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Lexus RX 2010–2015 problems by year and mileage

3rd generation (RX 350 / RX 450h) · AL10

NHTSA data through 24 September 2026496 complaints, 349 with mileageMethod

Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.

• 201033kmedian
• 201159kmedian
• 201231kmedian
• 201353kmedian
• 2014—too few
• 201527kmedian

Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2011 reports latest and the 2015 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2011 has had 4 more years on the road to accumulate mileage. 1 of these years carries fewer than 30 reports with an odometer reading and shows no median at all, rather than one computed from a handful.

The short answer

“Is the 2010–2015 Lexus RX reliable?”

Median of reported failures

37,000 mi

90% of reports came by

130,000 mi

Reports with mileage

349

Recalls

4

Most reported

1. Throttle and speed control17.9% of complaints · median 17,000 mi
2. Engine16.9% of complaints · median 95,000 mi
3. Brakes13.3% of complaints · median 44,000 mi

When each system fails ↓

Documented problems

• Accelerator Pedal / Floor Mat Entrapment2010

What each one is ↓

Owners filed 496 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010–2015 Lexus RX; throttle and speed control leads with 17.9% of them, and half of the 349 that record an odometer reading came by 37,000 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.

27% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 2.3 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.

Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗

How many miles does a 2010–2015 Lexus RX last?

Figure 1 · Lexus RX 2010–2015 · 349 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 = 88 complaints.

886644220

25.2% of all reports fall between 0 and 10,000 miles

25k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k

• First 12,000 miles — 27% of all failures
• Rest of the range
• Median
• 200,000+ — 4 complaints (1.1%), plotted separately

10%

2,000

25%

9,590

Median

37,000

75%

80,000

90%

129,550

Tallest bin: 88 complaints between 0 and 10,000 miles. Based on 349 complaints that record mileage. Bin width 10,000 miles.

Show the numbers

Complaints by mileage bin

Mileage	Complaints	Share
0–10,000	88	25.2%
10,000–20,000	33	9.5%
20,000–30,000	29	8.3%
30,000–40,000	31	8.9%
40,000–50,000	34	9.7%
50,000–60,000	16	4.6%
60,000–70,000	19	5.4%
70,000–80,000	9	2.6%
80,000–90,000	12	3.4%
90,000–100,000	11	3.2%
100,000–110,000	15	4.3%
110,000–120,000	11	3.2%
120,000–130,000	7	2.0%
130,000–140,000	6	1.7%
140,000–150,000	3	0.9%
150,000–160,000	6	1.7%
160,000–170,000	7	2.0%
170,000–180,000	3	0.9%
180,000–190,000	3	0.9%
190,000–200,000	2	0.6%
200,000+	4	1.1%

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 2010–2015

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.

System0–12,000 mi factory-defect window12,000 mi and beyond wear and service lifeMedian

1. Throttle and speed control89 reports17,0005,500–35,000Throttle and speed control: 89 reports, median 17,000 miles, middle half 5,500 to 35,000 miles.
2. Body structure42 reports30,00010,000–56,000Body structure: 42 reports, median 30,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 56,000 miles.
3. Problems owners could not categorise61 reports43,00015,000–85,000Problems owners could not categorise: 61 reports, median 43,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 85,000 miles.
4. Brakes66 reports44,00015,000–65,000Brakes: 66 reports, median 44,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 65,000 miles.
5. Airbag system52 reports49,00028,000–80,000Airbag system: 52 reports, median 49,000 miles, middle half 28,000 to 80,000 miles.
6. Electrical system62 reports54,0005,500–103,000Electrical system: 62 reports, median 54,000 miles, middle half 5,500 to 103,000 miles.
7. Engine84 reports95,00044,000–134,000Engine: 84 reports, median 95,000 miles, middle half 44,000 to 134,000 miles.

5001k2k5k10k20k50k100k200k

• 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

Complaints by vehicle system

System	Complaints	Share	Median	25–75%
Throttle and speed control	89	17.9%	17,000	5,500–35,000
Engine	84	16.9%	95,000	44,000–134,000
Brakes	66	13.3%	44,000	15,000–65,000
Electrical system	62	12.5%	54,000	5,500–103,000
Problems owners could not categorise	61	12.3%	43,000	15,000–85,000
Airbag system	52	10.5%	49,000	28,000–80,000
Body structure	42	8.5%	30,000	10,000–56,000
Transmission and driveline	38	7.7%	42,000	12,000–89,000
Steering	30	6.0%	45,000	14,000–101,000
Fuel and propulsion system	26	5.2%	52,000	34,000–130,000

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 37,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

Throttle and speed control accounts for 17.9% of complaints (89 reports, 78 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 17,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,500 and 35,000 miles.

The engine accounts for 16.9% of complaints (84 reports, 56 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 95,000 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 44,000 and 134,000 miles.

The brakes account for 13.3% of complaints (66 reports, 46 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 44,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 65,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 12.5% of complaints (62 reports, 42 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 54,000 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 5,500 and 103,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 12.3% of complaints (61 reports, 27 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 43,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 85,000 miles.

The airbag system accounts for 10.5% of complaints (52 reports, 41 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 49,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 28,000 and 80,000 miles.

Known problems with the 2010–2015 RX

Before you buy a 2010–2015 RX: the 3-minute check

Generated from 349 mileage-tagged complaints, 4 recall campaigns, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.

For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 27% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, throttle and speed control and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Throttle and speed control in particular shows a median failure mileage of 17,000, 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.

Your odometer, milesGo

Figure 3 · Lexus RX 2010–2015 · 349 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.

100%75%50%25%0%

25k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k

• 60,000 mi — 66% of reports below
• 90,000 mi — 78% of reports below
• 120,000 mi — 88% of reports below
• 150,000 mi — 93% of reports below
• 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
• Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
• Your odometer — appears after you enter it above

The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.1% of reports (4) came above 200,000 miles.

Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

2010–2015 Lexus RX recalls (4)

NHTSA records 4 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.

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.

Recall repairs are free at an authorized dealer, for any owner. Summaries below shorten NHTSA’s own wording.

1. Sep 2014 · 2015 · Fuel System, GasolineA fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

   The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Sienna, and Highlander and model year 2015 Lexus RX350 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the one of the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment.

   What can happen. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

   The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace any of the suspect fuel delivery pipes free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at…

   NHTSA campaign 14V-576 (2014-09-19).

2. Feb 2014 · 2012–2013 · Electronic Stability Control (esc)If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance…

   The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Toyota Tacoma and Lexus RX350 vehicles and certain model year 2012 Toyota RAV4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel…

   What can happen. If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.

   The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014. Owners may contact…

   NHTSA campaign 14V-054 (2014-02-12).

3. Jun 2012 · 2010 · Vehicle Speed ControlA stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the…

   The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles, manufactured from November 28, 2008, through September 1, 2010, and model year 2008 through 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles manufactured from September 1, 2007, through September…

   What can happen. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

   The free fix. Toyota and Lexus will notify owners of affected vehicles and dealers will modify or replace the accelerator pedal and replace any driver's floor mat not specified for the vehicle. Owners of the Lexus…

   NHTSA campaign 12V-305 (2012-06-29).

4. Jul 2011 · 2011 · Service Brakes, HydraulicThis could result in increased stopping distances and/or a failure to adequately correct a vehicle slide…

   The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2011 Lexus rx350 passenger cars manufactured from august 30, 2010, through may 18, 2011, and equipped with vehicle dynamics integrated management (vdim). The calibration for the hydraulic control valves is incorrect. Due…

   What can happen. This could result in increased stopping distances and/or a failure to adequately correct a vehicle slide, which could increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

   The free fix. Dealers will replace the brake actuator with a new one, free of charge. The safety recall began on september 8, 2011. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

   NHTSA campaign 11V-377 (2011-07-26).

Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported

What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 496 complaints against this generation:

Crashes

101 (20.4%)

Fires

20

Injury reports

55

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 2010 drew the most complaints of this generation, 191, most of them about throttle and speed control, and the 2014 the fewest, 29. A typical year drew about 69.

That makes the 2010 stand out at roughly 2.8 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.

What RX owners reported

The contact owns a 2015 Lexus RX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the steering wheel was shaking and vibrating, and it was loose. The vehicle was taken to a local independent dealer who replaced the control arms, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who…

2015 · 118,000 miles · Steering

The contact owns a 2012 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that the four rear tires were replaced with Blackhawk Tires, Tire Line: Street HH11, Tire Size: 235/45/R18, DOT Number: 1YJEERYLY. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the low tire pressure warning light illuminated, and the vehicle…

2012 · 30,000 miles · Tyres

The contact owns a 2013 Lexus RX350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was pulling to either the left or right. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the front control arms…

2013 · 102,000 miles · Suspension

The contact owns a 2011 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH the front driver seat heater was activated and moments later smoke and flames were present coming from the center console of the vehicle. After stopping and exiting the vehicle the fire department was called to the scene…

2011 · 150,000 miles · Electrical system

Built from 349 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 2004–2009 1,074 reports with mileage, most about body structure
• RX 2016–2022 165 reports with mileage, most about the airbag system

Other luxury SUVs from the same years

• Volvo XC90 2003–2014
• Acura MDX 2007–2013