2012 Lexus RX350 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
33 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
26,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 29 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 33 complaints (30.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 12 | 36.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 12.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 9.1% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 9.1% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 3.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 |
| Service Brakes | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Engine | 4 |
| Power Train | 4 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Service Brakes: 5; Air Bags: 4; Electrical System: 4; Engine: 4; Power Train: 4; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 3; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 3 |
2011: 2; 2012: 4; 2013: 7; 2014: 2; 2015: 3; 2016: 2; 2017: 4; 2018: 1; 2019: 5; 2020: 3
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10441295 · 2011-12-27 (December 27, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ABNORMALLY DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT AIR HAD ENTERED THE BRAKE LINE AND CAUSED THE BRAKE TO BECOME SPONGY. THE DEALER REMOVED THE AIR FROM THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIR…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10441295 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10463655 · 2012-06-30 (June 30, 2012)
ON 6/25/2012- AT 7:10 AM, I WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING SPOT FOR MY VEHICLE IN MY HOSPITAL PARKING LOT FOR A SCHEDULED SURGICAL CASE, WHERE I WORK AS AN OB/GYN PHYSICIAN/SURGEON . AS I TURNED TO THE PARKING SPOT AT THE USUAL, APPROXIMATELY 2-4 MILES /HR SPEED ( THE SPEED AT WHICH NORMALLY ONE PARKS THE CAR), I NOTICED THAT MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL DID NOT BOUNCE BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION AS IT NORMALLY SHOULD OR WOULD. THEN MY RT FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES TO JUST STOP THE VEHICLE IN MY PARKING SPOT. THEN JUST INSTANTLY THE VEHICLE HAD INCREASED S…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,590 miles reported. Look up ODI 10463655 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10440171 · 2011-12-16 (December 16, 2011)
I BOUGHT THE NEW CAR FROM A LEXUS DEALER IN NJ ON SATURDAY 12/03/2011. RIGHT AFTER THE CAR WAS DELIVERED TO ME AND AS I DROVE THE CAR OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP, I NOTICED THAT RPM SURGED WHENEVER GEAR UPSHIFTED SPECIALLY IN 15-40 MPH RANGE. MY WIFE ALSO NOTICED THE SAME ISSUE. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON FOLLOWING FRIDAY, 12/9/2011, AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, IT HAD ~340 MILES ON IT. ONE MECHANIC AT THE DEALER ROAD TESTED THE CAR WITH ME AND NOTICED THE SAME ISSUE. WE LEFT THE CAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 4 miles reported. Look up ODI 10440171 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10509833 · 2013-04-29 (April 29, 2013)
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT APPROX. 3 MPH AND BEING LESS THAN A FOOT FROM WHERE I WOULD HAVE FULLY STOPPED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY AS THE ENGINE RACED AT A VERY HIGH RPM. I WAS ABLE TO TURN MY WHEEL QUICKLY TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. AT THAT SAME TIME WITH MY FOOT THAT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE AND I BRAKED VERY HARD, THEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. I HAD A SMALL PIECE OF WOOD FLOORING ON THE BACK SEAT WHICH CAME FLYING TO THE FRONT AND CUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD. …
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10509833 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10609022 · 2014-07-08 (July 8, 2014)
CONTINUATION OF MY REPORT. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE SAME SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED BUT IN REVERSE AS THE DRIVER WAS LEAVING HER HOME AND THIS TIME SHE COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, GOING THRU THE CONCRETE FENCE OF HER FRONT NEIGHBOR TAKING A SIDE OF THE NEIGHBOR HOUSE, DOWN A HILL AND HITTING TWO AIR CONDITIONER UNITS AND AN ELECTRICAL GENERATOR, DAMAGING THE WHOLE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE REAR, BRAKING THE REAR DRIVE TRAIN AND GETTING STUCK IN A CONCRETE WALL WHICH SAVE THEIR LIFE. IF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE GONE 10 MORE FEET IT WOULD…
Owner-reported narrative. 26,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10609022 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10609024 · 2014-07-08 (July 8, 2014)
FIRST PART OF COMPLAINT JUST IN CASE IT DID NOT GO THRU THE FIRST TIME. DEAR SIRS, I'M WRITING TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THEY HAVE CONTRACTED ME AS A VEHICLE ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONIST IN PUERTO RICO. I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE MADE ANY INQUIRIES IN THE FUEL DELIVERY AND PROPULSION SYSTEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS TOYOTA, LEXUS AND HONDA VEHICLES THAT I KNOW OF SO FAR, ARE HAVING SOME KIND OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION ISSUES AND THE COMPUTER DOES NOT CATCH THE PROBLEM. THIS ACCELERATION SURGES THAT I HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT, ALL HAV…
Owner-reported narrative. 26,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10609024 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10945208 · 2017-01-13 (January 13, 2017)
I WAS STOPPED TURNING RIGHT FORM ONE CITY STREET ONTO ANOTHER CITY STREET WHEN I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT STOP ME FROM CAREENING FORWARD IN THE SEAT CAUSING MY HEAD TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. I RECEIVED A CUT OVER MY RIGHT EYE FROM THE IMPACT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10945208 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11053559 · 2017-12-08 (December 8, 2017)
VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED ON HIGHWAY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ABS MALFUNCTION, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALL POPPED UP ON DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP ERASED THAT LIGHTS, VEHICLE GAVE SAME WARNING LIGHTS WITH POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION LIGHT TOO WITH OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WITHIN 24 HRS, WITH COMPLETE STOP ON ROAD AT SPEED OF 35MPH. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES FOR SAME ISSUE, DEALERSHIP KEPT VEHICLE DEALERSHIP STATING ABS ACTUATOR MALFUNCTION (DUE TO INTERMITTENT OPEN CIRCUIT), REFUSING TO REPLACE THE PART UNDER VEHICLE RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN RECAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 108,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11053559 at NHTSA ↗