NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Lexus RX Recalls & Complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2003 Lexus RX right now, so this page doesn't state a recall count — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for current campaigns. 4 owner complaints are on file.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2003 Lexus RX.

2003 Lexus RX owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lexus RX, describing incidents dated October 1, 2014 to January 22, 2024.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 1 complaint
Seat Belts 1 complaint
Unknown or Other 1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Control 1 complaint

Of the 4 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 4 complaints, owners report 2 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11568147 · Filed January 27, 2024
I bought this vehicle from a private person and it look like it has odometer fraud. The odometer mark 85.555 miles but it really has around 185.555 miles or more not sure yet.
ODI #11353239 · Filed September 4, 2020
AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR STARTED TO SPEED UP UNCONTROLLABLY AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN EVEN WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED. I HAD TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT WE WENT FROM 45 - 85MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS WHILE DRIVING IN 45MPH ZONE IN THE INNER CITY. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON WHILE IN…
ODI #11289794 · Filed December 18, 2019
MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH RESULTING IN BOTH VEHICLES BEING TOTALED. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES FROM HIS AIR BAG. MY SON HOWEVER PUNCHED HIS HEAD THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO HIS HEAD AND FACE. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND HE WAS…

Read all 4 complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2003 Lexus RX right now — this is not a confirmed "no recalls". Check the VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls for the official status.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2003 Lexus RX. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

4 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Lexus RX.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11568147

Incident: January 22, 2024 · Filed: January 27, 2024

I bought this vehicle from a private person and it look like it has odometer fraud. The odometer mark 85.555 miles but it really has around 185.555 miles or more not sure yet.

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #11353239

Incident: July 5, 2020 · Filed: September 4, 2020

AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR STARTED TO SPEED UP UNCONTROLLABLY AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN EVEN WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED. I HAD TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT WE WENT FROM 45 - 85MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS WHILE DRIVING IN 45MPH ZONE IN THE INNER CITY. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON WHILE IN PARK THE ACCELERATOR WAS STILL STUCK UP TO 100MPH + SO IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE. WE FOUND OUT LATER FROM THE MECHANIC THAT THE THROTTLE WAS STICKY AND STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION.

Seat Belts

ODI #11289794

Crash 2 injuries

Incident: December 13, 2019 · Filed: December 18, 2019

MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH RESULTING IN BOTH VEHICLES BEING TOTALED. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES FROM HIS AIR BAG. MY SON HOWEVER PUNCHED HIS HEAD THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO HIS HEAD AND FACE. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND HE WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK CORRECTLY UPON IMPACT

Air Bags

ODI #10648906

Incident: October 1, 2014 · Filed: October 20, 2014

SIX MONTHS AGO, THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD ISSUE WITH THESE LEXUS RX 300'S EVIDENCED BY THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS LOGGED ON THE WEB. MY CAR WAS GARAGE KEPT FOR THE MAJORITY OF IT'S LIFE. THIS ISSUE SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY LEXUS AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *TR

Other Lexus RX model years

Check your 2003 Lexus RX VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Lexus RX at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Lexus VIN