NHTSA — Power Train Problems

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
8,633 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Lexus RX 350 drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2012 Lexus RX 350:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2012 Lexus RX 350 Owner Comments

problem #5

Oct 112023

RX 350

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

October 20, '23 Our recent DEAD STOP! Whistle blower! Did you know that when the alternator goes out on a Lexus, that the car draws down energy from the battery to keep the car going" That's only for about a mile or so, then the car shuts down! You can't steer and THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING and you have no power as you come to a dead stop, whether on the freeway, or one lane mountain pass road, where we would have been later. What would we have done" Scary! Luckily, our Lexus stalled on a city street nearing our on-ramp to the freeway. (needing to be towed.) Lexus has a serious engineering-defective-design-flaw that probably is responsible for accidents. Thanks, [XXX]. Pass it on please! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Rancho Mirage, CA, USA

problem #4

Jul 112017

RX 350

  • 0 miles
July 11th 2017 at around 220pm pst, the Lexus RX350 2012, experience a very dangerous failure. Earlier that week I noticed issue with the battery, where it would take one or more pushes to the start button for the car to turn on. But on this date, I had just parked the car on a road with an slight incline, I did not enable the emergency break the car was turned off and the keys with me. I had dropped off a friend and helped her take a few things inside the house. After returning to the car, I tried multiple attempts to turn on the car (3 or 4) and on the last attempt the car roll down the hill instead of turning on. I was un-able to apply the breaks and in a state of shock did not apply the emergency break. The car roll across a road, down a bank and came inches to hitting a home. After the car was towed up the bank it was found the car was in good shape but the battery was dead. I was in a state of shock and my entire body tensed and I was suffering from a severe headache. We called in the California highway patrol 1722 East main street el cal jon 92021 date: 7/11/17 - 14:40 ncic number: 9680 officer id number 21588 there after we called contacted Lexus to determine if all recall service had been applied, which they answered your car does not apply to an earlier recall. Was referring to the following recall. Based on the name seem quite applicable February 12, 2014 NHTSA campaign number: 14V054000 brake actuator assembly may disable ESC and ABS I requested for a independent evaluation, but they told me (Lexus)would not pay for it if their were issues and I must take it to a Lexus service department. I complied and we took the car (it was towed over). They held the car for five days and concluded the car had a bad battery. They state the car was in neutral when it was parked. We are fearful of another accident result in greater damage and harm

- Spring Valley, CA, USA

problem #3

Dec 022015

RX 350

  • 42,450 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that after shifting into park and powering off the vehicle, she attempted to exit when suddenly the vehicle independently rolled away. As a result, the front drivers side tire rolled over her buttocks. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 42,450.

- Coral Springs, FL, USA

problem #2

Mar 012012

RX 350 6-cyl

  • 710 miles
The car, a 2012 Lexus RX350, was purchased new from a California Lexus dealer on January 30, 2012. The problem, which manifests every two or three days, is a delay of several seconds between pressing the accelerator pedal and actual acceleration of the vehicle. When acceleration eventually occurs, it does so with a surge or jolt. The problem has occurred in a variety of circumstances. Several times I have been unable to accelerate safely from a freeway on-ramp into faster-moving freeway traffic. On at least two other occasions the vehicle has failed to accelerate as I drove up a hill. Most recently, as I began a left turn from a stopped position, the delay in acceleration nearly resulted in my being broadsided. I have taken the vehicle twice to an authorized Lexus dealer. On both occasions I was advised that because the technician was unable to reproduce the problem during a short drive, there was nothing they could do. I raised with the technician the fact that there were numerous complaints online about the very same problem. He said that the issue, which apparently relates to the powertrain, had been addressed with respect to earlier Lexus models but had been "fixed" for subsequent models through redesign of the powertrain.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #1

Dec 032011

RX 350 6-cyl

  • 4 miles
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 at the dealer on that day. On following Monday afternoon (12/12/2011), the dealer called and said the transmission is failed and has to be replaced. We have serious concerns about the quality of the car and resulting safety issue: Power train is the main component of a car that has direct implication on a car's safety. This car was a defect even before it was delivered to me. I also have serious concerns about the rigor of Lexus new car inspection process before customer delivery. We are concerned that this kind of power train issue can lead to a more serious sudden acceleration problem that causes disastrous accidents. With this defected car, we might have gotten into an accident right after delivery due to power train failure.

- Basking Ridge, NJ, USA

Not what you are looking for?