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2013 Lexus Ct

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2013 Lexus Ct do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

22 reports with mileage · 21 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

43 reports
146,000 miles · Nov 22, 2020
Engine

WATER PUMP FAILED CAUSING THE COOLANT TO FLOOD A CYLINDER. LEADING TO A HEAD GASKET BLOWING OUT. IT ALSO WARPED THE HEAD BLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE GARAGE AND DURING A COLD MORNING START. THE ENGINE HAD A MISFIRE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE ENGINE STARTED UP WITH A VIOLENT SHAKE AND WHITE SMOKE EXITED OUT FROM…

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WATER PUMP FAILED CAUSING THE COOLANT TO FLOOD A CYLINDER. LEADING TO A HEAD GASKET BLOWING OUT. IT ALSO WARPED THE HEAD BLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE GARAGE AND DURING A COLD MORNING START. THE ENGINE HAD A MISFIRE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE ENGINE STARTED UP WITH A VIOLENT SHAKE AND WHITE SMOKE EXITED OUT FROM THE TAIL PIPE AND ENGINE BAY CLOUDING UP THE GARAGE. DURING A DRIVE THE ENGINE WITH SPUTTER WHEN DRIVING. THEN GOES AWAY AFTER YOU GIVE IT ENOUGH GAS. COOLANT WOULD DRAIN EVEN THOUGH IT'S TOPPED OFF.

NHTSA ODI #11375829

Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2020
Engine

HAVE DONE OIL CHANGES MYSELF AND ALWAYS OBSERVED OIL USAGE BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN BURNING OIL. EVERY 2,000 MILES, THE CAR NEEDS A QUART TOP-UP. IF FOLLOWING THE 10,000 MILE OIL CHANGE INTERVAL, THIS CAR WOULD REQUIRE 5 QUARTS TO AVOID A SEIZED OR BLOWN ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI #11361433

86,500 miles · Aug 9, 2020
Engine

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. MORE THAN 3 QUARTS REQUIRED BETWEEN REGULAR OIL CHANGES. NO VISIBLE LEAKS..

NHTSA ODI #11344242

70,000 miles · Jun 20, 2020
SuspensionVehicle Speed ControlWheelsCrash

: _TIRE MALFUNCTION - IN MOTION - IN NEIGHBORHOOD - WHILE TURNING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11329803

Mileage unknown · Apr 13, 2020
Engine

MY 2013 LEXUS CT200H IS BURNING EXCESSIVE OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. IT STARTED AROUND THE 90K MARK AND IS CONTINUALLY BURNING MORE, AND MORE OIL AS I PUT MORE MILES ON IT. I'M RUNNING THE RECOMMENDED SYNTHETIC OIL SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITH 47K ON IT, AND I GO 7K MILES BETWEEN CHANGES. ON THE LEXUS FORM I'M LEARNING THIS IS …

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MY 2013 LEXUS CT200H IS BURNING EXCESSIVE OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. IT STARTED AROUND THE 90K MARK AND IS CONTINUALLY BURNING MORE, AND MORE OIL AS I PUT MORE MILES ON IT. I'M RUNNING THE RECOMMENDED SYNTHETIC OIL SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITH 47K ON IT, AND I GO 7K MILES BETWEEN CHANGES. ON THE LEXUS FORM I'M LEARNING THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM! THIS ENGINE IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ENGINE TOYOTA, RECALLED IN THE RAV4, SCION, AND OTHER MODELS FOR THIS VERY ISSUE! I KNOW ITS A HUGE EXPENSIVE RECALL BUT TOYOTA NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO KEEP MY BUSINESS, AND THE BUSINESS OF OTHERS.

NHTSA ODI #11320987

120,000 miles · Oct 18, 2019
Engine

THE ENGINE CONSTANTLY RATTLED/SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY UPON INITIAL START AND RANDOMLY SHAKES VIOLENTLY ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO VEER OFF THE ROAD EVERY TIME IT VIOLENTLY SHAKES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. LEXUS DEALERSHIP REPORTED RANDOM ENGINE CYLINDER MISFIRES; AND A THREE-DAY PHYSICAL OBSERVATION AFTER THE IN…

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THE ENGINE CONSTANTLY RATTLED/SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY UPON INITIAL START AND RANDOMLY SHAKES VIOLENTLY ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO VEER OFF THE ROAD EVERY TIME IT VIOLENTLY SHAKES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. LEXUS DEALERSHIP REPORTED RANDOM ENGINE CYLINDER MISFIRES; AND A THREE-DAY PHYSICAL OBSERVATION AFTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REMOVAL SHOWS: UNEXPLAINED INTERNAL COOLANT LEAK. COLLANT LEAKING INTO CYLINDER 4. CYLINDER 1 ALSO WET AND MUDDY LOOKING. AND DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF FORECASTED REPAIRS AND PARTS REPLACEMENT WHICH COULD EITHER BE THE CYLINDER $4K OR AN ENTIRELY NEW ENGINE 17K IF THE CYLINDER REPLACEMENT FAILS TO REMEDY THE ISSUE. NO LEXUS ENGINE SHOULD FAIL LIKE THIS, IT'S A HYBRID WITH HYBRID TECHNOLOGY, IT RELIES ON BATTERY HALF THE TIME. AN ENGINE FROM LUXURY BRANK LIKE LEXUS SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 125K MILES. THIS CAR IS A LEMON. NUMEROUS PRIUS AND LEXUS OWNERS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL LEXUS CONSUMER FOR 15 YEARS. APPARENTLY LEXUS RECEIVED J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATE'S MOST DEPENDABLE VEHICLE AWARD FOR THE 7TH YEAR IN A ROW FOR 2019 AND RANKED HIGHEST OVERALL AMONG ALL OTHER LUXURY CAR BRANDS' NOT WITH MY LEXUS, IT'S JUNK AND UNSAFE! EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED, LEXUS!

NHTSA ODI #11269455

80,000 miles · Sep 14, 2019
Service Brakes

ON 9/13/2019 I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WHILE APPLYING BRAKES ON AN UNEVEN/POTHOLED CITY ROAD SURFACE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. THIS LOSS OF BRAKING POWER NEARLY RESULTED IN COLLISION. THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT UNTIL NOW HAS NOT RESULTED IN A POTENTIALLY HA…

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ON 9/13/2019 I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WHILE APPLYING BRAKES ON AN UNEVEN/POTHOLED CITY ROAD SURFACE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. THIS LOSS OF BRAKING POWER NEARLY RESULTED IN COLLISION. THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT UNTIL NOW HAS NOT RESULTED IN A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. I DISCOVERED THAT DRIVERS OF BOTH THE CT200H AND PRIUS INDICATE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON UNEVEN SURFACES SUCH AS POTHOLES, SPEED BUMPS, OR MANHOLES THAT ARE NOT LEVEL WITH THE SURROUNDING ROAD SURFACE. THIS LOSS OF POWER IS OFTEN REPORTED AS ACCELERATION, THOUGH THE MORE LIKELY EXPLANATION (SEE ATTACHMENT) IS THAT DECELERATION IS INTERRUPTED DUE TO SLOW HANDOFF OF REGENERATIVE BRAKING TO FRICTION BRAKING. PREVIOUS REPORTS OF BRAKING ANOMALIES HAVE BEEN FILED WITH NTSB FOR THE LEXUS CT200H, WHICH USES THE SAME REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM AS THE TOYOTA PRIUS. A DRIVER WHO COLLECTED DATA REGARDING THIS ISSUE STATES: "THE SPEED SENSOR DATA FROM EACH WHEEL ALSO COMES AT ABOUT 60 HZ. ONE WOULD THINK WITH THIS KIND OF DATA RATE THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADD IN FRICTION BRAKING FAST ENOUGH (AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP WHILE BRAKING AND REDUCING REGEN BRAKING), SAY IN A SMALL FRACTION OF A SECOND, SO THAT THE DRIVER WON'T HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THE MANY SECONDS OF SENSATION OF LOSS OF BRAKING, IF TOYOTA BOTHERED TO REFINE THE ALGORITHM." A REVIEW OF BRAKING RELATED INCIDENT REPORTS FOR BOTH THE TOYOTA PRIUS AND LEXUS CT200H MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INSIGHT INTO THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF THE LOSS OF ASSISTED/FRICTION BRAKING ON UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES. SEE ATTACHED ACCELEROMETER DATA.

NHTSA ODI #11255463

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2019
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

THE ENGINE CONSTANTLY RATTLED/SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY UPON INITIAL START FOR ABOUT 20-30 SECONDS, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. DRIVING, ACCELERATION, AND FUEL ECONOMY HAS DECREASED/WORSENED. A MECHANIC IN SANTA MONICA STATED THAT THE OBD READINGS SHOW RANDOM ENGINE'S CYLINDERS MISFIRES; AND A THREE-DAY PHYSICAL OBSERVATION AFTER THE…

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THE ENGINE CONSTANTLY RATTLED/SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY UPON INITIAL START FOR ABOUT 20-30 SECONDS, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. DRIVING, ACCELERATION, AND FUEL ECONOMY HAS DECREASED/WORSENED. A MECHANIC IN SANTA MONICA STATED THAT THE OBD READINGS SHOW RANDOM ENGINE'S CYLINDERS MISFIRES; AND A THREE-DAY PHYSICAL OBSERVATION AFTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REMOVAL SHOWS: UNEXPLAINED COOLANT OIL CONTAMINATION ISSUES, OIL MIXED WITH COOLANT AT EXPANSION TANK, RAW FUEL ON CYLINDERS, FUEL BLOW BY, AND REPEATED SPARK PLUGS BURNING AFTER EACH REPLACEMENT. AND DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF FORECASTED REPAIRS AND PARTS REPLACEMENT, THE TECHNICIANS RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE WHOLE ENGINE UNIT. WE'RE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED, LEXUS!

NHTSA ODI #11204907

Mileage unknown · Nov 26, 2017
Suspension

SHOCKS AND STRUTS REPLACEMENT UNAVAILABLE- SHOCKS ARE LEAKING WITHIN 50,000 MILES. SERVICE COUNTER KEEPS REMINDING US THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE OUT THE PARTS. MECHANIC NOTED THAT ALL 4 IS LEAKING. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2015 OF JANUARY. VEHICLE IS A 2013 MODEL. PREVIOUS OWNER WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SO WITH THIS HO…

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SHOCKS AND STRUTS REPLACEMENT UNAVAILABLE- SHOCKS ARE LEAKING WITHIN 50,000 MILES. SERVICE COUNTER KEEPS REMINDING US THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE OUT THE PARTS. MECHANIC NOTED THAT ALL 4 IS LEAKING. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2015 OF JANUARY. VEHICLE IS A 2013 MODEL. PREVIOUS OWNER WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SO WITH THIS HOW CAN IT ALREADY STARTED LEAKING? THIS LED TO POOR HANDLING AND FASTER WORN TIRES. I HAVE SEARCH ENDLESSLY FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS AND NOT EVEN ONE AFTERMARKET COMPANY CARRIES REPLACEMENT PARTS. I HAVE YET TO TRY LEXUS DEALERSHIP AS THEY CHARGE AN ARM AND A LEG FOR PARTS AND LABOR.

NHTSA ODI #11048521

133,000 miles · Nov 21, 2017
Engine

VIOLENT SHUDDER/SHAKING OF THE ENGINE. WHEN THE CT200H IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION THE ENGINE PERIODICALLY SHAKES VIOLENTLY SOMETIMES UP TO 30 SECONDS THEN IT GOES AWAY. IT HAPPENED ON COLD OR HOT STARTS. THE EGR HAS BEEN CLEANED FROM CARBON BUILD UP, HAS NEW SPARK PLUGS AND COILS ARE GOOD. I HAVE LATELY BEEN NOTICING COOLAN…

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VIOLENT SHUDDER/SHAKING OF THE ENGINE. WHEN THE CT200H IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION THE ENGINE PERIODICALLY SHAKES VIOLENTLY SOMETIMES UP TO 30 SECONDS THEN IT GOES AWAY. IT HAPPENED ON COLD OR HOT STARTS. THE EGR HAS BEEN CLEANED FROM CARBON BUILD UP, HAS NEW SPARK PLUGS AND COILS ARE GOOD. I HAVE LATELY BEEN NOTICING COOLANT LOSS. NUMEROUS PRIUS AND LEXUS OWNERS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON WITH CODE P0301 "CYLINDER 1 MISFIRE."

NHTSA ODI #11047679

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.