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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

Structure 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 27, 2024
Latches/locks/linkagesStructure

On the Saturday (12/21) before Christmas, my hatch door wouldn’t open with the key fob, push button in the vehicle or push button on the door. And the foot under the bumper opener has never worked for me. Anyways, because I couldn’t get my door to open, I ended up loading my groceries in the back seat. When I got home, it still …

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On the Saturday (12/21) before Christmas, my hatch door wouldn’t open with the key fob, push button in the vehicle or push button on the door. And the foot under the bumper opener has never worked for me. Anyways, because I couldn’t get my door to open, I ended up loading my groceries in the back seat. When I got home, it still wouldn’t work with the key fob or other buttons. One family member who tried to help me, pushed the door button and it suddenly opened after all the many attempts before. But then it wouldn’t close back. Just like at the store, it made that beeping sound but that it makes when it’s closing or opening, but it wasn’t closing. The next day on Sunday (12/22) I wouldn’t use it because I was afraid if it opened, it wouldn’t close back. The way we were able to get the door to close, was at least I thought it helped, I kept pushing the key fob and the door would allow my family member to manually push the door down a little at a time until it closed. When the door closed completely, we could hear it automatically lock like always. I had a few more Christmas shopping errands and had to leave home again. I got in the car in my driveway and I shut the door and put the car in reverse and suddenly a loud pop and my entire back window shattered completely over into a trillion little pieces. I couldn’t believe it. I’m taking it into the Park Place Lexus dealership in the morning (12/27th) to see if the malfunctioning door is what caused my window to break. I can’t afford to keep replacing the back window over and over if the door is the issue. We taped the back window over so it wouldn’t rain into my vehicle. When we tried to open the door again, it wouldn’t work. So, I had to crawl through broken glass to cover my back window. Terrible experience. I’ve attached photos. On the left and right side of the windows, notice there are two strange holes there. The large hole is I assume where it popped at. My car is under warranty. I hope the dealership covers it

NHTSA ODI #11632580

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2024
Air BagsStructureUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

I was driving on the freeway in Stockton California and I entered into a connecting on-ramp curve going about 30mph and a lady hit me from behind on the passenger side going 65mph as she was trying to change lanes to get behind me and my car instantly speeded up spinning out of control Into a gully filled with stored freeway con…

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I was driving on the freeway in Stockton California and I entered into a connecting on-ramp curve going about 30mph and a lady hit me from behind on the passenger side going 65mph as she was trying to change lanes to get behind me and my car instantly speeded up spinning out of control Into a gully filled with stored freeway construction materials such as poles . The car kept spinning out of control because the ground was mud-slush from the rains. I kept construction poles came into my windshield, I kept spinning and sliding as I slammed into 2 trees and as the car sustained severe damage all over the vehicle and I kept slidding landing over in a second gully on the opposite side of the freeway. No airbags deployed no sensor went off nothing. I was in the car with my autistic daughter. The car is brand new. I contacted Lexus filed a claim and they sent me letter they don’t want to tak responsibility for their product liability

NHTSA ODI #11596466

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2021
Structure

The drain system failed to properly route water out of the car after heavy rain and an automatic car wash in two separate incidents. The water would leak through the sunroof along the edges and leak down into the passenger side compartment and land on the floor mats.

NHTSA ODI #11427620

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.