Illustration2009 LEXUS RX 350. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BRAKES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WOULD VIBRATE WHEN HE/SHE REACHED A HIGH SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND FIXED FREE OF CHARGE. HOWEVER, 5,000 MILES LATER THE PROBLEM RETURNED.
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
160–25K
1525–50K
2150–75K
1175–100K
11100–150K
1150K+
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.
7 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
97 reportsIN DEC 2011, A REPUTABLE TOYOTA DEALER PERFORMED A RE-ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE STEERING WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE CAR WAS FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS. IN FEB 2012, THE STEERING STARTED PULLING AGAIN. AGAIN TO THE RIGHT. *TR MY CONCERN IS THAT SOMETHING BASIC IS WRONG WITH THE STEERING/ALIGNMENT MECHANISM.
2009 LEXUS RX 350. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DISPUTE WITH LEXUS REGARDING LEASE AGREEMENT AND EXCESSIVE WEAR AND USE CHARGES FOR VEHICLE *TGW
BY DESIGN THE ELECTRIC TAILGATE DOES NOT REVERSE WHEN IN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING THEREBY TRAPPING A PERSON IF THEY ARE NOT CLEAR OF THE TAILGATE RESULTING IN INJURY. *TR
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM OF LEXUS RX 350 (2009) WILL NOT WORK FOR LIGHT WEIGHT PERSON WHOSE WEIGHT IS LESS THAN 90 LBS WHILE OTHER AUTOMAKER?S PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM WORKS FOR PERSON EVEN WHOSE WEIGHT IS AROUND 60 LBS. OWNER?S MANUAL DOES NOT SPECIFY REQUIRED OR SUGGESTED WEIGHT OF A PERSON FOR WHICH PASSENGER SIDE AI…
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PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM OF LEXUS RX 350 (2009) WILL NOT WORK FOR LIGHT WEIGHT PERSON WHOSE WEIGHT IS LESS THAN 90 LBS WHILE OTHER AUTOMAKER?S PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM WORKS FOR PERSON EVEN WHOSE WEIGHT IS AROUND 60 LBS. OWNER?S MANUAL DOES NOT SPECIFY REQUIRED OR SUGGESTED WEIGHT OF A PERSON FOR WHICH PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM DESIGNED TO FUNCTIONING. DEALERSHIP SAID AFTER ADJUSTING ZERO WEIGHT CALIBRATION, IT WAS DESIGNED AS SUCH WAY AND COULD NOT FIX THE ISSUE. THIS ISSUE MAY HAVE SOME CONCERN FOR FAMILIES THOSE WHO HAVE LIGHT WEIGHT FAMILY MEMBER LESS THAN 90 LBS WHEN SELECTING THIS MODEL. *TT
WHEN THE SUV SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2RD GEAR THE ENGINE REVS UP ABOUT 1000 RPMS AND HESITATES 2-5 SECONDS BEFORE THE SHIFT TAKES PLACE. I CAN'T RELY ON POWER WHEN NEEDED BECAUSE OF THIS. IT'S NOT CONSTANT, ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME IT OCCURS. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. THE DEALER, KENDALL LEXUS OF EUGENE OREGON (RICK S…
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WHEN THE SUV SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2RD GEAR THE ENGINE REVS UP ABOUT 1000 RPMS AND HESITATES 2-5 SECONDS BEFORE THE SHIFT TAKES PLACE. I CAN'T RELY ON POWER WHEN NEEDED BECAUSE OF THIS. IT'S NOT CONSTANT, ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME IT OCCURS. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. THE DEALER, KENDALL LEXUS OF EUGENE OREGON (RICK STRONG-SERVICE MANAGER) IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SAYS "TOYOTA WON'T PUT OUT A NEW CHIP TO FIX THE PROBLEM". RICK STRONG ALSO SAID" I TOLD THE SALESMAN HE SHOULD INFORM POTENTIAL BUYERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THEY PURCHASE A VEHICLE". THIS PROBLEM IS ONGOING SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE.
THE DRIVER SIDE OUTSIDE REMOTE MIRROR DOES NOT TILT DOWN WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. PASSENGER SIDE OUTSIDE MIRROR IS OPERATING NORMALLY. INTENT TO BRING VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2009 LEXUS RX 350 DOWN A MAJOR SURFACE STREET WHEN MY POWER BRAKES AND STEERING WENT OUT. I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AGAIN AFTER MOVING TO A SIDE STREET, AND MY STEERING AND BRAKES WENT OUT 2 MORE TIMES, I THEN HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY LEXUS DEALER. THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE REASON FOR THE PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING INTO TRAFFIC AND SLOWING DOWN, THEN MOVING AGAIN AT ABOUT 2MPH, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT INTO THE RIGHT GEAR, IT LURCHES AND SPUTTERS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY INFORMED HER THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING INTO TRAFFIC AND SLOWING DOWN, THEN MOVING AGAIN AT ABOUT 2MPH, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT INTO THE RIGHT GEAR, IT LURCHES AND SPUTTERS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY INFORMED HER THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, IT IS THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION THAT TRIES TO ANTICIPATE WHAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SHOULD DO NEXT BECAUSE IT IS THINKING FOR YOU. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CALLED AND STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE AND THAT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS RX 350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED WHILE DRIVING INTO A PARKING SPACE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND DROVE OVER THE CURB. SHE ATTEMPTED TO USE THE BRAKES WHICH DID NOT WORK AT FIRST TO STOP THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXTREME FORCE AND SHIFTED INTO…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS RX 350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED WHILE DRIVING INTO A PARKING SPACE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND DROVE OVER THE CURB. SHE ATTEMPTED TO USE THE BRAKES WHICH DID NOT WORK AT FIRST TO STOP THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXTREME FORCE AND SHIFTED INTO PARK WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT COULD COLLIDE WITH A PLATE GLASS WINDOW. THE VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY HAD SLIGHT ACCELERATION PROBLEMS BUT WHEN SPEAKING TO THE DEALER IN JANUARY, THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD SEND A REPRESENTATIVE OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 32,000-BK
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.