated as designed. I am not in a position to determine whether the impact met Lexus's deployment criteria and am requesting that the non-deployment be reviewed as a potential vehicle safety issue. The vehicle currently remains available in salvage custody. The insurance company has been asked to preserve the vehicle so that the Event Data Recorder and/or airbag control module can be examined if necessary. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Steering
Filed Apr 28, 2026CA

I was starting to lose control of the car and took it to the dealership for a check . The car has only 52000 miles and the Ball Joints and the sway bar links are leaking grease according to the dealer

Engine
Filed Mar 29, 2026CA

1. Check engine light comes on. 2. Intelligent collision system (ICS) plashing while driving

Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 3, 2026IL

The 12.3-inch display of the instrument panel is blank at startup. Operating the vehicle with this display blank reduces the ability to see certain malfunction indicators. If malfunctions occur while driving, continuing to drive could lead to an increased risk of a crash or an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Engine
Filed Sep 15, 2025FL

Engine block #1 misfire , 02/gasoline ratio level problem

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Sep 4, 2025OK

I have a panoramic sunroof and the sunshade retracts when the switch is pressed but the shade bunches up and stops before fully retracting. It appears from online searches that it’s a well known problem with Lexus and can result in a very costly repair that’s caused in no part by the owners of the vehicles. A recall of this manufacturing defect needs to be issued.

Structure › Body › Door › Handle › Interior
Filed Aug 1, 202547,518 milesTX

The contact owns a 2018 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that upon arriving to the residence and parking the vehicle, the front driver’s side door failed to open while pulling on the interior door handle. The contact rolled down the window and was able to open the front driver’s side door while pulling the exterior door handle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front driver’s side door handle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to Lexus Special Service Campaign Number: 20LC02. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,518.

Structure › Body › Door › Handle › Interior
Filed Jul 21, 2025NY

On our 2018 Lexus RX 350 L, the left front interior door handle broke and we had to roll the window down and open the door from the outside. I learned that there was a recall - Lexus Special Service Campaign 20LC02 but our Lexus VIN was not listed. Our Lexus Model/year was manufactured in 05/18 and that was within the production period of the recall, April 2015 to September 2018. I believe that Lexus not including our suv's VIN in the recall was an oversight. As a result, I reached out to Smithown Lexus in NY and they did not honor the recall and wanted $219 + tax just diagnose the problem. I also called Lexus Guest Experience Center at 1-800-255-3987 and thety also did not honor the recall. Since, I purchased and installed the door handle. Is there a way I can get get reimbursed for parts and labor of $450?

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 17, 2025MI

IOS lite has come on for the second time. Sensor had to be replaced early this year. Cost $500.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed May 17, 2025IL

The fuel pump sensor electrically shorted. The assembly failed. (tube assembly, fuel suction w/ pump and gage), gasket, fuel suction tube set. It is available for inspection. The car could stall at any time because the fuel pump sensor cannot accurately determine the fuel level or how much fuel is being injected into the engine. There was a warning light. Lexus covered two other fuel pump safety issues for this make and model (2018 RX 450h), one under a manufacturer recall and one through a customer support program. This is a THIRD defect with the fuel pumps on these vehicles for which Lexus has NOT offered coverage or notified its customers.

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 2, 2025AK

Brake squack/barking noise when brakes are depressed.

Service BrakesCrash
Filed Oct 23, 2024AZ

1. At [XXX] on [XXX], I was pulling into my gym's parking lot, when I stepped on the break to park my car, instead of stopping, the car accelerates rapidly and crashed through the other side of the sidewalk where there were light pole and cement walls, throwing me forward and backward with seat belt on, I was in total shock! 2. My insurance sent a field inspector to the body shop 2X in hope to repair my car but ended up declaring it a Total Loss. 3. Lexus said they would send a field tech to get the EDR (Event Data Recorder) data from my 2018 Lexus RX350 within 30 days, but the results won't be available for 30-45 days after that. Lexus's slow response to this accident concerns and disappoints me b/c it was a serious crash that Lexus should treat it seriously and promptly. 4. The disbelief of a 'young' car with only 12297 miles could have issues like this puzzled me and drove me to do a lot of online research, then I came across this site [XXX] which contains an article titled '10 Common Problems of A Lexus RX350'. Problem #5 described exactly what had happened to me: 'ONE RECURRING PROBLEM THIS CAR HAS IS THAT THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS SEVERELY. THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENES WHEN THE DRIVER IS TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. REPORTS PAINT THE SAME PICTURES REPEATEDLY: THE DRIVER IS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THEY PUSH THE BREAK PEDAL, AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING, THE CAR ACELERATES RAPIDLY, WHICH RESULTS IN A CRASH." Based on this article, it seems that Lexus should have issued a recall, b

Service Brakes
Filed Oct 8, 2024CA

I am writing to raise a serious concern regarding a issue with my 2018 Lexus RX450hL involving the brake actuator. Since purchasing the vehicle at 63,000 miles, I have noticed hissing, clicking, and squeaking noises when applying the brakes. As the mileage increased to 83,000, these noises have worsened, becoming unbearable. In addition, I am experiencing a shaky driver-side mirror and a rusting hood latch, both of which present safety concerns. For a vehicle under 5 years old , I believe these problems do not reflect the quality I expected, particularly given the premium price I paid. According to Lexus' Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) #L-SB-0032-23 Rev, issued in October 2023, which addresses squawk or knock noises from the engine compartment when the brake pedal is pressed or released, affecting models like the RX450hL. My vehicle exhibits symptoms similar to those described in the TSB. The vehicle was regularly maintained by the previous owner at Lexus of Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills. Despite this, the major part like brake actuator has failed prematurely. Given Lexus' reputation as a luxury brand, it is unacceptable that such a critical component would fail before the vehicle is 5 years old or has reached 100,000 miles. The combination of the brake actuator defect, the shaky mirror, and the rusting hood latch is disappointing, especially for a vehicle of this caliber. When I initially contacted Lexus Customer Service, I was also dealing with rusting parts and a fail

Electrical System
Filed May 21, 2024AZ

HVAC servo motor failure. There are many complaints on internet if you google. Multiple other lexus models have CSPs regarding same problem too..

Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior
Filed May 15, 2024FL

The driver-side mirror shakes noticeably while driving making it hard to see what's on your left, specially at night. Even though I'm reporting in 2024 w/ 55k miles, I just bought this L-Certified CPO Lexus 1 week ago, so the problem was likely there before. There are a couple of other signs that this car doesn't handle the South Florida heat very well and my guess is the adhesive on the mirror has started to fail. There is a service notice on late model NX to address this that replaces the entire mirror assembly and they'll likely do this as well when I take it in, but it is a fairly simple issue to resolve yourself following some YouTube videos even if they're not specific to this make/model.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 12, 2024PR

If you by mistake forget to put your car on Parking the transmission does not lock by itself creating a hazard of movement of the vehicule that can cause an injury's or even worse. That was reported to the dealer and dismissed the issue as normal.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Mar 17, 2024FL

Two days ago, upon entering our vehicle, there was a smell of gasoline as we drove. Our fuel guage wend from 1/4 tank to EMPTY in minutes. I pulled into a gas station and when attached the nozzle, gas entering the tank was POURING out from underneath. I drove the car to the venue we were headed to and parked on a dirt/gravel spot so as to limit fuel runoff to nearby vehicles. We had the vehicle towed to Bob Tyler Toyota, the nearest Lexus type service center. I called service at Lexus of Mobile and the employer stated that there are no recalls. The free flowing fuel endangered not only my and my wife but anyone around the vehicle. No warning lights whatsoever. The tow driver concurred that fuel was POURING until the tank was emptied. I have not been contacted by the service department thus far.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Jan 30, 202442,548 milesID

The contact owns a 2018 Lexus RX350. The contact stated at start-up there was raw a fuel odor entering the cabin of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,548.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jan 25, 2024NY

The driver side indoor door handle no longer works. Despite my model being part of the special service campaign 20LC02, dealer says that my VIN number is not covered despite it being the exact problem described.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 18, 2023MA

The car makes a "Brake Squawk" noise when the brake pedal is applied. The noise sometimes is unbearable. Dealer replaced the brake actuator. The noise came back after a few months.

Forward Collision AvoidanceCrash1 injured
Filed May 23, 202327,000 milesTX

The contact owns a 2018 Lexus RX350. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, and as she was approaching a toll road gate, there were several lanes that were closed and marked with traffic cones. The contact stated that as she was turning the wheel to steer into an open gate she crashed into one of the traffic cones. The contact stated that her vehicle was equipped with front collision avoidance and that normally the vehicle would have automatically braked before crashing into any objects in front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled onto its roof. The contact stated that all the air bags had deployed. The contact stated that emergency services and the police were on the scene. The contact stated that the police issued her a traffic violation ticket. The contact stated that she had bruises on her face and arms, shoulders, and chest. The contact refused treatment on-site and was not transported to the hospital. The contact stated that later that day her husband drove her to the emergency room. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and was later declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.

Service Brakes
Filed Jan 30, 2023CA

Lexus 2018 Rx450hl is known to have issue with brake actuator. A faulty brake actuator causes the car to fail sudden stop. It’s definitely a safety issue. Lexus have technical service information bulletin(tsib) for this issue since 2019. They never contact the owner to replace the faulty part. So if the car is under warranty they will fix the problem with no cost. But if the warranty pass the threshold, they are charging the costumer 3.5k to replace it. It’s an absolute horrible business practices. This part is a manufactured defect and it’s a safety issue.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 23, 2022NY

This car just send me a warning light last night about the all wheel drive system and issues about the engine, I was in the dealer this morning and I tell them the problem with the car but they was charging me for everything and left the lexus repair shop I work in my car and this not supposed to be happen I care of my car really good but now I hace to stop working because all this issues with the car. Now the car just stop working and I'm stock in middle of the city without another way to work and I don't have money for nothing. Please help me!

Service Brakes
Filed May 31, 2022FL

Car displaying parking brake malfunction and and cruise control malfunction intermittent when using the parking break, seem that TSB (T-SB-0168-19) was open for Camay from 2018 to 2020 exhibiting the same issue but not for this car. This a safety concern since parking brake becomes disable, this issue resets after restarting the car again.

Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 20, 2021MD

The slightly opened sunroof spontaneously exploded with shattered glass flying outward and some glass pieces falling on my husband while he was driving. The vehicle can be inspected; however, a Lexus dealership replaced the sunroof glass without charge, the next day after the incident. The unexpected loud explosion with flying glass startled my husband while he was driving. Fortunately, there were no cars around him at the time, because the fright caused by the explosion could have caused a multi-vehicle accident. A Lexus dealer inspected the sunroof damage, and though they would not acknowledge this was a manufacturer defect, they did replace the glass without charge, stating it was a "one-time goodwill gesture." The day before the repair, the damage was inspected by Senior Officer Sampson of the Maryland Transportation Authority (phone number 410-537-1197) on December 13, 2021 (not long after the incident). There were no warnings or symptoms of any kind that would have alerted the driver to the spontaneous explosion.

All 26 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2010
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202612300Routine
202523400Routine
202460400Routine
202362300Routine
202229010Routine
202170100Routine
202048100Routine
201934100Routine
2018 — this page26000Routine
201747000Routine
201628000Routine
201520010Routine
201412001Fatalities reported
201319010Routine
201212000Routine
201129020Routine
201077000Routine
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.