Lexus RX350 Engine Problems by Year

By CarWhere Research · Updated

Some. 214 of the 1,362 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Lexus RX350 (15.7%) name the engine, 0.8× the median share across the 152 models we track. Across the 2015–2022 cohorts with published sales, the Lexus RX (all variants) rate is 0.08 per 1,000 sold, below the 0.44 median. The worst years are 2008, 2010 and 2009.

Engine complaints

214

Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models

Per 1,000 sold

0.08

2015–2022 cohorts, Lexus RX

Share of all complaints

15.7%

of 1,362 complaints for this model

Engine recalls

0

NHTSA campaigns, all years

Lexus RX350 engine complaints by model year

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.

Lexus RX350 engine complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year
Model yearEngine complaintsPer 1,000 soldShare of all complaintsCrash / fire / injuryEngine recallsEngine TSBs*
2008WORST33—16.9%3—13
2009WORST26—19.8%0—13
2010WORST33—19.5%2—31
201118—33.3%4—21
20126—13.6%2—9
20137—9.1%3—8
20140—0%0—0
2015140.1422.6%3—0
201690.0810.6%3—10
2017160.1517.6%1—10
201870.0615.9%0—25
2019100.0915.4%1—20
202060.0610.9%2—14
202120.022.8%0—7
202240.0410.3%1—5
202311—16.7%1—0
20248—12.7%0——
20254—16.7%2——
  • Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
  • Sales for the Lexus RX cover every variant, so the per-1,000 column counts complaints for all of those variants, not just the Lexus RX350. The complaint column is the Lexus RX350 alone.
  • Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
  • Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
  • *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.

Common Lexus RX350 engine problems owners describe

We searched the narratives of all 214 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.

Oil consumption or oil leaks39 · 18.2%
Smoke, burning smell or fire33 · 15.4%
Stalling or shutting off while driving26 · 12.1%
Misfire or check-engine light25 · 11.7%
Engine failure, seizure or replacement25 · 11.7%
Overheating or coolant loss14 · 6.5%
Loss of power or limp mode6 · 2.8%
Knocking, ticking or rattling6 · 2.8%
Timing chain or belt4 · 1.9%

Lexus RX350 years to avoid for the engine

2008 Lexus RX350

33 engine complaints (16.9% of the year's 195). Most often described: oil consumption or oil leaks.

2010 Lexus RX350

33 engine complaints (19.5% of the year's 169). Most often described: oil consumption or oil leaks.

2009 Lexus RX350

26 engine complaints (19.8% of the year's 131). Most often described: oil consumption or oil leaks.

Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Lexus RX350 years to avoid.

Related research

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Lexus RX350 have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 33 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008 Lexus RX350, 16.9% of all 195 complaints for that year. The most common description is "oil consumption or oil leaks" (9 complaints). 3 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.

Does the 2010 Lexus RX350 have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 33 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2010 Lexus RX350, 19.5% of all 169 complaints for that year. The most common description is "oil consumption or oil leaks" (10 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.

Does the 2009 Lexus RX350 have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 26 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2009 Lexus RX350, 19.8% of all 131 complaints for that year. The most common description is "oil consumption or oil leaks" (6 complaints).

Which Lexus RX350 years have the most engine complaints?

2008 (33), 2010 (33) and 2009 (26), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.

What are the most common Lexus RX350 engine problems?

In the 214 engine complaints, owners most often describe oil consumption or oil leaks (18.2%), smoke, burning smell or fire (15.4%) and stalling or shutting off while driving (12.1%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.

Is this a engine failure rate?

No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.

How we count

Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Lexus RX350 model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.

Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.

These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

Sources

  1. NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  2. NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  3. Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration