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2009 Lexus Rx

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Lexus Rx do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.

About this comparison →

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 · 12 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.

  • Engine. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

34 reports
172,500 miles · Sep 13, 2019
Electrical System

THE TRUNK LATCH RUBBER BOOT MELTED. POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE RUBBER FEELS LIKE SOFT TAR & LEAVES MARKS THAT ARE QUITE DIFFICULT TO WASH OFF. CAR LOCATION IS NOT ONE OF THE HOTTER STATES. LOOKS LIKE A MALFUNCTION OF ELECTRICAL WIRES...BEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN DISCOVERED, NOT POSITIVE IF OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION OR NOT.

NHTSA ODI #11255440

133,000 miles · Sep 11, 2019
Engine

NOTICED HUGE PUDDLE OF OIL UNDER CAR AFTER PARKING IN DRIVEWAY. HAD CAR TOWED TO LEXUS DEALER. FOUND OIL COOLER RUBBER HOSE RUPTURED. REPLACEMENT LINE IS NOW CONSTRUCTED OF METAL. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES AS EVIDENCED IN VARIOUS LEXUS FORUMS.

NHTSA ODI #11254860

Mileage unknown · Aug 30, 2017
Steering

INSPECTION AT LEXUS DEALER REVEALED LEAKS AND TORN BOOT ON STEERING RACK AND PINION. DEALER SAID REPAIR NOT POSSIBLE.MUST REPLACE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY.58,000 GENTLE MILES.

NHTSA ODI #11020688

80,000 miles · Mar 23, 2017
Unknown Or Other

DASH IS STICKY, CRACKING AND CRUMBLING. TAILGATE HANDLE SO STICKY IT HAS TO BE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE OF $180. VEHICLE IS GARAGE KEPT. I HAVE BEEN ON A WAITING LIST FOR OVER A YEAR. I WOULD LIKE A NEW CAR BUT NO ONE WILL TAKE THIS ONE.

NHTSA ODI #10967957

97,000 miles · Aug 19, 2016
Unknown Or Other

BACK DOOR OPENER MELTED RUBBER BOOT HANDLE COVER FOR THE REAR LATCH. ITS PART IN THE GARAGE WHEN NOT IN USED AND THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN ABOUT 1000-2000 MILES A MONTH.

NHTSA ODI #10897172

61,500 miles · Aug 10, 2015
EnginePower Train

WATER PUMP FAILED ON 2009 LEXUX RX350 AT 61500 MILES AND JUST 4 MONTHS OVER THE POWERTRAIN WARRENTY. LEXUS DECLINED THE CLAIM. ENGINE OVERHEATING CAUSED HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND WARPED CYLINDER HEAD. 1.AS PER LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED WATER PUMP , THERE WERE INDICATION OF COOLANT LEAKING FROM WATER PUMP SEAL AND IT MUST BE L…

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WATER PUMP FAILED ON 2009 LEXUX RX350 AT 61500 MILES AND JUST 4 MONTHS OVER THE POWERTRAIN WARRENTY. LEXUS DECLINED THE CLAIM. ENGINE OVERHEATING CAUSED HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND WARPED CYLINDER HEAD. 1.AS PER LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED WATER PUMP , THERE WERE INDICATION OF COOLANT LEAKING FROM WATER PUMP SEAL AND IT MUST BE LEAKING FOR QUITE LONG TIME, EVEN WHEN VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THERE WAS ENOUGH VOLUME OF COOLANT WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED, INDICATES THAT LEAKAGE WAS VERY MINOR AND MY NOT APPEAR ON THE FLOOR WHERE CAR WAS PARKED. 2.WATER PUMP IS PART OF POWERTRAIN AND HAS NO DIRECT INFLUENCE OF DRIVING PATTERN. FAILURE OF WATER PUMP AT 61000 MILES IS VERY PRE-MATURE AND INDICATE TOWARD INHERENT PROBLEM WITH WATER PUMP QUALITY. 3.SAFETY ISSUE: THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF WATER PUMP FAILURE UNTIL LAST MOMENT WHEN IT ACTUALLY GAVE UP AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME UP. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TIME BEFORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND FURTHER DAMAGE DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF IT WAS IGNORED FOR COUPLE OF MILES CAR WOULD HAVE CAUGHT INTO FIRE 4.POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS 70000 MILES OR 72 MONTHS, WHEREAS CARS MILEAGE IS 61000 AND TIME SINCE FIRST USAGE IS 75 MONTHS (JUST 3 MONTHS OVER THE WARRANTY). CONSIDERING CLOSE PROXIMITY TO WARRANTY EXPIRATION, LEXUS SHOULD CONSIDER THIS FOR WARRANTY EXTENSION. 5.THIS ENGINE SERIES ( 3.5L ) IS INFAMOUS FOR COOLING SYSTEM ISSUES AND SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED REGARDING IT. 6.SEVERAL COMPLAINS HAVE BEEN FILED ABOUT THE SIMILAR PROBLEM, WHERE WATER PUMP FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE DAMAGE

NHTSA ODI #10747528

61,000 miles · Jul 1, 2015
Engine

WATER PUMP FAILED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF FAILURE. I WAS GOING ON HIGHWAY AND ALL OF SUDDEN VSC LIGHT CAME UP . AFTER DRIVING A MILE ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP. SINCE NEXT EXIT WAS 3 MILES I DROVE THROUGH EXIST AND PULL CAR ON SAFE PARKING LOT. BY THE TIME I STOPPED VEHICLE, I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF ENGINE. I HAD TO CALL AAA AN…

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WATER PUMP FAILED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF FAILURE. I WAS GOING ON HIGHWAY AND ALL OF SUDDEN VSC LIGHT CAME UP . AFTER DRIVING A MILE ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP. SINCE NEXT EXIT WAS 3 MILES I DROVE THROUGH EXIST AND PULL CAR ON SAFE PARKING LOT. BY THE TIME I STOPPED VEHICLE, I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF ENGINE. I HAD TO CALL AAA AND GET IT TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC FOR PRIMARY DIAGNOSTIC BEFORE I TOWED IT OVER TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP 25 MILES AWAY. CALLED LEXUS DEALERSHIP BUT THEY REFUSED TO COVER UNDER LEXUS POWER TRAIN WARRANTY ( 72 MONTHS OR 70000 MILES ) JUST BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED 3 MONTHS BACK EVEN THOUGH MILEAGE ARE STILL UNDER THE LIMIT. DEALERSHIP ASKED ME TALK TO LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE. I CALLED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM ASKING THEM TO PROVIDE GOODWILL WARRANTY COVERAGE. LITERALLY , THE WORST PEOPLE I DEALT WITH . THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACCOUNTABILITY OF ISSUE AND ASK ME TO GO AND GET IT REPAIRED. MY BASES FOR ASKING WARRANTY COVERAGE WAS DUE TO 1. CLOSE TO WARRANTY EXPIRATION DATE ( JUST OVER 3 MONTHS AND STILL UNDER MILEAGE 61,000) 2. FIRE HAZARD DUE TO FAILURE OF COOLANT PUMP WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. 3. REPUTATION OF LEXUS BEING RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLE CAR UPDATED 09/14/15*LJ

NHTSA ODI #10731442

32,000 miles · Feb 11, 2015
Seats

I HAD VISITED THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO TELL THEM FIRST ABOUT MY LEATHER SEATS. THE LEATHER HAS CRACKED AND THE LAYER HAS PEELED. AND MY DASHBOARD HAS CRACKS AND IT IS MELTED. EVERY TIME THE CAR WENT INTO SERVICE I HAD SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL ADVISORS AND 2-3 SERVICE MANAGERS. THEY TOOK PICTURES AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL GET BA…

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I HAD VISITED THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO TELL THEM FIRST ABOUT MY LEATHER SEATS. THE LEATHER HAS CRACKED AND THE LAYER HAS PEELED. AND MY DASHBOARD HAS CRACKS AND IT IS MELTED. EVERY TIME THE CAR WENT INTO SERVICE I HAD SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL ADVISORS AND 2-3 SERVICE MANAGERS. THEY TOOK PICTURES AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL GET BACK TO ME. I MADE SURE I DID ALL OF THIS BEFORE THE FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED. TILL THIS DATE MY LEXUS LOOKS LIKE BRAND NEW OUTSIDE, AND THE INSIDE LOOKS LIKE IT IS 100 YEARS OLD. I WILL NEVER BUY A LEXUS MODEL EVER AGAIN UNLESS THEY MAKE GOOD AND REPAIR THESE PROBLEMS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE IT WAS A PEBBLE BEACH EDITION AND PAID TOP DOLLAR FOR THIS CAR. YOU WOULD THINK THE HIGHER PRICED CARS WOULD LAST LONGER AND THIS ONE HAS DISAPPOINTED ME. I HAVE A 2001 FORD F 150 AND THIS TRUCK IS THE BEST VEHICLE AND HALF THE PRICE OF THE LEXUS RX 350. PLEASE HELP ME GET MY CAR FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10682685

59,100 miles · Sep 30, 2014
Steering

I TOOK CAR IN FOR REGULAR SERVICING AND THE MECHANIC SAID THERE IS A POWER STEERING LEAK AND THE RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE LEXUS RX 350. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10640155

60,000 miles · Jun 21, 2014
Steering

I TOOK MY LEXUS RX350 TO MY TIRE SHOP FOR ALIGNMENT AND NEW TIRES. UPON, INSPECTION OF STEERING RACK THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED RACK AND PINION RIGHT BOOT WAS WET WITH POWER STEERING FLUID. THE SHOP RECOMMENDED THAT STEERING RACK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE OWNED TOYOTAS AND LEXUS ALL MY LIFE AND NEVER HAVE STEERING RACK ISSUES B…

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I TOOK MY LEXUS RX350 TO MY TIRE SHOP FOR ALIGNMENT AND NEW TIRES. UPON, INSPECTION OF STEERING RACK THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED RACK AND PINION RIGHT BOOT WAS WET WITH POWER STEERING FLUID. THE SHOP RECOMMENDED THAT STEERING RACK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE OWNED TOYOTAS AND LEXUS ALL MY LIFE AND NEVER HAVE STEERING RACK ISSUES BEFORE. ESPECIALLY AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH LEXUS OF NOT RECALLING THIS STEERING RACK ISSUE. IF LEXUS FAILED TO REPLACE MY STEERING RACK FREE OF CHARGE. I WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA AND LEXUS AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10604969

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.