2021 Lexus RX: What to check before buying

An unrepaired recall drives most of these complaints. Federal recall 23V865000 covers a front passenger occupant sensor that can short circuit and keep the passenger air bag from deploying. Most owners report that dealers still have no parts, some after as long as two years and repeated visits. Some cars show an SRS message or air bag warning light, and one owner says a handbag on the passenger seat triggers it. In one crash report, the passenger air bag did not deploy in a deer strike. One dealer declined a trade-in because the recall was still open.

In crash reports, belts fail to lock and hold occupants. Three crash reports describe five injuries. Two say the driver's belt did not engage in a front impact or after an off-road bounce, and both describe a compression fracture of the spine. Another says the rear right belt failed to hold a child in a booster seat, who was thrown into the front seat and center console. In one case, a manufacturer inspection found the belts working normally. A separate report describes a rear belt that wrapped around a child so tightly it had to be cut off.

No single failure dominates these reports. In one, the driver's door opened by itself at highway speed with no warning light or chime. In another, the power liftgate would not open or close from the key fob, the cabin button, or the door button, and the foot-activated opener never worked. One owner reports water leaking past the sunroof edges onto the passenger floor after heavy rain and a car wash because the drains failed. One crash report says the brakes did not stop the car in reverse, and neither automatic braking nor the rear warning activated.

These three reports describe unrelated problems. In one, the transmission suddenly dropped to a lower manual gear at about 65 mph with loud noises, leaving the driver barely in control, soon after a 15,000-mile service. Another blames a failed HVAC condensate drain for water under the carpet and mold at about 19,000 miles. That owner cites service bulletin L-SB-0020-21 and says the dealer refused to fix it under warranty. The third report points to the passenger air bag sensor recall.

Both complaints involve Bridgestone Ecopia 422 Plus tires in size 235/55R20. In one, a tire failed within seconds at 70 mph and left almost no rubber on the rim. A tire technician blamed separation of the steel belt, and the driver kept control and reached the shoulder. The other is a crash report that describes a tendency to hydroplane in rain and almost no grip in light snow. That owner says the anti-lock brakes kick in at single-digit speeds.