2024 Lexus RX: What to check before buying

The 12-volt battery goes dead, often in the first months of ownership, and the whole car stops working. Reports describe no-start, low-voltage warnings, dead key fobs, and electronic door latches that lock people out or in. Several owners had repeat failures after the dealer replaced the battery, and hybrid and plug-in models come up most. Some say the car shut off while being driven. Other reports describe a parked car that burned at 3,000 miles with no cause found, unintended acceleration into parked cars, violent jerking at a stop, and the engine revving while coasting.

The most common complaint is hesitation from a stop. The car ignores the gas pedal for a few seconds and rolls into intersections or oncoming traffic during turns. Other reports describe a transmission that slips with racing RPMs and warning lights, and a brake pedal that vibrates in reverse or at low speeds. Brushing the shift knob while driving can put the car in neutral, and the dealer and owner's manual call that normal design. Dealers often say there is no known issue and no fix.

Loud revving after lifting off the gas and brief cutouts during slow acceleration are the main complaints. The cutout makes the nose dive hard, followed by a loud sound, and nearly gets the car rear-ended. One dealer reproduced the revving, while another called the cutout normal. The remaining complaint is about a key shortage: the buyer got a single key at purchase and waited months for a second one.

The proactive driver assist system turns the wheel unexpectedly and pulls the car, usually to the left, even on unmarked country roads. One report connects a crash with 2 injuries to this behavior on a snow-covered highway, though the owner does not confirm it as the cause. A separate complaint describes a clicking steering wheel and shimmy under braking at about 20,611 miles. The cause was a failing tie rod, repaired under warranty.

The moonroof glass shatters on its own while driving and keeps breaking apart at higher speed, forcing the driver below 20 mph. The other complaint describes plastic B-pillar trim between the front and rear doors melting, which the owner blames on poor material quality. Sunroof glass failures also show up under other complaint categories for this model year, so glass is a recurring theme.

The windshield chips and cracks easily from small rocks. Even after repairs, the damage causes sun glare that hurts visibility, which pushes owners toward full replacement. One owner cites repair costs of $3000 to $5000. A separate report describes the wipers stopping mid-windshield in a heavy downpour within a week of delivery. The dealer found a defective wiper motor and had to order parts.

Automatic emergency braking slams on with nothing in the way. Reports describe sudden, violent stops at low speed in open streets, with one owner counting 6 events. Others describe false braking while reversing in empty parking lots, in both sun and rain. The danger is an unexpected stop in the path of other traffic, such as during a U-turn on a busy street.

The car accelerates on its own while slowing to park behind another vehicle. Both reports describe the same situation: about 20 feet from the car ahead, the speed jumps and only hard braking stops the vehicle, in one case about 3 feet short. Neither ended in a crash. Similar unintended acceleration, including one crash into parked cars, also appears under electrical complaints.