Lexus RX 2004–2009 problems by year and mileage
2nd generation (RX 330 / RX 400h / RX 350) · XU30
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,448 complaints, 1,074 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2004 Lexus RX
Close- Median failure report
- 46,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 327
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2004
- Transmission and driveline74 reports · median 5,500 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit59 reports · median 10,000 mi
- Body structure46 reports
6 recall campaigns name the 2004: Engine and engine cooling; Vehicle speed control — accelerator pedal; Service brakes, hydraulic — foundation components. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2005 Lexus RX
Close- Median failure report
- 80,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 194
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2005
- Body structure36 reports
- Exterior lighting34 reports
- Steering31 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2005: Engine and engine cooling; Vehicle speed control — accelerator pedal; Service brakes, hydraulic — foundation components. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2006 Lexus RX
Close- Median failure report
- 72,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 253
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2006
- Electrical system42 reports
- Body structure34 reports
- Throttle and speed control30 reports
6 recall campaigns name the 2006: Hybrid propulsion system — inverter; Engine and engine cooling; Electrical system. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2007 Lexus RX
Close- Median failure report
- 75,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 289
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2007
- Engine48 reports · median 107,000 mi
- Body structure40 reports · median 72,000 mi
- Steering36 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2007: Hybrid propulsion system — inverter; Electrical system; Vehicle speed control — accelerator pedal. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2008 Lexus RX
Close- Median failure report
- 72,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 253
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2008
- Throttle and speed control38 reports · median 38,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise35 reports
- Body structure34 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2008: Hybrid propulsion system — inverter. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2009 Lexus RX
Close- Median failure report
- 59,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 132
- Recalls naming this year
- 0
Most reported on the 2009
- Steering33 reports
- Engine21 reports
- Body structure19 reports
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2005 reports latest and the 2004 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2004 has had 1 more year on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2004–2009 Lexus RX reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 68,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 142,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 1,074
- Recalls
- 8
Most reported
- Body structure14.4% of complaints · median 70,000 mi
- Steering11.2% of complaints · median 76,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control11.2% of complaints · median 46,000 mi
Documented problems
- Vvt-I Oil Supply Hose (2GR-Fe)2007–2009
- Instrument Panel (dashboard)2004–2009
Owners filed 1,448 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004–2009 Lexus RX; body structure leads with 14.4% of them, and half of the 1,074 that record an odometer reading came by 68,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 35,000 and 105,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2004–2009 Lexus RX last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2004–2009 Lexus RX, half of the 1,074 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 68,000 miles and 90% by 142,000 miles.
90 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 26 past 200,000 — each one proof that a RX reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Lexus RX 2004–2009 · 1,074 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 121 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 26 complaints (2.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 7,491
- 25%
- 35,000
- Median
- 68,000
- 75%
- 105,000
- 90%
- 142,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 121 | 11.3% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 65 | 6.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 47 | 4.4% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 65 | 6.1% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 72 | 6.7% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 87 | 8.1% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 90 | 8.4% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 74 | 6.9% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 87 | 8.1% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 54 | 5.0% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 66 | 6.1% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 43 | 4.0% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 37 | 3.4% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 38 | 3.5% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 38 | 3.5% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 19 | 1.8% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 20 | 1.9% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 7 | 0.7% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 9 | 0.8% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 9 | 0.8% |
| 200,000+ | 26 | 2.4% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common RX problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Lexus RX 2004–2009
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Throttle and speed control162 reports46,00017,000–82,000Throttle and speed control: 162 reports, median 46,000 miles, middle half 17,000 to 82,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline151 reports57,0005,500–103,000Transmission and driveline: 151 reports, median 57,000 miles, middle half 5,500 to 103,000 miles.
- Body structure209 reports70,00050,000–100,000Body structure: 209 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Steering162 reports76,00050,000–105,000Steering: 162 reports, median 76,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 105,000 miles.
- Electrical system124 reports80,00051,000–118,000Electrical system: 124 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 51,000 to 118,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise143 reports87,00050,000–124,000Problems owners could not categorise: 143 reports, median 87,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 124,000 miles.
- Engine136 reports108,00080,000–132,000Engine: 136 reports, median 108,000 miles, middle half 80,000 to 132,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body structure | 209 | 14.4% | 70,000 | 50,000–100,000 |
| Steering | 162 | 11.2% | 76,000 | 50,000–105,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 162 | 11.2% | 46,000 | 17,000–82,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 151 | 10.4% | 57,000 | 5,500–103,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 143 | 9.9% | 87,000 | 50,000–124,000 |
| Engine | 136 | 9.4% | 108,000 | 80,000–132,000 |
| Electrical system | 124 | 8.6% | 80,000 | 51,000–118,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 112 | 7.7% | 15,000 | 7,500–43,000 |
| Airbag system | 111 | 7.7% | 80,000 | 43,000–113,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 106 | 7.3% | 67,000 | 46,000–89,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 68,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Body structure accounts for 14.4% of complaints (209 reports, 148 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 100,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 11.2% of complaints (162 reports, 135 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 76,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 105,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 11.2% of complaints (162 reports, 136 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 46,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 17,000 and 82,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 10.4% of complaints (151 reports, 114 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 57,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,500 and 103,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 9.9% of complaints (143 reports, 83 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 87,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 124,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 9.4% of complaints (136 reports, 111 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 108,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 80,000 and 132,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2004–2009 RX
Vvt-I Oil Supply Hose (2GR-Fe) 2007–2009
The rubber section of the VVT-i actuator oil supply hose degrades and ruptures, causing rapid oil loss, abnormal engine noise, oil pressure warning and cam timing codes (e.g. P0024) that can end in engine failure. Lexus ran a Limited Service Campaign replacing the hose with an all-metal part, covering roughly 374,000 vehicles including MY2007-2009 RX 350.
Instrument Panel (dashboard) 2004–2009
Dashboards crack and turn sticky/shiny/melted under heat and humidity. Lexus ran a Warranty Enhancement Program (ZLD) covering MY2004-2006 RX 330 and MY2007-2009 RX 350, with reimbursement for prior out-of-pocket replacements of roughly $1,500.
Before you buy a 2004–2009 RX: the 3-minute check
Generated from 1,074 mileage-tagged complaints, 8 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 8 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check vvt-i oil supply hose (2GR-Fe) on 2007–2009 (RX 350) cars. The rubber section of the VVT-i actuator oil supply hose degrades and ruptures, causing rapid oil loss, abnormal engine noise, oil pressure warning and cam timing codes (e.g. P0024) that can end in engine failure. Lexus…
- Check instrument panel (dashboard) on 2004–2009 cars. Dashboards crack and turn sticky/shiny/melted under heat and humidity. Lexus ran a Warranty Enhancement Program (ZLD) covering MY2004-2006 RX 330 and MY2007-2009 RX 350, with reimbursement for prior out-of-pocket…
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 35,000 and 105,000 miles, with a median of 68,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, body structure and the steering are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Body structure in particular shows a median failure mileage of 70,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
RX problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi43% below | At 90k mi66% below | At 120k mi81% below | At 150k mi92% below | At 200k mi98% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body structure | 50,000–100,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Steering | 50,000–105,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Throttle and speed control | 17,000–82,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Transmission and driveline | 5,500–103,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 50,000–124,000 | in window | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 80,000–132,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 51,000–118,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Lexus RX 2004–2009 · 1,074 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 43% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 66% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 81% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 92% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 98% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 98%: the remaining 2.4% of reports (26) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2004–2009 Lexus RX recalls (8)
NHTSA records 8 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around throttle and speed control (2), the hybrid propulsion system (1), the engine and its cooling system (1). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Sep 2013 · 2006–2008 · Hybrid Propulsion SystemThe vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle.
The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power…
What can happen. The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the…
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by…
Nov 2011 · 2004–2006 · Engine and Engine CoolingIn some cases, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley which could result in…
The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 camry, camry solara, highlander, and sienna vehicles, 2006 highlander hybrid; 2004 and 2005 Lexus es330 and rx330; and 2006 Lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from june 1, 2004 through…
What can happen. In some cases, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley which could result in a loss of power steering and a sudden increase in steering effort, increasing the risk of…
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the crankshaft pulley to identify whether it was produced by the u.S. Supplier. If so, the dealer will replace the pulley with a new one at no…
Jun 2011 · 2006–2007 · Electrical SystemThe vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle.
The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 highlander hybrid and Lexus rx400h passenger cars manufactured from february 16, 2005, through august 30, 2006. A module inside the inverter module may contain inadequately soldered transistors that during…
What can happen. The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the…
The free fix. Toyota/Lexus mailed an interim owner notification on july 19, 2011 to advise owners of this recall and the fact that they will receive a future notice when parts become available to complete repairs.…
Feb 2011 · 2004–2007 · Vehicle Speed ControlIf this occurs, the accelerator pedal may temporarily become stuck in a partially depressed position rather…
The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 highlander, highlander hybrid, and model year 2004-2007 Lexus rx330, rx350, and rx400h vehicles. If the forward retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover, which is located in front of the center…
What can happen. If this occurs, the accelerator pedal may temporarily become stuck in a partially depressed position rather than return to the idle position. A stuck accelerator pedal may result in unintended and…
The free fix. Dealers will replace the floor carpet cover with a newly designed one free or charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during march 2011. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Oct 2010 · 2004–2006 · Service Brakes, HydraulicA leak of brake fluid could lead to a change in brake pedal feel and overtime a degradation in braking…
The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 avalon, model year 2004-2006 highlander, model year 2004-2006 Lexus rx, and model year 2006 Lexus gs and is vehicles. Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as lubricants for certain brake system…
What can happen. A leak of brake fluid could lead to a change in brake pedal feel and overtime a degradation in braking performance increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the seal with a newly designed one. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on november 15, 2010. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 and…
Jul 2006 · 2004–2006 · Vehicle Speed ControlThis condition may interfere with the accelerator pedal returning to the idle position increasing the risk of…
The defect. On certain sport utility and hybrid vehicles, the two retaining clips for the driver's side forward center console can become loose. If both clips separate from the floor carpet cover, the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal, causing interference with…
What can happen. This condition may interfere with the accelerator pedal returning to the idle position increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the two floor carpet cover retaining clips free of charge. The recall began on july 24, 2006, and should be completed by early september 2006. Owners may contact Toyota at…
Jan 2006 · 2004 · Seat BeltsThe rear seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash.
The defect. Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, "Seat belt assembly anchorages." The anchor bolt for the rear, left-hand side seat belt buckle directly behind the driver's seat does not…
What can happen. The rear seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace free of charge the rear, left-hand side seat belt buckle anchor bolt with an improved one. The recall began on february 3, 2006. Owners may contact Lexus at 800-255-3987.
Nov 2004 · 2004 · Exterior LightingIf the switch is inoperable, the brake lights will not illuminate and can increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. Certain passenger vehicles may be equipped with an improperly designed brake light switch. A silicon oxide build-up occurs on the contacts inside the brake light switch, which can make it inoperable.
What can happen. If the switch is inoperable, the brake lights will not illuminate and can increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the brake light switch. The recall began during december 2004. Owners should contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,448 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 145 (10.0%)
- Fires
- 15
- Injury reports
- 67
- Fatality reports
- 3
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
RX problems by model year
The 2004 drew the most complaints of this generation, 327, most of them about the transmission and driveline, and the 2009 the fewest, 132. A typical year drew about 253.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 327 | 214 | 46,000 | Transmission and driveline (74) | 6 |
| 2005 | 194 | 142 | 80,000 | Body structure (36) | 4 |
| 2006 | 253 | 202 | 72,000 | Electrical system (42) | 6 |
| 2007 | 289 | 231 | 75,000 | Engine (48) | 3 |
| 2008 | 253 | 188 | 72,000 | Throttle and speed control (38) | 1 |
| 2009 | 132 | 97 | 59,000 | Steering (33) | 0 |
What RX owners reported
The contact owns a 2009 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that the dashboard was cracked. The crack initially developed on the passenger’s side near the air bag enclosure and progressively spread across the dashboard toward the driver’s side. The surface of the dashboard was also sticky. The ignition switch was sticky…
2009 · 50,000 miles · Body structure
The contact owns a 2009 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment with the check engine oil warning light illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it…
2009 · 190,000 miles · Engine and its cooling system
The contact owns a 2005 Lexus RX 330. The contact stated that there were horizontal and vertical cracks on the dashboard near the passenger’s side air bag housing. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was concerned about the safety of the driver’s and passenger’s side air bags. The local dealer was…
2005 · 80,000 miles · Airbag system
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2008 Lexus RX 350. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 114,000. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Owner’s Title was 265,000 based on a Carfax Report. After…
2008 · 278,000 miles · Electrical system
Built from 1,074 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other RX generations
- RX 1999–2003 637 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline
- RX 2010–2015 349 reports with mileage, most about throttle and speed control
- RX 2016–2022 165 reports with mileage, most about the airbag system