Mar 15, 2025Engine
When I was driving down the road there have been times that I smelled smoke and was concerned my car was on fire. I checked the oil and inspected around my car, and didn't find the source. Today when I took my car in for service I found out the source of the smoke has been for the past 4 months. There is engine oil leaking from the timing cover that I was informed by my Lexus Dealership today would cost $7,000 (approximate) to fix. I researched online and found that all vehicles with this particular engine are known to have this problem, and it is fairly common. Leaking oil can be a fire hazard, and it seems unacceptable that Lexus/Toyota let this issue continue without addressing it with a recall. Thanks for your time, and I have also sent a similar letter to Lexus also to let them know of my concern.
NHTSA ODI 11648426
Nov 8, 2020Electrical systemEngineFire
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 ODI 11373660
Jul 16, 2019Engine
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 ODI 11232212
Apr 10, 2019Engine
BROKEN COOLING PUMP
NHTSA ODI 11195340
Aug 16, 2018Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire
DRIVING DOWN I-85S IN BETWEEN MORELAND AND GRANTVILLE, GA MY CAR MADE A THUMP SOUND AND THEN CUTOFF. I PULL THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE TO SEE WHY IT CUT OFF. I EXITED THE CAR WITH MY PASSENGERS AND WE NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE NEXT THING WE NOTICE IS THAT THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND WENT UP IN FLAMES.
NHTSA ODI 11120486
Mar 23, 2016EngineFire
DRIVING NORMAL SPEED ON FRWY #1 LANE(4 LANE) - NO WARNING-LIGHTS OR ANYTHING, SMOKE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, PULLED OFF FRWY GOT OUT OPEN PASS SIDE DOOR TO RETRIEVE PURSE THEN SAW FLAMES COME THROUGH ON DRIVER SIDE, CLOSED DOOR AND CALLED 911 - CAR ENGINE ON FIRE
NHTSA ODI 10851248
Oct 19, 2014Engine
AT APPROX. 1:30 P.M. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP IN LINE FOR THE TOLL BOOTH AT THE THROGS NECK BRIDGE GOING BETWEEN THE BRONX TO QUEENS IN NEW YORK. MY FOOT, FORTUNATELY, WAS FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE CAR ENGINE ROARED AT SEEMINGLY FULL ACCELERATION AT WHICH TIME I PRESSED THE BRAKE HARD, SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ENGINE ROARED EVEN IN NEUTRAL. AT NO TIME DID MY FOOT SLIP TO THE ACCELERATOR NOR DID ANY OBJECT FALL ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE FLOOR MATS WERE SECURELY FASTENED. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING AT THE TIME THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND POSSIBLY DEATH. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO RALLYE LEXUS IN GLEN COVE, N.Y. THE NEXT DAY AND THEY PERFORMED THEIR REQUIRED LEXUS TSA ENGINEERS TESTS, COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE INCIDENT. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10648642