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2008 Lexus RX350

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most RX350 years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Lexus RX350 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 29.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

101 reports with mileage · 25 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.

  • Structure. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports

Engine complaints

12 reports
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185,000 miles · Apr 29, 2019
Engine

MASSIVE CATASTROPHIC OIL LEAK. NOTICED HOT OIL SMELL. NO OIL ON DIPSTICK. OIL SPRAYING OUT AT BOTTOM OF ENGINE, RIGHT FRONT. CAR TOWED TO SHOP. OIL HOSE BETWEEN COOLER AND FILTER BURST. KNOWN PROBLEM. TOYOTA/LEXUS HAS MADE AN UPGRADED PART BUT NOT NOTIFIED MOST OWNERS AND WILL NOT REPLACE UNTIL IT FAILS. WHEN IT FAILS CAR CAN CA…

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MASSIVE CATASTROPHIC OIL LEAK. NOTICED HOT OIL SMELL. NO OIL ON DIPSTICK. OIL SPRAYING OUT AT BOTTOM OF ENGINE, RIGHT FRONT. CAR TOWED TO SHOP. OIL HOSE BETWEEN COOLER AND FILTER BURST. KNOWN PROBLEM. TOYOTA/LEXUS HAS MADE AN UPGRADED PART BUT NOT NOTIFIED MOST OWNERS AND WILL NOT REPLACE UNTIL IT FAILS. WHEN IT FAILS CAR CAN CATCH FIRE AND SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE RESULTS. MANY VIDEOS AND REPORTS ON THE INTERNET AS THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11204461

80,000 miles · Nov 29, 2018
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE OIL COOLER LINE BURST AND ALL THE OIL LEAKED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME WHERE HE REPLACED THE OIL COOLER LINE HIMSELF. THE CONTACT FOUND THERE WAS INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE AND A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE OIL COOLER LINE BURST AND ALL THE OIL LEAKED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME WHERE HE REPLACED THE OIL COOLER LINE HIMSELF. THE CONTACT FOUND THERE WAS INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE AND A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI #11154797

149,700 miles · Jun 1, 2018
Engine

THE RUBBER HOSE IN THE OIL LINE TO THE OIL COOLER FAILED, ALLOWING ALL ENGINE OIL TO QUICKLY LEAK OUT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE SEIZED AND POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTANTLY LOST... CREATING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING ON SURFACE ROADS AT 25…

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THE RUBBER HOSE IN THE OIL LINE TO THE OIL COOLER FAILED, ALLOWING ALL ENGINE OIL TO QUICKLY LEAK OUT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE SEIZED AND POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTANTLY LOST... CREATING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING ON SURFACE ROADS AT 25-35 MPH WHEN MINE FAILED LEXUS KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AND ELIMINATED THE RUBBER HOSE IN ITS 2011 MODELS BUT DID NOTHING TO WARN OWNERS OF THAT VEHICLE. NHTSA WAS ALSO AWARE AND ADDRESSED IN NHTSA ID 10056509 (POSSIBLY INCORRECT ID). I'M REALLY PISSED THAT IT IS GOING TO COST ME $500 TO FIX THIS LEXUS DEFECT, BUT I'M THANKFUL I HADN'T DRIVEN TO MY OFFICE THAT DAY USING INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS! ALL LEXUS VEHICLES HAVING THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ODI #11099205

150,621 miles · Aug 22, 2017
EnginePower Train

THE OIL COOLER PIPE ASSEMBLY ON THE ENGINE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY CAUSING A SUDDEN LOST OF A LARGE VOLUME OF OIL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON A STREET AND WAS ONLY NOTICED WHILE PARKING (A CO-WORKER SAW THE OIL POURING OUT OF THE CAR). THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. …

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THE OIL COOLER PIPE ASSEMBLY ON THE ENGINE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY CAUSING A SUDDEN LOST OF A LARGE VOLUME OF OIL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON A STREET AND WAS ONLY NOTICED WHILE PARKING (A CO-WORKER SAW THE OIL POURING OUT OF THE CAR). THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS. UPDATED 10/10/2017*JS

NHTSA ODI #11018815

110,000 miles · May 16, 2017
EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR AND STATED THAT THE OIL COOLANT COIL CONTAINED A HOLE, WHICH CAUSED OIL TO LEAK. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A MANUFACTURER RECALL; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR AND STATED THAT THE OIL COOLANT COIL CONTAINED A HOLE, WHICH CAUSED OIL TO LEAK. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A MANUFACTURER RECALL; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE RECALL DETAILS WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ODI #10986067

Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2016
Electrical SystemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. THE NOISE WAS ONLY PRESENT FOR A FEW SECONDS, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CAMSHAFT SENSORS WERE FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. THE NOISE WAS ONLY PRESENT FOR A FEW SECONDS, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CAMSHAFT SENSORS WERE FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 05/09/17*LJ CONSUMER STATED THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE CAM GEARS. POSSIBLY CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP. UPDATED 7/6/18*JB *TR

NHTSA ODI #10926202

120,000 miles · Sep 12, 2016
Engine

WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREET IN MADISON WI,SEVERE OIL LOSS DUE TO HOSE TO OIL COOLER. PART WAS CHANGED BY MANUFACTURER FROM RUBBER HOSE TO METAL. THIS TELLS ME THEY KNOW IT IS A PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP IN MADISON WI SAYS THEY GET THIS REPAIR WEEKLY.

NHTSA ODI #10905950

67,000 miles · Mar 26, 2015
Engine

TICKING NOISES WHEN COLD START FOR FIRST 15 MINUTES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10702033

76,000 miles · Dec 4, 2014
Engine

WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 LEXUS RX350 AT 35 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED LEAVING ME WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BUT WAS STUCK IN THE TRAFFIC LANE WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC. FEARING THAT I WOULD BE HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC I CALLED 911 FOR SUPPORT WHILE THE TOW VEHICLE WAS DISPATCH…

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 LEXUS RX350 AT 35 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED LEAVING ME WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BUT WAS STUCK IN THE TRAFFIC LANE WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC. FEARING THAT I WOULD BE HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC I CALLED 911 FOR SUPPORT WHILE THE TOW VEHICLE WAS DISPATCHED. I WAS UNABLE TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY UNTIL POLICE ARRIVED 20 MINUTES LATER, DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRAFFIC. THE LOCAL LEXUS DEALER HAS CONTACTED ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT THE ISSUE WAS A BROKEN VALVE SPRING CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE WHILE RUNNING. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS CONDITION MAY BE SOMEWHAT OF A KNOWN ISSUE WITH LEXUS AS I HAVE SEEN THAT THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH VALVE SPRINGS BREAKING IN THIS ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10662160

97,730 miles · Dec 3, 2014
Engine

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK HEARD A FUNNY NOISE AND OIL LIGHT BEGIN TO BLINK. FOUND OUT ENGINE OIL COOLING TUBE BURST AND LEAKED ALL THE OIL OUT AND HAS CAUSED MOTOR DAMAGE. LEXUS SEND A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT LETTER JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE DESCRIBING A PROBLEM WITH THE TUBE AND THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT AND REPAIR. WAITING ON LEXUS CU…

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WHILE DRIVING TO WORK HEARD A FUNNY NOISE AND OIL LIGHT BEGIN TO BLINK. FOUND OUT ENGINE OIL COOLING TUBE BURST AND LEAKED ALL THE OIL OUT AND HAS CAUSED MOTOR DAMAGE. LEXUS SEND A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT LETTER JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE DESCRIBING A PROBLEM WITH THE TUBE AND THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT AND REPAIR. WAITING ON LEXUS CUSTOMER CARE TO ASSIST. SO FAR ONLY 25%. LOOKS LIKE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT MAY ENTAIL. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10661968

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.