RUBBER ON BACK LATCH HANDLE HAS MELTED INTO A BLACK TARRY GOO THAT DRIPPED DOWN ONTO THE LICENSE PLATE. I HAVE READ ONLINE OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE LIVING IN HOT STATES HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND SOME THINK IT IS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT I AM UNSURE.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RX350 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
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.
What owners actually said
126 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TIRE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN BRAKING, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TIRE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN BRAKING, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
THE REAR SWITCH ON THE TAILGATE IS MELTED. WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE BUTTON IF FEELS STICKY AND COMES OFF ON YOUR HANDS. TO REPLACE THIS PART IT COST 100.00 FOR THE PART AND 200.00 TO INSTALL. WHEN I LOOKED ONLINE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE MAKING OF THIS PART. IT HAS FAILED.
MELTED RUBBER BOOT HANDLE COVER FOR THE REAR LATCH CAUSING REAR DOOR AUTOMATIC LIFT TO STOP FUNCTIONING ISSUE REPORTED MULTIPLE TIMES ON HTTP://WWW.CLUBLEXUS.COM/FORUMS WITH INCIDENT OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE INVOLVED.
THE RUBBER ON THE BACK DOOR OPENER HAS GOTTEN MORE MELTED AND STICKY OVER THE PAST YEAR. IT IS NOW UNUSABLE DUE TO THE TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE THAT CANNOT BE REMOVED VERY EASILY. IF THIS MELT DOWN IS ELECTRICAL, IT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE.
I WAS DRIVING ON A ROAD, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE UNTIL EVENTUALLY DROPPING TO THE ROAD AND DRAGGING UNTIL I COULD GAIN CONTROL OF IT , BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. I NOTICED OUT OF MY DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW ACROSS THE ROAD WAS MY TIRE ROLLING AT A RAPID SPEED. I CALLED 911 TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE TO STOP THE TRAFFIC AND TO HELP WITH MY…
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I WAS DRIVING ON A ROAD, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE UNTIL EVENTUALLY DROPPING TO THE ROAD AND DRAGGING UNTIL I COULD GAIN CONTROL OF IT , BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. I NOTICED OUT OF MY DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW ACROSS THE ROAD WAS MY TIRE ROLLING AT A RAPID SPEED. I CALLED 911 TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE TO STOP THE TRAFFIC AND TO HELP WITH MY DISABLED VEHICLE. OFFICERS ASSISTED WITH HELPING MYSELF, MY MOTHER AND MY TWO TODDLERS OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND TO RETRIEVE MY TIRE. THE TIRE HAD FALLEN OFF OF MY VEHICLE, AT THE RIM, LEAVING THE BOLTS AND THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE RIM STILL ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE, WHILE THE REMAINING MAJORITY OF THE RIM WAS STILL ATTACHED TO MY TIRE ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PROPER WORKING CONDITION PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. I DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE NOR WAS I IN AN ACCIDENT. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MY RESIDENCE, THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER CONTACTING LEXUS AND ADVISING THEM OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY LEXUS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEIR PROPERTY FOR AN INSPECTION. AFTER THE VEHICLE ARRIVED TO THEIR PROPERTY, THEY CONTACTED ME AND STATED THAT THE THE INCIDENT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, THAT HAD IT BEEN A MANUFACTURES DEFECT IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. LEXUS THEN INFORMED MYSELF THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY FOR DAMAGES THAT HAVE BEEN INCURRED. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THIS VEHICLE WAS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER. ALL PREVIOUS SERVICES WERE PERFORMED BY AUTO LENDERS AND THE MOST RECENT WAS JUNE 23, 2015, WHEN A ROUTINE OIL AND FILTER CHANGE OCCURRED, AS WELL AS, THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS BEING REPLACED. THE SAFETY OF OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN ARE A GREAT CONCERN GOING FORWARD IN THIS VEHICLE AND WE DO NOT FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS IN FACT CONCERNED WITH OUR SAFETY AND WELL BEING AND IF THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH OTHER LEXUS VEHICLES, IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ALL.
I NOTICED THAT MY INFLATE TIRE LIGHT WAS ON. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER MY CAR TO INFLATE THE SPARE I NOTICED THAT THE SPARE WAS GONE AND THE CABLE HAD SNAPPED DUE TO RUSTING. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT AND IS SURELY A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE TIRE WERE TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING. 2008 LEUS RX 350 AWD.
THE REAR BOOT OPENER IS MELTED AND DRIPPING ONTO THE BUMPER
BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, WAS INFORMED ONE OF THE POWER STEERING BOOTS WAS "RIPPED AND LEAKING PRETTY GOOD." I WAS QUOTED $1600 FOR A COMPLETE RACK & PINION STEERING REPLACEMENT INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR, WHICH I DECLINED BECAUSE THOSE ARE MSRP PRICES.. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND I AM NOW CONCERNED FOR HER …
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BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, WAS INFORMED ONE OF THE POWER STEERING BOOTS WAS "RIPPED AND LEAKING PRETTY GOOD." I WAS QUOTED $1600 FOR A COMPLETE RACK & PINION STEERING REPLACEMENT INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR, WHICH I DECLINED BECAUSE THOSE ARE MSRP PRICES.. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND I AM NOW CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY AS WELL AS OTHER PASSENGERS. BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH 2007-2009 RX350'S ON THIS SITE, LEXUS IS WELL AWARE THEY HAVE AN ONGOING SAFETY PROBLEM AND THEY NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL TO COVER THESE INSANE COSTS. WE MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER, I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A POWER STEERING FAILURE AT BELOW 75K MILES ON ANY VEHICHLE BUILT IN THE LAST 20 YEARS...NOT HAPPY AND THIS WILL BE ONE AND ONLY LEXUS!
WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2012 BY 2013 DASH STARTED TO CRACK & GET VERY STICKY. NOW DASH COMPLETELY CRACKED AROUND PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONTINUED DASH CRACKING & IF WILL EFFECT THE AIRBAGS & INJURY FROM THE AIRBAG IF DEPLOYED.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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