What 91 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Lexus RX 350

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX450H. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with brake actuator assembly, bleeder plug cap, brake actuator cover, and brake fluid reservoir assembly failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 59,380.

NHTSA ODI 11733292

Summary of Issues: 1.On March 3, 2026, I contacted my service manager regarding my inability to open the driver’s side door. I also reported persistent rattling sounds coming from the interior panels and driver’s side door, extending toward the rear of the vehicle that leads to the gas cap door. I was forced to enter through the front passenger door. 2.On March 4, 2026, I dropped my vehicle off at Lexus service department. My service manager got into my vehicle and was unable to exit through the driver’s door. This presents a serious safety hazard. I expressed concern that the issue could be electrical in nature; however, I was advised that new door locks were needed. 3.On March 10, 2026, my vehicle was returned to me after being serviced, with the explanation that both front door locks had been replaced. I questioned why the passenger-side lock was replaced, as I had no prior issue with that door. 4.After picking up my vehicle, I traveled and left it parked at Austin Airport until 3/15/2026. Upon my return, I experienced the exact same issue-the driver’s door would not open. 5.On March 16th, 2026, I returned the vehicle to Lexus service department for further evaluation. This repeated inconvenience has been time-consuming and frustrating. As this is a luxury vehicle. 6.On March 18, 2026, I was notified that my vehicle was ready for pickup and was told the issue was related to the door bezel. Upon retrieving my vehicle, I immediately noticed that the driver’s door lock was visibly missing. I returned to the service department and documented the issue with photographs. I was then informed that the driver’s door panel would need to be replaced. Later that same evening, while attempting to refuel my vehicle, I encountered difficulty opening the fuel door. I again heard the same rattling and popping sound extending toward the gas tank. At this point, I am concerned for my safety and do not feel comfortable operating this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11726231

My vehicle is experiencing a mechanical failure of the brake actuator/booster assembly, manifested by a "squawk/bark" noise and abnormal pedal feel during braking. This is a known defect recognized by Lexus under Customer Support Program 23LE04. The dealership technician confirmed the noise is present and recommended a full replacement of the ABS actuator. However, Lexus is denying coverage because the onboard computer has not yet triggered a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). By denying the repair, Lexus is requiring me to operate a vehicle with a confirmed mechanical brake malfunction, which increases the risk of a crash, increased stopping distance, or total brake power assist failure. March 2021 (60k miles): Actuator was replaced under warranty for this exact failure. December 2021 (74k miles): The failure recurred. Lexus and the dealer refused to cover the diagnosis/bleed, forcing me to drive a defective vehicle. February 2026 (110k miles): A Lexus dealer confirmed the part is failing again and quoted $3,000 for replacement. Despite a manufacturer program (CSP 23LE04) existing for this exact part, Lexus refuses to honor it without an electronic code, even though the mechanical failure has been physically confirmed by their own technicians. The component is available for inspection.

NHTSA ODI 11718075

Please see attached regarding LEXUS RX450h brake actuator failure concern. Thank you for your support.

NHTSA ODI 11716910

My vehicle has 39800 miles (64k kms). I have the exact same issue with my driver side heated seat. The lowest setting may take time to warm up then gets scorching hot. Eventually after heating it up, I will turn it off manually to stop heating it, as it burns. My wife also mentions that the passenger side as well doesn’t seem to heat much. At this low of kms, I should not have this issue but saw someone else have the exact same issue. I have not taken it to the dealer yet as I fear they will charge a fee just to verify the problem. I have an old ES300 and I do not have this problem with the heard seat. My trim level is also the ultra luxury.

NHTSA ODI 11706357

My vehicle, a 2017 Lexus RX 350 with approximately 111,872 miles, experienced a near-total failure of the infotainment/navigation screen approximately five months ago (around June 2025). The system would only display the introductory safety message, backup camera feed, a single radio station, and basic map locator functionality—rendering the navigation, full audio controls, climate integration, and touch interface inoperable. This issue severely impacted the vehicle's usability and safety features, forcing me to seek immediate professional service.

NHTSA ODI 11697705

NHTSA Safety Complaint – Seat Heater Defect Vehicle: 2017 Lexus RX 350 Mileage at purchase: 45,430 Purchase date: Feb. 17, 2025 Dealer: Lexus of Tacoma at Fife, WA Description of Problem: The driver’s seat heater does not function properly. It is slow to activate (5–6 minutes), then overheats uncontrollably even when set to “LOW.” On multiple occasions, the seat became hot enough to cause burns through clothing. Defect Confirmed by Dealership Service Staff: Dealership staff confirmed that the driver and passenger seats heat at different rates. This matches a known defect identified in Lexus Technical Service Information Bulletin L-SB-0038-18 (Oct 10, 2018). Additionally, they confirmed that the drivers' seat spikes to uncontrolled high temperatures, even on the "LOW" setting. Despite this, the dealership refused to repair the issue without an extended warranty and suggested using a sheepskin seat cover to prevent further burns, which is prohibited in the vehicle manual. Safety Hazard: •The defect caused burns to the driver. •The driver's elderly mother, who has peripheral neuropathy in her legs, did not feel when the passenger heater was accidentally turned on, highlighting the risk of undetected burns should the heater defect remain unrepaired. •Risk of fire is also present given the uncontrolled heat and inherent electrical issue. Attempts to Resolve: Reported to dealership on 3/28/25. Dealer disclaimed responsibility. Reported again to dealership on 6/25/25. No response. Reported to Lexus Corporate Customer Service on 8/28/25. Summary: The seat heater malfunction is a confirmed manufacturing defect, already documented by Lexus in a TSIB. Not mentioned in the TSIB is the additional problem of uncontrolled heat spikes, which poses significant risk of burns or fire. Request NHTSA investigation and corrective action.

NHTSA ODI 11683711

3 months before the accident the power steering light came on twice and went off. The day of the accident the brake light came on when I started the car that day. It disappeared when I was put in drive. I was entering onto the highway to merge with the traffic. Another car waiting for the light to turn green so he could enter also. My car didn’t stop because my brakes failed and the collision avoidance system didn’t work either. No sounds nor warnings. I have photos of the message that was displayed on the dashboard. Tried sending photos but it didn’t work.

NHTSA ODI 11675681

The contact owned a 2017 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated while making a left turn exiting a car wash, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated independently and crashed into the commercial building where it came to a stop. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle was in full throttle and failed to stop. The air bags did not deploy. No warnings light illuminated. No Medical Attention was needed. During the failure, the contact was the only occupant seated in the vehicle. The contact sustained injuries to the head, black and blue marks on the left side of her leg and shoulder as well as her left knee sustained swelling the right of her bottom was also bruised. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to impound lot by the insurance company and then towed to a salvage lot. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.

NHTSA ODI 11650124

1. Engine timing cover leaking 2. Oil could leak out emptying which could cause the engine to stop working at any given time 3. Problem has been confirmed by Hennessy Lexus dealership in Duluth, GA but they will not fix it. 4. Vehicle has been inspected by the dealership 5. No signs, I found out from the dealership after taking it in for an oil change

NHTSA ODI 11646648

Sunroof exploded while driving down the road!! Called lexus they said it must be due to a rock breaking it.

NHTSA ODI 11637123

My car has an oil leak from the timing chain cover gasket that was discovered by an independent mechanic at 37,465 miles. The dealer confirmed the leak on June 14, 2024 during a recall replacement of the fuel pump. The repair is very expensive and the car is no longer under warranty. This is the second occurrence of this same issue. The first occurred in April 2021 at 24,192 miles and was repaired by the dealer under warranty. There were no warning lamps or messages of the problem but there was oil on the ground where I park. The car is available for inspection. An internet search confirms that this is a known and common problem with the Lexus RX350 (and specifically the 2017 model) for many owners with some occurring more than once as in my case.

NHTSA ODI 11613316

I bought this car in March 2020. We took it to the Kingsport, TN Lexus dealer Sept. 14, 2020 for several warranty issues and a recall factory interior front door handle replacement. Today, 9/3/24 the front driver’s side interior door handle broke and the door cannot be opened from inside the car. Called local dealer who said that it was guaranteed for 12 months or 12,000 miles. I find this completely unacceptable. I am [XXX] and have driven cars for over 40 years and I have never had a car handle break. For this handle to basically last four years is unacceptable and unsafe for any Lexus driver. At this point I question as to whether the repair was actually made. If in fact replaced, I am shocked by the lack of quality in a repair that was to have fixed a serious issue. Driving a car when you cannot open the door is not something I recommend to anyone! I have called Lexus National customer service and they have opened a case. I do plan to have this repaired and I do not plan to pay for what I consider to be very low quality part replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11612333

When checking the emergency SOS function in my car I found that it did not work. I called Lexus support and was told that the following safety systems would no longer be operative: Lexus Enform Safety Connect including Automatic Collision Notification; Enhanced Roadside Assistance; Emergency Assistance Button and Stolen Vehicle Locator; Lexus Enform Remote including Remote Engine Start/Stop, Door Lock/Unlock, Vehicle Finder, Guest Driver Monitor, Vehicle Status and Alerts, Key Fob Remote Start, and Integration with Alexa and The Google Assistant; Lexus Enform Destination Assist including 24-hour live response center agent; Lexus Enform Service Connect including Vehicle Health Report, Vehicle Alerts, and Maintenance Alerts; These include safety systems that I rely on, especially when driving on interstate highways, and were included when I purchased my car. I had no warning that the services would cease to function in October of this year. Lexus states that these systems will no longer function because telecommunications providers will no longer support 3G service. This is certainly a safety issue for me and for other drivers and I believe that Lexus should be required to modify the hardware/software in these vehicles to function in a 4G/5G environment. Lexus representatives state that Lexus has no plans to correct these safety issues. I am requesting that NHTSA review this matter as a highway safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11612005

235/65r18 tire. I was driving on the highway and all of a sudden it was a loud noise and immediate tire noise. I struggled to slow the vehicle down and pull to the side of the road The tire is absolutely destroyed both on the inside and the outside side walls of the tire. I could have had a horrible accident because the car was completely out of control when the tire blew

NHTSA ODI 11609133

On [XXX], my wife, [XXX] , was driving our Lexus RX 350 when she noticed engine smoke without any prior notifications from the vehicle. Concerned for her safety, she pulled over and contacted Geico for assistance. Geico arranged for the vehicle to be towed to Motor City Lexus, a trusted Lexus dealership in Bakersfield. Once we the dealership performed a diagnosis they advised that the issue involved coolant being leaked into the engine that caused the smoke with in result caused the engine blow head gasket. After doing some research I saw an article from consumer reports about some Lexus and Toyota SUVs doing the exact same thing which made me decide to wrote about this incident. I am including the link regarding the report [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11600269

The sunroof glass spontaneously exploded into thousands of pieces while driving on the interstate. There was no impact what so ever to the glass and the outside temperature was 95 degrees. The shattered glass fell into the vehicle and left a huge hole in the center of the glass panel. My safety was at risk due to explosion of glass while driving at an elevated rate of speed of 75mph. All while traveling over 100 miles from home and then having to drive the vehicle home with a gapping hole in the roof. The surrounding drivers were also at risk due to the glass flying off and hitting their vehicles. There were no cracks or failures to the glass prior to the glass exploding. There were no warning lights, messages or symptoms.

NHTSA ODI 11594764

During a routine maintenance at the Lexus dealer where vehicle was purchased, we were told that there was a potential oil leak from ("potentially") the engine where the block, cylinder head, and timing cover components meet. The quote we got for the repair is $18,781.52 as a good portion of the car needs to be disassembled to access the motor. This issue was only brought up after the warranty expired. The Toyota 2GR-FKS 3.5L V-6 engine in this vehicle is known to leak in this area due to the gasket mating surfaces in the area mentioned above not sealing completely requiring silicone RTV caulk to be installed during engine assembly. If this is not done correctly leaks occur. Lexus refuses to make good on this saying the car is out of warranty. Ironically, after receiving the quote from the dealer for the repair, we received an offer to extend the warranty - available only after this $18k repair was completed.

NHTSA ODI 11568526

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that prior to starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor on the exterior of the vehicle. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the odor was inside the vehicle. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that while taking the vehicle to the dealer and driving the vehicle into the dealer parking lot, the service representative noticed a trail of fuel coming from the vehicle. The contact and her three kids exited the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed fuel pressure sensor connection and leaking fuel line. The contact was informed that the fuel pump and fuel line needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,403.

NHTSA ODI 11558561

there has always been a sound when braking. took it to the dealer on 6/27/2019. service adviser told me to brake harder to break in the brakes.

NHTSA ODI 11545539

I WAS SITTING AT A COMPLETE STOP FOR MORE THAN 45 MINUTES BEHIND A FATALITY ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY THEY HAD CLOSED WHILE OCCASIONALLY REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE TO INCH FORWARD A FEW FEET A BEST AND THEN STOP AGAIN NEVER TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR WHEN I REALIZED AT ONE POINT TRAFFIC BESIDE ME WAS MOVING, I THOUGHT, IT WAS MY RX 350 WHILE PRESSING BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO SEE IF IT WAS SLOW ME DOWN AS AN UPCOMING CRASH WAS UNAVOIDABLE. NO BRAKE ASSIST, PRECOLLISON WARNING OR ASSIST, NO EMERGENCY BRAKING, NO RESISTANCE FROM BRAKE PEDAL AND ***NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE BACK OF A STOPPED SEMI TRUCK** and during the entire incident the speedometer remained at zero or moved a tiny bit off of zero as if it was pulsing somehow and the accelerator was never touched while car felt like I was being pushed from behind, randomly accelerating on its own before impact.

NHTSA ODI 11543106

•What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Amplifier is in failure. There is no sound. This is a very common problem with Lexus. It is available for inspection upon request. •How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? (1)Navigation and Directions – Navigation is working properly, but no sound coming out from navigation. This could lead to confusion and distractions. I have been using my phone to navigate, and this is not safe using my phone while I am driving. (2)Distracted driving – There is no sound using Bluetooth, so I disconnect my phone with the car’s Bluetooth. When I receive a phone call, I have to check the phone to see if this is an urgent call, like calling from my son’s aftercare. If the call is urgent, I have to respond to the call. This doesn’t allow the driver to make hands-free calls. This can lead to distractions that compromise the driver’s attention and increase the risk of accidents. •Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? This issue was checked by Lexus Englewood Service center, and they confirmed that this is the amplifier failure. I purchase this vehicle at Englewood Lexus. •Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? This issue was checked by Lexus Englewood Service center, and they confirmed that this is the amplifier failure. •Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. Sound system failure has appeared since April 2023.

NHTSA ODI 11540306

The lane departure camera is mounted to the windshield and the glass between the windshield and the camera becomes fogged over time. This results in the lane departure system becoming less sensitive or inoperable - in particular in low-light or when sun was shining toward the camera (dusk/dawn). It also results in the adaptive cruise control becoming more erratic (abrupt in stops). This design puts the user of the vehicle and others around them at risk as key safety systems are compromised. This is in an area that is generally not easily accessible for an owner to clean. However, I was able to remove the camera and clean the glass (please see pictures) and normal function resumed immediately. This is not an operation a owner should attempt and there are warnings about camera re-calibration. I believe NHTSA should consider this a design defect that could be cured by a visit to a dealer (periodically) with their technicians performing a complementary cleaning of the interior camera glass to ensure the camera continues to function properly. About the car: This car has never been in an accident, non-smoker, always garaged (no sun/heat exposure) driven in the city with no dust or debris in the cabin (exceptionally clean inside and out) 33,500 miles at time of cleaning (photos attached). I believe this fog is due to off-gassing of cabin materials that occurs naturally as the vehicle ages.

NHTSA ODI 11538204

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that upon attempting to exit the vehicle through the driver's side, the door failed to open. The contact was able to exit the vehicle after reaching through the open window to open the door using the exterior door handle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.

NHTSA ODI 11537710

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the sunroof was rattling. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where after a test drive, the contact was informed that the failure was with the brakes, not the sunroof. Overtime, the failure worsened, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was provided an estimate for the replacement of the sunroof. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 35,461.

NHTSA ODI 11533090