MY DEALER JUST TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING RACK KIT LEAKINGAND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. THIS COMMON PROBLEM IN LEXUS,IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS, LEXUS SHOULD BE PAYING FOR IT, NOT ME. THE QUOTE IS FOR $1315
2009 Lexus RX350
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Lexus RX350 do not stand out strongly from 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
75 reports with mileage · 22 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.
- Steering. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 12 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
97 reportsMY LEXUS HAS UNDER 20,000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT AND NOT SEEN WINTERS. MY DEALER JUST TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING GEARBOX NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. THIS CAR IS IN PERFECT SHAPE AND HAS HARDLY BEEN DRIVEN. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS, LEXUS SHOULD BE PAYING FOR IT, NOT ME. THE QUOTE IS FOR $1450.
MY CAR NEVER LEAKED OIL, AND NO SENSOR LIGHTS WERE ON. REGULAR MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE CAR. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON CRUISE CONTROL ABOUT 70 MPH (2,000 RPM) ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO 3,000-3,500 RPM. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITHIN 0.25 MILES, THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR CAME ON AT THE END OF THE EXIT …
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MY CAR NEVER LEAKED OIL, AND NO SENSOR LIGHTS WERE ON. REGULAR MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE CAR. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON CRUISE CONTROL ABOUT 70 MPH (2,000 RPM) ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO 3,000-3,500 RPM. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITHIN 0.25 MILES, THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR CAME ON AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS AWAY FROM THE EXIT RAMP TO REACH A SIDE STREET AND BY THEN THE CAR WAS BARELY MOVING, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, AND SEVERAL OTHER SENSOR LIGHTS WERE ALSO ON. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE GARAGE THAT TOLD ME THE OIL COOLANT LINES HAD LEAKED CAUSING THE LOW PRESSURE CONDITION IN THE ENGINE. AFTER THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE OIL COOLER LINES AND PERFORMED AN OIL AND FILTER CHANGE THEY FOUND "LARGE QUANTITIES OF METAL SHAVINGS IN OIL FILTER CARTRIDGE INDICATING INTERNAL DAMAGE OF ENGINE." SEVERE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED AND ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IN MY EXPERIENCE, IT SEEMS THAT A LARGE QUANTITY OF OIL WAS LOST VERY QUICKLY, AND IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE CAR COULD HAVE SEIZED UP AND I COULD HAVE GOTTEN IN AN ACCIDENT.
I JUST BOUGHT CAR AND 5 DAYS LATER THE OIL COOLER LINE FAILED AND I LOST ALL OIL. IF THIS WAS HANDLED AS A RECALL (I SEARCHED FOR RECALLS BEFORE PURCHASING CAR) IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF ALREADY, AT THE VERY LEAST I WOULD HAVE KNOWN TO GET IT DONE. LEXUS EXTENDED WARRANTY IS 150,000 MILES UNFORTUNATELY MINE HAS 1…
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I JUST BOUGHT CAR AND 5 DAYS LATER THE OIL COOLER LINE FAILED AND I LOST ALL OIL. IF THIS WAS HANDLED AS A RECALL (I SEARCHED FOR RECALLS BEFORE PURCHASING CAR) IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF ALREADY, AT THE VERY LEAST I WOULD HAVE KNOWN TO GET IT DONE. LEXUS EXTENDED WARRANTY IS 150,000 MILES UNFORTUNATELY MINE HAS 152,400, SO THEY ARE DENYING COVERAGE.
VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH TWO-PIECE LUG NUTS CONSISTING OF A PHYSICAL LUG NUT AND A DECORATIVE CAP. LUG NUTS ARE 21MM IN SIZE. OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY IN HUMID CLIMATES OR WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED, LUG NUTS SWELL BETWEEN DECORATIVE CAP AND PHYSICAL LUG NUT DUE TO CORROSION. SWELLING CAN CAUSE 21MM TOOLS INCLUDING VEHICLE LUG WRENCH …
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VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH TWO-PIECE LUG NUTS CONSISTING OF A PHYSICAL LUG NUT AND A DECORATIVE CAP. LUG NUTS ARE 21MM IN SIZE. OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY IN HUMID CLIMATES OR WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED, LUG NUTS SWELL BETWEEN DECORATIVE CAP AND PHYSICAL LUG NUT DUE TO CORROSION. SWELLING CAN CAUSE 21MM TOOLS INCLUDING VEHICLE LUG WRENCH TO NOT FIT ON LUG NUT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CHANGE TIRES.
MY LEXUS HAS JUST 50,000 MILES ON IT GARAGE KEPT, JUST WAS TOLD MY RACK&PINION GEAR WAS LEAKING TO THE TUNE OF 1800.00 DOLLARS. I WAS LOOKING UP LEXUS FORUMS ON LINE, THERE IS QUITE OF LEXUS OWNER'S THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND IF YOU DON`T TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM IT COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS. I THINK LEXUS SHOULD REIMBURS…
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MY LEXUS HAS JUST 50,000 MILES ON IT GARAGE KEPT, JUST WAS TOLD MY RACK&PINION GEAR WAS LEAKING TO THE TUNE OF 1800.00 DOLLARS. I WAS LOOKING UP LEXUS FORUMS ON LINE, THERE IS QUITE OF LEXUS OWNER'S THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND IF YOU DON`T TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM IT COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS. I THINK LEXUS SHOULD REIMBURSE OWNER'S FOR THERE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES.
SERIOUS STEERING RACK POWER STEERING FAILURE/LEAKAGE, MECHANIC SAYS COMMON LEXUS AND TOYOTA PRODUCTS AND CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT BY LOSING STEERING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THANK GOD, NO ACCIDENT YET, JUST FACING $1600 REPAIR. PARTS AND LABOR, ONE YEAR WARRANTY. DO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THIS IS ADDRESSED??
TAKATA RECALL - MY AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED ON IMPACT. AS I WAS BRAKING TO PARK OUTSIDE MY GARAGE DOOR, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED EXTREMELY FAST. MY LEXUS WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR AND I WAS BRAKING BUT MY SUV DIDN'T STOP UNTIL IT HIT THINGS IN THE GARAGE THAT STOPPED ME. I EVEN PLOWED INTO A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WENT OUT…
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TAKATA RECALL - MY AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED ON IMPACT. AS I WAS BRAKING TO PARK OUTSIDE MY GARAGE DOOR, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED EXTREMELY FAST. MY LEXUS WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR AND I WAS BRAKING BUT MY SUV DIDN'T STOP UNTIL IT HIT THINGS IN THE GARAGE THAT STOPPED ME. I EVEN PLOWED INTO A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WENT OUT THE BACK WALL OF THE GARAGE
I TOOK MY RX350 FOR REGULAR SERVICE AND ASKED FOR THE STEERING TO BE CHECKED SINCE IT MADE NOISE AND DID NOT FEEL SECURE WHEN MAKING HARD OR SHARP TURNS AND WHEN PARKING IN TIGHT SPOTS. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT COULD BE HAZARDOUS IF NOT ADDRESSED. IT NEEDED TO BE RE…
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I TOOK MY RX350 FOR REGULAR SERVICE AND ASKED FOR THE STEERING TO BE CHECKED SINCE IT MADE NOISE AND DID NOT FEEL SECURE WHEN MAKING HARD OR SHARP TURNS AND WHEN PARKING IN TIGHT SPOTS. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT COULD BE HAZARDOUS IF NOT ADDRESSED. IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE LEXUS ESTIMATE WAS $2000! GIVEN THE AGE, I HAD LESS THAN 80K MOSTLY LOCAL AND HIGHWAY MILES ON THE SUV. WHEN I RESEARCHED COST ESTIMATES I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. I BELIEVE LEXUS SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REIMBURSE THE OWNERS WHO HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET! AFTER I SAVED UP TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR THE COST WAS $2058.11!
OIL COOLANT MANIFOLD. RUBBER HOSES WHICH ARE HIGH PRESSURE HOSES BURST. ENGINE ISSUES AFTERWARDS DUE TO IMMEDIATE AND EXTREME OIL LOSS. DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY. LEXUS DEALER STATED THE REPLACEMENT PART IS ON "NATIONAL BACK ORDER, MORE THAN 3,000 UNITS". I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FIXED AS IT IS A PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR MY FAM…
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OIL COOLANT MANIFOLD. RUBBER HOSES WHICH ARE HIGH PRESSURE HOSES BURST. ENGINE ISSUES AFTERWARDS DUE TO IMMEDIATE AND EXTREME OIL LOSS. DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY. LEXUS DEALER STATED THE REPLACEMENT PART IS ON "NATIONAL BACK ORDER, MORE THAN 3,000 UNITS". I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FIXED AS IT IS A PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR MY FAMILY. LEXUS STATES THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE UNLESS IT IS FIXED AT A LEXUS DEALER....THOUGH THEY DO NOT HAVE THE REPLACEMENT PART! NO LOANER WAS OFFERED. COST $321.00 FOR AFTERMARKET PART. THERE IS A SERVICE CAMPAIGN ON THIS ISSUE; SCZLC AS OF 08/01/2014, OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE AWARE OF AN ISSUE.
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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