2026 Lexus RX Recalls & Complaints

Incident: October 21, 2026 · Filed: October 23, 2026

While driving my 2026 Lexus RX350h, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion and would not respond to the accelerator. After coming to a stop, pressing the gas pedal did nothing. I had to shift to Park, press the brake, and press the Start button to get the vehicle moving again. A short time later, while making a right turn, the vehicle lost power again while still moving, forcing me to repeat the Park–Brake–Start sequence in the middle of the turn. This is a serious safety issue because the hybrid system appears to shut down unexpectedly, causing loss of propulsion in traffic. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who stated the battery was “good,” but no cause was identified. This needs investigation because the vehicle can unexpectedly lose power and require a restart while driving.

Incident: October 7, 2026 · Filed: October 12, 2026

There is an extreme dark shadow or cutoff line on the driver-side headlight

Incident: September 15, 2026 · Filed: September 29, 2026

The factory-installed front spindle grille and bumper assembly on this brand-new 2026 Lexus RX 350 suffered severe thermal material failure, resulting in extensive warping, bubbling, and physical melting under normal, predictable outdoor ambient daylight parking conditions. This thermal deformation poses an immediate safety hazard because the deformed exterior structure directly houses the vehicle’s critical front-facing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). This includes the pre-collision safety radar sensors, pedestrian detection cameras, and proximity sensors located right behind the front Lexus emblem and grille assembly. The physical distortion of the plastic mounting housing can cause sensor misalignment, resulting in unexpected automatic emergency braking, failure of the pre-collision warning systems, or sudden blind-spot radar failure while operating the vehicle at highway speeds. Lexus Corporate (Case #260917000986) officially inspected the vehicle and explicitly denied all warranty and goodwill safety repairs, formally stating the vehicle's body components are melting due to a "solar event" concentration. Furthermore, the authorized Lexus dealership service management explicitly stated that this is a widespread, "common issue" that takes only 5 minutes of outdoor sunlight reflection to cause catastrophic component melting. The vehicle remains in its exact original factory configuration with under 2,000 miles. It is a severe safety defect to manufacture a modern premium passenger vehicle with safety sensor housings that melt and lose structural integrity under normal outdoor sunlight exposure. The manufacturer is actively refusing to correct this material hazard, leaving the safety radar systems compromised.

Incident: September 25, 2026 · Filed: September 25, 2026

Push brake to start. Displays car not ready low battery. Seat memory not retaining setting. Windshield wiper speed will not remove water fast enough

Incident: September 11, 2026 · Filed: September 14, 2026

(1)The original 12-V battery was replaced by the dealership on XXX (after 5-week and 120-mile usage) with a new one, model: 00544-MFH50, S/N [XXX], 540CCA and 100 RC. (2)Upon double-checking with the 2026 Lexus Owner’s Manual for RX450H+, on Page 605, it clearly stated that when replacing the battery, its case size should be the same as the previous one (LN3) ……. with a performance rating of CCA of 603A or higher. (3)The dealership indicated the 00544-MFH50 was the right battery based on the VIN number per Lexus internal database. The database also showed another battery model: 28800-31572. (4)However, according to the battery information at [XXX], both 00544-MFH50 and 28800-31572 are listed as “Does not fit” the 2026 RX450H+ vehicle. (5)The other battery, model 00544-21171LXPR, is listed as the HV 12-V battery for the 2026 RX450H+ at [XXX]. (6)Also on the Lexus parts website, this 2026 RX450H+ VIN number is recognized as RX350h (Base Trim), a totally different vehicle. It may be possible that the Lexus 2026 RX450H+ Owner’s Manual (published in [XXX], 2026, for the North American market) and [XXX] have been updated with the correct 12-V battery information, while the internal Lexus database was not. It was not clear whether factories in [XXX] or elsewhere, and [XXX] dealerships, still use the possibly outdated and conflicting information for initial battery installation and replacement when needed. The discrepancies between Lexus internal information (manufacturing and dealership) and publicly available information from the owner’s manual and official Lexus website caused significant confusion about which battery is the right one designed for this vehicle in 2026. Details please see attachment. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: September 13, 2026 · Filed: September 13, 2026

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned and is it available for inspection upon request? Component/System: Brake-by-wire hydraulic fluid loop, master cylinder assembly, or stroke simulator system on a 2026 Lexus RX 350h (VIN: [XXX]; 2,450 miles). Cash-purchased new in XXX. Weak, unrestricted hydraulic pressure. The brake pedal depresses to within 1 inch of the floorboard, bottoming out against the physical mechanical extension rod limit. A Reserve Distance Measurement confirms the vehicle fails to meet the minimum Lexus safety standard of 86 mm (3.39 inches) of pedal reserve distance. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Safety Hazard: Operating at less than 1 inch of pedal clearance instead of the factory-mandated 86 mm (3.39 inches) violates Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) regarding pedal reserve margins. Imminent Risk: This drastically increases the risk of a catastrophic front-end or multi-fatal high-speed collision. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Dealer Visit: Park Place Lexus in [XXX] on XXX (at 2,450 miles) for low hydraulic pressure. No dealer dismissed Despite violating the 86 mm (3.39 inches) factory specification, the service department refused to perform internal examinations 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Inspections: Inspected exclusively by Park Place Lexus Plano. confined to a private garage to prevent a public safety incident. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No dashboard warning lamps, appeared XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: September 4, 2026 · Filed: September 11, 2026

The 12-V battery of a brand-new Lexus RX450h died suddenly without any warning, only about 5 weeks into regular driving, with 120 miles on the odometer. Lexus Roadside Assistance was called in to jump-start the battery, and the vehicle was driven directly to the dealership (about 5 miles away) for service. The dealership service checked the battery and indicated it “passed” all tests and is in "good" condition. However, the service technicians could not identify or suggest any reason for such a sudden death of virtually a brand-new battery (5-week new, 120-mile usage). The dealership indicated that there is nothing they can do for the battery because Lexus warranty protocol would not allow them to replace it. The Lexus Engagement Center was also contacted, and they indicated that, per Lexus protocols, they could not do anything about it, except documentation on the battery failure and file it for future reference. The customer considered this suddenly “failed” battery as a serious safety concern, because it is completely unknown how and why it happened suddenly in the first place. The customer repeatedly discussed and/or emailed such concerns to both the dealership and Lexus Engagement Center staff on the same matter, only requesting to replace the “failed” battery with a new one. Both dealership and Engagement Center concluded no replacement can be done, only “continued monitoring” of the failed battery, citing Lexus protocols. However, the dealership service department also acknowledged there is no way for any customer to monitor this 12-V battery with either onboard displays or Lexus APP, as the 12-V battery condition is not being monitored by the existing Lexus software. Only another unfortunate incident or even fatal accident due to this “dead” battery could be the outcome of such “continued monitoring” and documented “repeated” failure. After that, they may be able to involve Lexus field engineering team to investigate it further.

Incident: August 31, 2026 · Filed: September 1, 2026

2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury AWD Hybrid. Component Affected: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V BATTERY, DIGITAL/ELECTRONIC LOCKS I am experiencing a severe and persistent 12V parasitic battery drain on my 2026 Lexus RX 350h. The vehicle's auxiliary 12V battery drains completely to a dead state if left parked and unused for only two to three days. This is an ongoing manufacturing or software defect that prevents the auxiliary battery from maintaining an adequate charge, resulting in routine vehicle failure. Safety Risks and Incidents: This parasitic drain introduces several critical safety hazards: 1. Emergency Entrapment and Lockout Risk: Because this vehicle relies entirely on electronic door latches (e-Latch), a completely depleted 12V battery causes the exterior and interior electronic door release buttons to fail completely. This creates an immediate risk of vehicle entrapment or leaving passengers locked out in dangerous environments if they are unfamiliar with the secondary manual emergency release overrides.Stranding Hazards: The rapid, unpredictable nature of the battery depletion regularly leaves the driver stranded without warning in remote locations, dark parking areas, or during extreme weather conditions.Loss of Connected Safety Features: When the battery voltage drops severely before dying completely, critical connected vehicle safety systems—including automated emergency crash notifications, location tracking, and roadside assistance connectivity—are entirely disabled, presenting a severe risk in an emergency.Despite dealer awareness, battery replacements, and attempts to mitigate the drain, the manufacturer has not yet provided a permanent software or hardware fix to resolve this electrical defect. Yesterday, 8/31/2026 I took a 30 mile trip after fully charging the 12 V battery to 100%. Upon returning, I installed my battery maintainer. The maintainer stated 53% charge. The vehicle was not adequately charging while I drove. Vehicle software is malfunctioning.

Incident: August 26, 2026 · Filed: August 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Lexus RX 450h+. The contact stated that while occupying the vehicle, the battery lost power, causing the power door locks to fail to disengage and leaving the contact trapped inside the vehicle. Approximately 15 minutes later, the contact located the manual emergency release, unlocked the door, and exited the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact of the manual emergency door release. The following day, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

Incident: July 17, 2026 · Filed: August 10, 2026

First incident. 71 mph, 101 degrees out traveling along a straight highway, I hit the seat cooler button and when I did, my car lost power. I could not get any response when I hit the accelerator. I tried several times. This was on XXX with around 500 miles on the car in the odometer. I had it less than a week. Second incident on XXX 25 mph, 105 degrees outside with 1300 miles in the odometer, I again, lost power and was unable to accelerate. I was on a windy road that required the use of both hands on the wheel. With this incident I lost the AC in the cabin. I had to pull over both times and turn off my vehicle and turn back on. There were no lights, or warnings or beeps letting me know that my car was going to lose or lost power. I took the vehicle to Crown Lexus in Ontario, they had it for 7 days and they could not find anything wrong with it. When they ran a diagnostic on it, there were no codes other than they said I put the car in neutral while driving. Which did not happen. My husband was with me both times. I then had the car towed to Lexus of [XXX] and we went for a test drive, as they wanted to see how I drive to rule out human error and to see if the car would have another incident. It did not. They kept it overnight and could not find anything. The first dealer drove it about 70 miles and the second around 10 miles to diagnose. The green ready light was on the dash. As to what component failed? I am not sure other than I could not accelerate and the ac went out. My safety and my husbands, along with other drivers, was put at risk due to the fact my car was traveling at a high rate of speed and it just lost power. I could have been rear ended. I could have been on a road without a shoulder to move over to. This could have been a major catastrophe. The dealer(s) have been unable to reproduce the incidents. There has been no inspection other than at the dealer, and during both incidents, no warning lights, or beeps were seen or heard INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)