2019 Lexus RX: What to check before buying

Stalling, hesitation, and sudden loss of throttle are the core failures, tied to the low-pressure fuel pump recall (NHTSA campaign 20V012000). Cars stall in city traffic, stumble at highway speed, or stop responding to the gas pedal while a string of system malfunction warnings lights up. Many filings describe the recall process itself. Dealers could not get remedy parts, and some cars sat at the dealer for weeks. Several owners say the problems continued after the pump was replaced. Reported failures come at low mileage, and one crash is on file.

Nearly every report here concerns the fuel pump recall under NHTSA campaign 20V012000, not a failure on the road. Owners got the recall notice, then learned from dealers that remedy parts were not available. They say the wait for the repair went on far too long. Most had not experienced a failure. One owner reports an abnormally loud noise at 35-40 mph around 5,500 miles, and the manufacturer provided a loaner car.

Brake actuator noise is the most common report. It sounds like honking or barking when the pedal is first pressed, sometimes with a stiff or soft pedal. Dealers confirmed a failing actuator in several cases, one quoted $3800 for the repair, and owners point to a Lexus service bulletin. Other owners report warped rotors that cause vibration and pedal pulsation, including on long downhill runs with adaptive cruise control on. Three reports are crash-related. In one, the pedal sank to the floor while reversing and the car rolled downhill.

Sudden power loss with a burst of warning lights is a recurring problem. The check engine and traction control lights come on, then the car drops into reduced engine power mode and stumbles in highway traffic. One owner describes more than a dozen dealer repair attempts. Brake actuator noise also appears here, along with repeated actuator replacements and a delayed brake response during a hard stop. Two crash reports involve the car surging forward while stopped or parking, with no automatic braking. Rodent-chewed wiring and rainwater disabling park assist are reported once each.

Harsh, delayed, or jerky shifting is the main complaint. Owners describe the transmission hanging in first or second gear and revs climbing to 6K-7K before the next gear engages, followed by a lunge forward. Some notice a burning smell afterward. Others report stiff, jerky shifts when the car is cold, including after a transmission software recall. Hesitation under acceleration and hard shifts at highway speed also appear. Dealers often find no codes and call the behavior normal. One report describes the car accelerating past its adaptive cruise setting.

Unintended acceleration while parking is the most serious pattern. Two crash reports describe cars hitting a post, a fence, or a building pillar. Owners say no warning lights came on and collision avoidance braking did not step in. The opposite failure also appears: automatic emergency braking engages on an open interstate with no vehicles nearby. A dealer recalibrated sensors in that case. One report links code P0301 to the AWD system dropping into two-wheel drive while moving.

Stumbling and loss of power under acceleration are the common thread. Cars shake, thump, and refuse to accelerate, often with the check engine light and a traction control off message, and some stall around 25 mph. Owners describe losing power while merging or passing, and one lost motive power at 65 mph near 32,000 miles. Fuel pump replacement is the usual fix, but some owners say the problem continues after the recall repair. One car went back to the shop a third time before 4000 miles.

Airbag non-deployment is the main concern. One crash report with two injuries describes a seatbelt that did not lock and an airbag that did not deploy. The driver suffered a concussion. A second crash report involves sudden acceleration while pulling out of a parking spot, with the car jumping a curb. A third complaint says a dealer hid a prior airbag deployment, which raises questions about whether the airbag sensors will work properly in a future collision.

The power liftgate closes with heavy force. According to one report, it cannot be stopped once the close button is pressed and strikes anything in its path. That report includes an injury. A separate complaint describes cracks in the driver-side upper frame, running from the driver's seat back to the rear passenger seat. With only two reports on file, neither problem shows a clear pattern.