Carlexica

2011 Lexus RX: problems, recalls and reliability

0 recalls and 29 owner complaints on record; most reports concern engine.

Data updated weekly · 2 new complaints in the last 90 days

0
recalls
29
owner complaints
2
fire reports
-
typical failure mileage, mi

All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.

No recall campaigns2 fire reports

Common problems

Computed from 29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

Limited data: only 29 complaints on record for this model year - too few for percentage statistics. Bars show raw report counts; read them as individual owner reports, not reliability rates. For a fuller picture, check nearby model years.
Engine (engine mechanics)8 complaints
Service Brakes (brakes)4 complaints
Structure (body, frame, doors, rust)4 complaints
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)3 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)2 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System (fuel pump, tank, lines)2 complaints
Dealership rolled back the odometer to 125,460 miles, but the last service was performed at 162k miles at Lexus of Murray.Owner report · Unknown Or Other · May 2026
This vehicle is being sold at a dealership in Layton Utah. They have rolled back the odometer to show 119,287k miles, but the vehicle was last serviced by the Lexus dealer at 164,279 miles.Owner report · Unknown Or Other · May 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Lexus RX450H. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 116,000. It was later discovered that the mileage was 195,937 upon scanning the vehicle upon scanning the vehicle.Owner report · Electrical System · Apr 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
ABS, traction control, brake lights & beeping sound all on. Brake pedal is hard. Pedestrians, other drivers & family are at risk due to safety risk. Diagnosis codes c1253 - c1256 during test indicates ABS pump assembly issues. This problem was noticed by me in late august 2025.Owner report · Service Brakes · Aug 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH the front driver seat heater was activated and moments later smoke and flames were present coming from the center console of the vehicle. After stopping and exiting the vehicle the fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away by the insurance company. No injuries were reported and no police or fire reports were taken. The cause of the fire was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted regarding the incident. The failure mileage was 150,000.Owner report · Electrical System · Sep 2024
Rear control arms are rusted and can break and cause an accident.i went for an alignment and they couldn't do the full alignment beater of the corrosionOwner report · Suspension · May 2024
Tranmission failure around 100k miles. Spoke to few others with similar engine and transmission from lexus who had similar issues. This could be a widespread issue. Costs between 6 to 9 thousand dollars to fix.Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2023
On Saturday July 15, 2023, at between about 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. CDST the vehicle was parked overnight in a garage, spontaneously caught fire and burned and was a total loss. There was a smell I would associate with an electrical fire. People reported hearing a car alarm and a "popping sound" before the fire. The fire department extinguished the fire and had the car towed out of the garage of a condominium association. Fire damage to property (except the subject car) was minimal but there was extensive smoke. In my opinion based on this incident, electric/hybrid cars should not be parked indoors.Owner report · Structure · Jul 2023
Oil cooler line ruptured while driving. Lexus issued an extended warranty to 12/31/2016 on the Oil Cooler Line. Lexus sent an advisory letter to owners of record several months prior to our purchase. Our dealer: Rohrich Lexus, did not inform us of the problem when purchased 09/2014. Nor did they address the problem when they serviced the vehicle in 08/16, an oil change. Now we have $500 plus in repair costs for the Oil Cooler Line replacement which could have been avoided if Rohrich Service Department had advised us of the Extended Warranty that covered our vehicle. THE OIL COOLER LINE WAS RUBBER AND THE FIX WAS A METAL LINE.Owner report · Engine · Jun 2022
I have never had any issues with the oil and this car has had all of its oil changes on time and regular. Last evening I was driving home and the low oil pressure light came on. Within moments I started hearing a knocking Noise. I parked the car cause I was at home at that time and I checked the next morning and there is no oil in the car now. There's oil all underneath the undercarriage. I looked online and found a story of another guy this happened to and it ended up being an oil cooler pipe. I guess these are rubber and there's a recall warranty notice on these. My car has not been driven since I parked it. Please advise. Car is included in this warranty recall.Owner report · Engine · Dec 2021

When filing, owners marked a crash in 4 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.

Specifications

Factory options offered for the 2011 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.

Engines3.5L
Cylinders6
FuelGasoline
Drive type4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 · 4x2

How other years compare

Check your exact RX by VIN

Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Lexus RX reliable?

NHTSA has 29 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2011 Lexus RX. The most complained-about area is engine.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.