← New search

2021 Lexus Rx

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 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

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Rx years →

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

Limited mileage data: 3 of 69 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. 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.

9 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

3 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2025
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

My 2021 Lexus RX 350 (mileage approx. [19,000], has developed a severe mold contamination issue caused by HVAC condensate drain failure. This issue is a known design defect covered by Lexus Technical Service Bulletin L-SB-0020-21, which identifies blockage or poor drainage in the HVAC system that allows water to enter the cabin…

Read full complaint

My 2021 Lexus RX 350 (mileage approx. [19,000], has developed a severe mold contamination issue caused by HVAC condensate drain failure. This issue is a known design defect covered by Lexus Technical Service Bulletin L-SB-0020-21, which identifies blockage or poor drainage in the HVAC system that allows water to enter the cabin. As a result, water intrusion under the carpet has led to mold growth, making the vehicle uninhabitable and unsafe to drive. The cabin now contains visible mold and musty odor, raising serious health and air quality concerns. I brought the vehicle to Lexus of Route 10 (Whippqny, NJ), who acknowledged the water intrusion but have refused to repair it under warranty or goodwill. Instead, they are pressuring me to file a personal insurance claim, even though the issue stems from a known factory defect. The vehicle has now been out of service for weeks, and I am driving a loaner vehicle while mold continues to worsen in mine. Lexus Corporate stated that they "no longer goodwill" these repairs, despite the ongoing safety and hygiene risks. There has been no recall or warranty extension, and I believe other owners may be similarly affected by this unresolved defect. This is a serious safety issue due to the potential for mold-related health problems, interior air contamination, and possible electrical damage from long-term moisture. I urge NHTSA to investigate whether this HVAC defect poses a broader consumer risk, and whether Lexus is avoiding its responsibilities to repair or disclose this issue to other drivers.

NHTSA ODI #11675285

Mileage unknown · Apr 26, 2024
Air BagsElectrical SystemUnknown Or Other

Multiple Models and Model Years Passenger Airbag May Not Deploy NHTSA SENSORS not working. The campaign number is 23V865 : OCS Sensors May Short Circuit An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury. NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 Manufacturer Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing Components AI…

Read full complaint

Multiple Models and Model Years Passenger Airbag May Not Deploy NHTSA SENSORS not working. The campaign number is 23V865 : OCS Sensors May Short Circuit An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury. NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 Manufacturer Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing Components AIR BAGS The official recall release date was December 20, 2023.

NHTSA ODI #11585425

Mileage unknown · Mar 5, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

I am writing to you regarding the vehicle safety which I became aware of  recently but there was no solution provided. IF this happened to me, it can happen to anyone driving the same model and needs to be addressed as soon as possible before the fatality occurs as this is danger to the public.I was driving a vehicle on [XXX] af…

Read full complaint

I am writing to you regarding the vehicle safety which I became aware of  recently but there was no solution provided. IF this happened to me, it can happen to anyone driving the same model and needs to be addressed as soon as possible before the fatality occurs as this is danger to the public.I was driving a vehicle on [XXX] after just picking it up from service (serviced at Ray Catena Lexus on [XXX] for 15,000 miles service and oil change) at the rate of speed approximately 65 mph. All of sudden the vehicle started making noises, transmission shifted from auto to lower manual gear and I was barely able to keep control of the vehicle. Luckily, I was able to pull over safely, turned it off, gave it some break and turned back on. Vehicle seemed to be operational and since I was close to the AmTrak train in Washington DC, I have decided to take the train as intended to Florida along with a vehicle. Upon arrival in Florida, I was able to take the vehicle to the dealership JM Lexus on [XXX]. I explained the problem and they checked the vehicle and released it to me shortly saying that there was nothing wrong. This dealership charged me $141.92. As I just left the dealership and got on the highway, the vehicle started to act up again. I was only able to take it back to the same dealership on [XXX], the mechanics did another check on the vehicle and discovered that the spiral cable had an oily residue on it and that was the reason for the electronic issue I was having, but that cable was not covered by the warranty and I was quoted $1,800.00 to get it fixed. Which is odd considering that not only did I buy out of this vehicle a few weeks prior but the vehicle was just serviced on [XXX] (with odometer reading at 12,728 miles)  never giving any issues prior. After having a back and forth conversation, they dropped the price to nearly $1,000.00 but being concerned for my and my spouses safety, I had no choice but to pay.  INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11575611

Official recalls

1

23V865000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Dec 20, 2023

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

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.