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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.

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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

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

Forward Collision Avoidance complaints

4 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2025
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesStructureCrash

I was at the gas station, in line waiting for one of the three gas pumps to be available. I put my car in reverse to back up and pull around another car in order to go to the open pump in front. When my car was in reverse motion, I stepped on the brake pedal, but the car did not stop. I stepped on the brake pedal numerous t…

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I was at the gas station, in line waiting for one of the three gas pumps to be available. I put my car in reverse to back up and pull around another car in order to go to the open pump in front. When my car was in reverse motion, I stepped on the brake pedal, but the car did not stop. I stepped on the brake pedal numerous times, but the brake did not function. My car backed into the front of the car in line behind me damaging both vehicles. The automatic emergency braking system did not activate, and there was no rear collision warning sound or message. I switched my car from Reverse into Park to stop its movement, but it was too late to avoid the collision. I had a passenger in my car who corroborates this description. Fortunately there were no pedestrians behind my car, so the only damage was to the vehicles. My vehicle has not been inspected by anyone since the accident, but will be soon. I have owned this car since April 2021 and previously had a few similar situations when moving in the forward direction. Previously, the brake problem occurred while moving forward at very low speed pulling into parking places. The brake failed to activate, and I had to throw the car into Park to stop it, but this was the first time I had experienced this problem traveling in reverse. When this situation occurs, I am pressing on the brake pedal, but the car is not stopping and the brake pedal seems to go to the floor. On March 5, 2025 I took the car to a Lexus dealer and reported the brake failure problems. They inspected, road tested, and checked for codes, but could not identify the problem. I believe that the collision back up system should have prevented this accident, but it did not function. I suspect that there may be some kind of computer issue that prevents the brake from actuating. The car will be going in for repair soon, and I have requested that a complete diagnostic review be performed of this brake problem.

NHTSA ODI #11684842

Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2024
Air BagsForward Collision AvoidanceCrash

Hit a deer that impacted the passenger side of the vehicle. Passenger seat was occupied, and door had to be pried open by tow truck driver to get passenger out. Entire right side, from the "L" logo to the front fender was destroyed. The passenger airbag did not deploy, nor did emergency braking or collision avoidance warning …

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Hit a deer that impacted the passenger side of the vehicle. Passenger seat was occupied, and door had to be pried open by tow truck driver to get passenger out. Entire right side, from the "L" logo to the front fender was destroyed. The passenger airbag did not deploy, nor did emergency braking or collision avoidance warning go off as deer was crossing from the left (driver) side to passenger side where it impacted. No injuries, but car had to be towed due to front damage. Lexus has no fix for the airbag sensor recall for almost a year now.

NHTSA ODI #11628992

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2022
Forward Collision Avoidance

The PCS detected another car in front and my car went into PARK, but kept rolling and the engine revved to 7500 rpm.

NHTSA ODI #11481539

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2022
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesUnknown Or OtherInjury

The sole occupant driver drove into a slightly elevated driveway and stopped. The driveway is maybe 5 degree incline. The shift select lever was placed in Park and the Driver visually confirmed it was in park. Driver sat in the car for 12 seconds before exiting the vehicle with the engine running and AC on. The driver exited an…

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The sole occupant driver drove into a slightly elevated driveway and stopped. The driveway is maybe 5 degree incline. The shift select lever was placed in Park and the Driver visually confirmed it was in park. Driver sat in the car for 12 seconds before exiting the vehicle with the engine running and AC on. The driver exited and was standing outside of the vehicle with both feet on the ground for 6 seconds reaching back inside at which time the vehicle began to suddenly roll down the driveway causing injury to the driver. This seems to be a failure of the parking system of the vehicle causing serious injury to the driver. The vehicle has not been inspected yet and investigation is ongoing. It is unknown if there were any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, but there was no prior service work performed on the near new vehicle. There is a video of the incident.

NHTSA ODI #11476356

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.