Used Car Checklists

2023 Lexus RX: What to check before buying

Owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, body and structure, and engine. The 8 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.

Lexus RX2023
Owner complaints
45
Recalls
3
Crashes reported
4
4 injuries
Reliability
Excellent
85/100 on Auto Reliability Index

Run the VIN before you go

A history report shows accidents, title brands, odometer readings, and open recalls for this 2023 Lexus RX. Ask the seller for the VIN; it is also on the dash at the base of the windshield.

Your inspection sheet

Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.

0/8 checked

1

Paperwork and questions

Before you go, or before you touch the car0/4

2

Walk-around and cabin

Engine off, key in hand0/1

3

Test drive

At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3

These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.

Which RX is it?

EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Lexus RX. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.

VersionDriveEPA rating
2.4L 4-cylGasAWD, FWD24–25 mpg
2.4L 4-cylHybridAWD27 mpg
2.5L 4-cylHybridAWD36 mpg
  • The 2023 Lexus RX was sold in three versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
  • On the hybrid, watch for the car moving off on electric power at low speed and for any hybrid system warning on the dash.
  • Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A RX that averages well under the EPA 24 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.

Why these checks: what owners reported

NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Lexus RX, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.

  • Electrical7No crashes

    The 12-volt battery drains, and the car will not start after sitting for several days, especially in cold weather or when it is used only for short trips. Owners report being stranded more than once and replacing the battery twice. In two reports the car went fully dead with the doors and windows locked, trapping the driver inside. Dealers often call the battery healthy or blame short trips. Separate reports describe the car surging forward with the brake pressed, plus a system malfunction message around 9,000 miles that a dealer reset.

  • Body and structure6No crashes

    Moonroof glass breaks at highway speed with nothing hitting the car. Dashboard trim on the passenger side separates within days of delivery, in one case under 400 miles, leaving clips and wiring exposed. Snapping it back in does not hold. Other reports describe roof popping noises that dealers could not fix after seven visits, electronic door handles that stop working in frost or cold, and paint that chips down to the plastic from normal driving.

  • Engine51 crash

    Power cuts out or surges without warning. Some cars drop into limp mode on a highway on-ramp and will not accelerate until restarted, and one dealer applied an ECU update to fix it. Another lost power for about 20 seconds at a time, around 4,200 miles. One report of unintended acceleration describes a crash that caused over $8,500 in damage, and the dealer found nothing wrong. Hesitation off a stop shows up in hot weather without fault codes. RPM jumping when lifting off the gas was called normal.

  • Transmission4No crashes

    Hesitation or stalling when pulling away, followed by very high revs, is the main complaint, mostly on the RX 500h. Drivers describe nearly being hit in cross traffic. Reports also cite heavy shudder in reverse, jerking while stopped, and the engine racing without the car speeding up. No warning lights appear. Dealers either cannot reproduce the problem or call it normal hybrid behavior. In one case the problem came back after the transmission had already been replaced.

  • Airbags33 crashes

    Some or all bags fail to deploy in a collision. Every report here involves a crash: a head-on impact, a T-bone at about 26,000 miles, and a rear-end crash at highway speed where the driver's bag stayed off while the others deployed. In that crash the driver's seat belt also reportedly failed to hold the driver. Three people were injured across these reports. The count is small, but each one involves a crash.

  • Lane keeping2No crashes

    Driver-assist faults appear within weeks of delivery, around 1,000 miles. A malfunction alert shuts off the whole driver-assist suite and comes back seconds after being cleared. The dealer reported a shortage of parts and technicians, which dragged the repair out past a month. A separate report describes ProActive Driving Assist steering the car to the right to follow the shoulder line where it tapers into a right-turn lane. That is a loss-of-control risk on straight roads.

In owners' own words

Excerpts from complaints RX owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.

Electrical
The car battery goes dead when car not used in 14days, or not driven on freeway long enough to top off battery. We've had to jump it for being in a cool garage for a couple of days, and the battery is only 2yrs old. The car needs a stronger battery.
Body and structure
My newly bought and delivered 2023 Lexus RX350 luxury trim with less than 400 miles has dash panel on the passenger side separating right where the suede trim clips with the soft touch IP panel. You can literally see the separation and sagging of the trim.
Engine
When removing foot from gas pedal the rpm shoot up to almost 4k instead of switching to EV mode or dropping to 1k rpm’s. This has scared my wife causing her to slam on brakes as she thought throttle was stuck since the rpm’s shot up. This is dangerous. It doesn’t happen all the time and Lexus did duplicate it but said was normal.
EngineCrash reported
We have encountered 2 instances of Unintended Acceleration. Lexus has inspected the vehicle and states they could not find anything wrong. In both instances the car jumped forward without notice. No warnings were given. The first time it occurred there was over $8,500 worth of damage. No damage the second time which occurred on May 20, 2024.

How the 2023 compares with other RX years

Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.

The 2023 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 8 RX years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.

2023 Average of other years
  • Electrical76
  • Body and structure62
  • Engine52
  • Transmission43
  • Airbags310
  • Lane keeping20

Where the 2023 fits in the RX's history

Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.

The 2023 is the first model year of the RX's fifth generation (2023–2023). First years of a redesign often carry teething problems that Lexus fixes in later years, so the checks above matter more than usual.

Should you avoid the first year of a redesign? See the 45-car study.

Recalls to confirm (3)

Recall repairs are free at any Lexus dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.

  1. 23V480000Steering

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500 Hybrid, 2023-2024 Lexus NX250, NX350, and NX350 Hybrid vehicles. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection.".

    Risk: A deactivated driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA08. Lexus' number for this recall is 23LA02.

  2. 25V040000Steering

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250, and NX350 vehicles that may have been incorrectly repaired under previous NHTSA recall number 23V-480. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection.".

    Risk: A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 25LA02.

  3. 25V744000Backup camera

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility.".

    Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.

Also looking at these instead of a RX?

Cars shoppers compare with the Lexus RX, with their own 2023 checklists.

2023 owner complaints, side by side