2021 Lexus RX 350 Problems & Owner Complaints

Air Bags 47 3 crash 2 injury

“I was driving on the freeway in Stockton California and I entered into a connecting on-ramp curve going about 30mph and a lady hit me from behind on the passenger side going 65mph as she was trying to change lanes to get behind me and my car instantly speeded up spinning out of control Into a gully filled with stored freeway construction materials such as poles . The car kept spinning out of control because the ground was mud-slush from the rains. I kept construction poles came into my windshield, I kept spinning and sliding as I slammed into 2 trees and as the car sustained severe damage all…”
NHTSA complaint #11596466, 2023 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“Hit a deer that impacted the passenger side of the vehicle. Passenger seat was occupied, and door had to be pried open by tow truck driver to get passenger out. Entire right side, from the "L" logo to the front fender was destroyed. The passenger airbag did not deploy, nor did emergency braking or collision avoidance warning go off as deer was crossing from the left (driver) side to passenger side where it impacted. No injuries, but car had to be towed due to front damage. Lexus has no fix for the airbag sensor recall for almost a year now.”
NHTSA complaint #11628992, 2024 · crash

“1.) My SUV locked up when I swerved to avoid hitting a car in front of me. 2.) My vehicle wouldn't stop and I had no control over it as it "threw me around" the highway. The only reason it stop was when it collided with another vehicle. 3.) It is sitting at the collision center right now waiting to be worked on. 4.) The insurance adjuster. 5.) The message that came on was "brake."”
NHTSA complaint #11523165, 2023 · crash

Unknown Or Other 8 1 crash 3 injury

“I was driving on the freeway in Stockton California and I entered into a connecting on-ramp curve going about 30mph and a lady hit me from behind on the passenger side going 65mph as she was trying to change lanes to get behind me and my car instantly speeded up spinning out of control Into a gully filled with stored freeway construction materials such as poles . The car kept spinning out of control because the ground was mud-slush from the rains. I kept construction poles came into my windshield, I kept spinning and sliding as I slammed into 2 trees and as the car sustained severe damage all…”
NHTSA complaint #11596466, 2023 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“The sole occupant driver drove into a slightly elevated driveway and stopped. The driveway is maybe 5 degree incline. The shift select lever was placed in Park and the Driver visually confirmed it was in park. Driver sat in the car for 12 seconds before exiting the vehicle with the engine running and AC on. The driver exited and was standing outside of the vehicle with both feet on the ground for 6 seconds reaching back inside at which time the vehicle began to suddenly roll down the driveway causing injury to the driver. This seems to be a failure of the parking system of the vehicle causing…”
NHTSA complaint #11476356, 2022 · 1 injury(ies)

“My 2021 Lexus RX 350 (mileage approx. [19,000], has developed a severe mold contamination issue caused by HVAC condensate drain failure. This issue is a known design defect covered by Lexus Technical Service Bulletin L-SB-0020-21, which identifies blockage or poor drainage in the HVAC system that allows water to enter the cabin. As a result, water intrusion under the carpet has led to mold growth, making the vehicle uninhabitable and unsafe to drive. The cabin now contains visible mold and musty odor, raising serious health and air quality concerns. I brought the vehicle to Lexus of Route 10…”
NHTSA complaint #11675285, 2025

Structure 5 2 crash 2 injury

“I was driving on the freeway in Stockton California and I entered into a connecting on-ramp curve going about 30mph and a lady hit me from behind on the passenger side going 65mph as she was trying to change lanes to get behind me and my car instantly speeded up spinning out of control Into a gully filled with stored freeway construction materials such as poles . The car kept spinning out of control because the ground was mud-slush from the rains. I kept construction poles came into my windshield, I kept spinning and sliding as I slammed into 2 trees and as the car sustained severe damage all…”
NHTSA complaint #11596466, 2023 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“I was at the gas station, in line waiting for one of the three gas pumps to be available. I put my car in reverse to back up and pull around another car in order to go to the open pump in front. When my car was in reverse motion, I stepped on the brake pedal, but the car did not stop. I stepped on the brake pedal numerous times, but the brake did not function. My car backed into the front of the car in line behind me damaging both vehicles. The automatic emergency braking system did not activate, and there was no rear collision warning sound or message. I switched my car from Reverse i…”
NHTSA complaint #11684842, 2025 · crash

“On the Saturday (12/21) before Christmas, my hatch door wouldn’t open with the key fob, push button in the vehicle or push button on the door. And the foot under the bumper opener has never worked for me. Anyways, because I couldn’t get my door to open, I ended up loading my groceries in the back seat. When I got home, it still wouldn’t work with the key fob or other buttons. One family member who tried to help me, pushed the door button and it suddenly opened after all the many attempts before. But then it wouldn’t close back. Just like at the store, it made that beeping sound but that it mak…”
NHTSA complaint #11632580, 2024

Forward Collision Avoidance 4 2 crash 1 injury

“The sole occupant driver drove into a slightly elevated driveway and stopped. The driveway is maybe 5 degree incline. The shift select lever was placed in Park and the Driver visually confirmed it was in park. Driver sat in the car for 12 seconds before exiting the vehicle with the engine running and AC on. The driver exited and was standing outside of the vehicle with both feet on the ground for 6 seconds reaching back inside at which time the vehicle began to suddenly roll down the driveway causing injury to the driver. This seems to be a failure of the parking system of the vehicle causing…”
NHTSA complaint #11476356, 2022 · 1 injury(ies)

“I was at the gas station, in line waiting for one of the three gas pumps to be available. I put my car in reverse to back up and pull around another car in order to go to the open pump in front. When my car was in reverse motion, I stepped on the brake pedal, but the car did not stop. I stepped on the brake pedal numerous times, but the brake did not function. My car backed into the front of the car in line behind me damaging both vehicles. The automatic emergency braking system did not activate, and there was no rear collision warning sound or message. I switched my car from Reverse i…”
NHTSA complaint #11684842, 2025 · crash

“Hit a deer that impacted the passenger side of the vehicle. Passenger seat was occupied, and door had to be pried open by tow truck driver to get passenger out. Entire right side, from the "L" logo to the front fender was destroyed. The passenger airbag did not deploy, nor did emergency braking or collision avoidance warning go off as deer was crossing from the left (driver) side to passenger side where it impacted. No injuries, but car had to be towed due to front damage. Lexus has no fix for the airbag sensor recall for almost a year now.”
NHTSA complaint #11628992, 2024 · crash

Seat Belts 4 3 crash 5 injury

“Motor Vehicle accident with damage to vehicle front end and drivers side quarter panel. Vehicle was not drivable and required towing service at the scene. Front seat belts of the vehicle failed to engage resulting in the driver being bounced up in the seat and then down resulting in a serious compression fracture of the vertebrae of the spine. An inspection was completed of the vehicle by a third party and reported to the Toyota Claims department on August 19, 2022. Toyota did respond with notification related to the results of the inspections to include: "The seatbelts were found to be o…”
NHTSA complaint #11487212, 2022 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“I was involved in a single car accident in which the vehicle went off of the road hit an embankment and the vehicle bounced. The front drivers side hip and shoulder seat belt did not engage, and sustained a compression fracture to the vertebrae. The passenger front seat belt at the hip did engage with the sudden stop but the shoulder harness did not engage. The back seat passenger seat belt did fully engage and resulted in seat belt markings to the right shoulder and clavicle area of the passenger requiring evaluation at the Emergency Department. The rear seat passenger did have the Live…”
NHTSA complaint #11478762, 2022 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2021 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that while attempting to remove the [XXX] child from the rear passenger seat the rear passenger seat belt had become entangled around the child's torso and was extremely difficult to remove causing severe distress to the child and the child experienced difficulty breathing. The contact used scissors to cut the seatbelt which freed the child. During the incident, the child sustained bruising of the back and torso which did not require medical treatment. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicl…”
NHTSA complaint #11592055, 2024 · 1 injury(ies)

Electrical System 3

“My 2021 Lexus RX 350 (mileage approx. [19,000], has developed a severe mold contamination issue caused by HVAC condensate drain failure. This issue is a known design defect covered by Lexus Technical Service Bulletin L-SB-0020-21, which identifies blockage or poor drainage in the HVAC system that allows water to enter the cabin. As a result, water intrusion under the carpet has led to mold growth, making the vehicle uninhabitable and unsafe to drive. The cabin now contains visible mold and musty odor, raising serious health and air quality concerns. I brought the vehicle to Lexus of Route 10…”
NHTSA complaint #11675285, 2025

“Multiple Models and Model Years Passenger Airbag May Not Deploy NHTSA SENSORS not working. The campaign number is 23V865 : OCS Sensors May Short Circuit An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury. NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 Manufacturer Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing Components AIR BAGS The official recall release date was December 20, 2023.”
NHTSA complaint #11585425, 2023

“I am writing to you regarding the vehicle safety which I became aware of  recently but there was no solution provided. IF this happened to me, it can happen to anyone driving the same model and needs to be addressed as soon as possible before the fatality occurs as this is danger to the public.I was driving a vehicle on [XXX] after just picking it up from service (serviced at Ray Catena Lexus on [XXX] for 15,000 miles service and oil change) at the rate of speed approximately 65 mph. All of sudden the vehicle started making noises, transmission shifted from auto to lower manual gear and I was…”
NHTSA complaint #11575611, 2023

Service Brakes 3 1 crash 1 injury

“The sole occupant driver drove into a slightly elevated driveway and stopped. The driveway is maybe 5 degree incline. The shift select lever was placed in Park and the Driver visually confirmed it was in park. Driver sat in the car for 12 seconds before exiting the vehicle with the engine running and AC on. The driver exited and was standing outside of the vehicle with both feet on the ground for 6 seconds reaching back inside at which time the vehicle began to suddenly roll down the driveway causing injury to the driver. This seems to be a failure of the parking system of the vehicle causing…”
NHTSA complaint #11476356, 2022 · 1 injury(ies)

“I was at the gas station, in line waiting for one of the three gas pumps to be available. I put my car in reverse to back up and pull around another car in order to go to the open pump in front. When my car was in reverse motion, I stepped on the brake pedal, but the car did not stop. I stepped on the brake pedal numerous times, but the brake did not function. My car backed into the front of the car in line behind me damaging both vehicles. The automatic emergency braking system did not activate, and there was no rear collision warning sound or message. I switched my car from Reverse i…”
NHTSA complaint #11684842, 2025 · crash

“Brake actuator failed with exact symptom in [XXX] Repaired in dealer and the same symptom comes back within 2k miles. It seems a design flaw that affected many lexus rx hybrid and toyota highlander hybrid cars, and likely due to air being trapped in the brake lines or brake actuator components. Air in these system is a major safety hazards. Please help to make it a recall and ask Toyota to come up with a solution that really solve this issue. Similar experience from many other owners. One forum thread is attached here for reference. There are many more. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUAN…”
NHTSA complaint #11633020, 2024

Engine 2

“My car has 171,000 miles on it and I have a blown head gasket. This vehicle has only been driven by myself and was purchased brand new.”
NHTSA complaint #11563621, 2024

“I am writing to you regarding the vehicle safety which I became aware of  recently but there was no solution provided. IF this happened to me, it can happen to anyone driving the same model and needs to be addressed as soon as possible before the fatality occurs as this is danger to the public.I was driving a vehicle on [XXX] after just picking it up from service (serviced at Ray Catena Lexus on [XXX] for 15,000 miles service and oil change) at the rate of speed approximately 65 mph. All of sudden the vehicle started making noises, transmission shifted from auto to lower manual gear and I was…”
NHTSA complaint #11575611, 2023

Tires 2 1 crash

“I had previously owned a 2018 Lexus RX350L that came with OEM Michelin Premier LTX tires. That car handled very well on rain, snow and ice. I eventually replaced those tires with Continental Crosscontact LX25 that were even better to the point that I woud say they were excellent on snow and ice. When I purchased my 2021 Lexus RX350 F Sport, it came with Bridgestone Ecopia H/L 422 Plus tires in 235 / 55 R 20. The Bridgestone tires were more prone to hydroplaning but I was able to adjust driving in wet rainy situations. The Bridgestone tires however are absolutely useless in even the slightest d…”
NHTSA complaint #11447138, 2022 · crash

“The tire (Bridgestone Ecopia 422 Plus 235/55R 20 102V M+S) failed within seconds while driving on the highway at 70 MPH. Luckily I did not lose control and was able to steer the car from the middle lane to the birm thanks to the semi driver on my right who allowed us to get off the road quickly. There was almost no rubber remaining on the rim and the tire pressure sensor was gone. The tow truck driver and NTB tire technician said the tire appeared to have failed due to delamination of the steel belt. Subsequent searches on the internet seem to support belt failure as the cause of the rapid los…”
NHTSA complaint #11703747, 2025

Back Over Prevention 1

“I want to bring 2 issues to your attention: First, with all the technology in vehicles today, I can't figure out why there isn't an audible warning if the lights aren't on at night and why they don't come on automatically when windshield wipers are turned on. I often find that I am driving without lights because either my wife or some valet turned them off from 'auto' without my knowledge. I have to imagine accidents have occurred because of this and it seems like such a simple problem to fix. Supposedly there is a law (though I've never seen it) in Florida that you have to have your l…”
NHTSA complaint #11542254, 2023

Exterior Lighting 1

“I want to bring 2 issues to your attention: First, with all the technology in vehicles today, I can't figure out why there isn't an audible warning if the lights aren't on at night and why they don't come on automatically when windshield wipers are turned on. I often find that I am driving without lights because either my wife or some valet turned them off from 'auto' without my knowledge. I have to imagine accidents have occurred because of this and it seems like such a simple problem to fix. Supposedly there is a law (though I've never seen it) in Florida that you have to have your l…”
NHTSA complaint #11542254, 2023

Latches/Locks/Linkages 1

“On the Saturday (12/21) before Christmas, my hatch door wouldn’t open with the key fob, push button in the vehicle or push button on the door. And the foot under the bumper opener has never worked for me. Anyways, because I couldn’t get my door to open, I ended up loading my groceries in the back seat. When I got home, it still wouldn’t work with the key fob or other buttons. One family member who tried to help me, pushed the door button and it suddenly opened after all the many attempts before. But then it wouldn’t close back. Just like at the store, it made that beeping sound but that it mak…”
NHTSA complaint #11632580, 2024

Seats 1 1 crash 1 injury

“The contact owned a 2021 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that while his wife was stopped at a red light, the vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle traveling around 65 MPH. During the collision, the driver's side seat reclining mechanism failed to hold the seat in an upright position, allowing the seat to fall backward, resulting in the driver sustaining injuries that the contact attributed to the failure. The air bags did deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed and…”
NHTSA complaint #11622772, 2024 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Steering 1 1 crash

“1.) My SUV locked up when I swerved to avoid hitting a car in front of me. 2.) My vehicle wouldn't stop and I had no control over it as it "threw me around" the highway. The only reason it stop was when it collided with another vehicle. 3.) It is sitting at the collision center right now waiting to be worked on. 4.) The insurance adjuster. 5.) The message that came on was "brake."”
NHTSA complaint #11523165, 2023 · crash

Visibility 1

“On my 2021 Lexus RX350L, the left-hand side outer rear-view mirror vibrates. This can be observed when the car is driven >35mph or when driving on rough roads. At freeway speeds, the mirror vibrates to such a degree that it is difficult to see from it and causes perception issues. I noticed this issue even more pronounced on some other 2021 RX350 vehicles that I test drove before purchasing the one I own. The issue seems to mimic that of L-SB-0058-22. I suspect the cause and remedy are likely the same.”
NHTSA complaint #11580951, 2024

Visibility/Wiper 1

“Front wiper motor damaged two times in fourth years. First time on 2023 and was replaced by warranty at the Lexus Dealer and the second time was damaged on August 22, 2025. Now it is damaged but not covered by warranty at this time with 52,000 miles on the car. The wiper motor was damaged and it can not move down to hide inside down the hood, when the front wipers on they moved and the wiper hits the hood and peel the hood's paint.”
NHTSA complaint #11682598, 2025

Wheels 1

“While driving, the front driver's side tire and wheel detached from my vehicle, causing significant damage. My vehicle was last serviced at dealer on September 2024. During this service, significant maintenance and repair work was performed, including machining rotors, wheel alignment, and tire rotation. I am concerned that either a malfunction or an improper connection of the wheel has led to this incident. Since service, I have driven approximately 2,000 miles and have not had the car serviced by any other provider. My driving has been limited to general day-to-day use, with no long road tr…”
NHTSA complaint #11624678, 2024