Home · 2016 Lexus RX 350h · Complaints
What 85 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Lexus RX 350h
These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.
3 of 85 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters
Oct 10, 2018EngineFire
I WAS ON MY WAY IN CAR FROM HOME (BRIDGEWATER NJ) WITH MY DAUGHTER TO DROP HER FOR VOLLEYBALL PRACTICE IN HILLSBOROUGH NJ. ABOUT IN 7-10 MINS DRIVE, MY DAUGHTER AND I SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE AC VENT AND ALSO NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE FRONT HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF ALERT INDICATION ON THE DASHBOARD. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND TURNED ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS. WHEN I GOT OFF THE CAR, I IMMEDIATELY OPENED THE FRONT HOOD AND SAW THE FIRE BETWEEN RADIATOR AND ENGINE CYLINDER BLOCK. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911. MY DAUGHTER CALLED HER MOM SAYING OUR CAR IS ON FIRE. MY WIFE SUGGESTED MY DAUGHTER TO VIDEO TAPE THIS. WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS VIDEO TAPPING THIS EVENT, THE 911 RESPONDER SUGGESTED WE GET IN A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE CAR AND THAT THE FIRE RESPONDERS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THIS INCIDENT. WE IMMEDIATELY GOT TO A SAFE DISTANCE. WITHIN 5 MINUTES FROM THE CALL, THE FIRE CHIEF ARRIVED AND BLOCKED THE TRAFFIC. BY THIS TIME, THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AREA. WE HEARD THE AIRBAGS AND TIRES EXPLODING. THE FIRE TRUCKS CAME AND THE FIRE FIGHTERS STARTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH WATER & FOAM. THE CAR HAD COMPLETELY BURNED TO TOTAL LOSS. PLEASE NOTE MY DAUGHTER, 14 YEAR OLD AND I ARE IN COMPLETE SHOCK AND TRAUMATIZED WITH THIS HORRIFIC INCIDENT. MY DAUGHTER IS HAVING NIGHTMARES FROM THIS AND WE ARE SCARED WITH THIS EVENT.
NHTSA ODI 11139567
Jul 31, 2018Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngineCrash
THIS CAR EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AT THE TOP OF MY DRIVEWAY WHILE BEING PUT INTO PARK. THE CAR TOOK OFF AND HIT THE CENTER POSTS OF THE TWO CAR GARAGE AND ONLY STOPPED BECAUSE IT WAS CAUGHT ON THE SUPPORTS IN THE FOUNDATION. WE HAD EXPERIENCED THIS SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE FIRST YEAR WE OWN THE CAR WHEN WE WERE GETTING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. WE DID REPORT IT WHEN WE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR A SERVICE, THEY WERE AWARE OF THE COMPLAINT BUT AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE COMPUTER SLASH TRANSMISSION ISSUE. I WAS PARKING THE CAR AT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY, MY FOOT WAS GOING ON TO THE BREAK AND THE CAR UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AND FLEW THROUGH THE AIR INTO THE CENTER POST OF A 2 CAR GARAGE. I LUCKILY WAS NOT PHYSICALLY INJURED BUT WAS EMOTIONALLY DISTRAUGHT. IT TOOK DOWN BOTH GARAGE DOORS AND THE CENTER PILLAR ALL OF WHICH HAD TO BE REBUILT AND REPLACED.
NHTSA ODI 11114970
Dec 20, 2017AirbagsBody & structureEngineCrash3 injuries
AUTO ACCIDENT / OTHER DRIVER FAULT- 20 + MILES PER HOUR IN MOTION FRONT END COLLISION/ IMPACT . FRAME DAMAGE TO BOTH SIDES OF SUV. TOTAL 3 PASSENGERS. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON FRONT DRIVER. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT ALL.
NHTSA ODI 11055748
Working with the data? Download all 85 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 2026
How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your
pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the
full 2016 Lexus RX 350h verdict →