2023 Lexus RX problems & reliability
61 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Lexus RX, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
4 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2023 Lexus RX vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 0 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown / Other | 14 | 23% |
| Power Train → | 12 | 20% |
| Engine → | 11 | 18% |
| Electrical System → | 10 | 16% |
| Structure | 7 | 11% |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 7% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 3% |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 3% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 18 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Battery drains which locks car unexpectedly. No warning, even with car FOB inside car which creates a safety issue if child or someone is in the car. All doors lock and with no access to FOB cannot open the door with manual key. Also, safety issue if this happens at night or in a parking lot etc. Cannot open doors at…”
Electrical System · filed Aug 26, 2026
“The vehicle exhibits a severe, load-based mechanical transmission whine strictly during active acceleration. The pitch of the whining sound rises and falls in direct proportion to the engine's RPMs. This vehicle utilizes the Toyota/Lexus 8-speed automatic transmission architecture, which has a well-documented…”
Power Train · filed Aug 21, 2026
“The contact owns a 2023 Lexus RX 500h. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shaking abnormally and stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The failure was a recurring failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer…”
Engine · filed Aug 19, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
117 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2023 Lexus RX. The 10 most recent:
Some 2023 – 2024 model year RX 350, RX 350h, RX 500h, and 2024 model year TX 350 and TX 500h vehicles may exhibit a rotational clicking noise from one or both front drive shaft assemblies when accelerating while making…
L-SB-0033-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2026
Some customers of 2023 – 2025 model year RX 350h, RX 500h, and 2024 – 2025 model year TX 500h vehicles may experience one or more of the following complaints when the low fuel level warning light illuminates: • The…
L-SB-0010-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2026
OBSOLETE NOTICE April 17, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0009-26
L-SB-0017-25 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 17, 2026
Some 2022 – 2024 model year NX 250 and NX 350, and 2023 – 2024 model year RX 350 vehiclesmay exhibit the following condition at vehicle startup when the vehicle is in Park: • A “Shift System Malfunction” message on the…
L-SB-0009-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2026
Some 2022 – 2024 model year NX 250 and NX 350, and 2023 – 2024 model year RX 350 vehicles may exhibit both of the following conditions at vehicle startup when the vehicle is in Park: •A “Shift System Malfunction”…
L-SB-0017-25 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 10, 2026
Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 15, 2025
The subject vehicles are equipped with a rear motor unit and an HV Floor Under Wire that provide high voltage to operate the motor. Mud, water, or road salt could potentially enter the HV Floor Under Wire connector…
25LD01 · Service Campaign · issued Nov 13, 2025
Some customers may experience operational difficulties with some telematics features which they cannot resolve on their own. These resources, in conjunction with the Repair Manual, are for dealership personnel to assist…
L-TT-0326-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2025
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and…
L-SB-0043-23 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 13, 2025
Some 2023 – 2024 model year RX 350, RX 350h, RX 500h, and 2024 model year TX 350 and TX 500h vehicles may exhibit a rotational clicking noise from one or both front drive shaft assemblies when accelerating while making…
L-SB-0033-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 6, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2023 Lexus RX has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2023 Lexus RX?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.