2010 Lexus Rx350: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2010 Lexus Rx350
On the 2010 Lexus Rx350, the failure owners report most often is other speed control problem, and the reports cluster around 10,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 33,000 miles. Overall it scores 74 out of 100, high risk for a 2010.
High risk for a 2010 — 68th riskiest of the 275 2010 vehicles we can rate. 123 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 27 named failure modes on the 2010 Lexus Rx350, and the three most-reported carry 39% of everything filed.
Other speed control problem leads with 29 reports, about 1.1 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 7k to 27,500 miles.
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash follows with 11 reports, usually reported between 45k to 105,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 8 reports, usually reported between 53k to 170,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into adas (34), airbag (16) and engine (12).
The mileage the reports cluster at
105 of the reports on the 2010 Lexus Rx350 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 33,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 72% by 50,000 miles, 79% by 100,000 miles and 92% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 3 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 32% of the dated reports.
53% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
In the order they tend to show up: other speed control problem around 11k, airbag failed to deploy in a crash around 48k and other engine problem around 131k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 27. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 3 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 26 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 10 an injury and 1 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 7.04, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other speed control problem at $250–$2,000, airbag failed to deploy in a crash at $1,000–$5,000, other engine problem at $300–$4,000 and other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
15% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other speed control problem | adas | 29 | 25 | 7k | 11k | 29k | 1.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 11 | 11 | 45k | 48k | 106k | 0.4 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Other engine problem | engine | 8 | 8 | 53k | 131k | 170k | 0.3 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 8 | 7 | — | 7k | — | 0.3 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 7 | 5 | — | 7k | — | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 7 | 7 | — | 25k | — | 0.3 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 4 | 3 | — | 24k | — | 0.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 4 | 4 | — | 3k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 3 | 1 | — | 200 | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 3 | 3 | — | 330k | — | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Other steering problem | steering | 3 | 3 | — | 45k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 3 | 2 | — | 23k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 3 | 2 | — | 12k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 2 | 2 | — | 123k | — | 0.1 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 2 | 1 | — | 32k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 38k | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 2 | 2 | — | 6k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 2 | 1 | — | 65 | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 2 | 2 | — | 85k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Windshield cracking | glass | 2 | 2 | — | 107k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Oil leak | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 89k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 90k | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 5k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 1 | — | 53k | — | 0.0 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 1 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 7 | 7 | — | 49k | — | 0.3 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2010 Lexus Rx350 draws about 4.5 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 88th percentile of complaint rates among 2010 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 27,433 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2010 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other speed control problem
My 2010 lexus rx 350 has had two incidents of sudden accelaration in the 6 weeks I have owned the vehicle. On both occasions, the vehicle suddenly reved up past 4 to 5,000 RPM for a fraction of a second and then returned to normal RPM (2000). Reported the first incident to lexus. No action has been taken by lexus. *tr
We had a 2010 lexus 350rx. In aug 2009, I was driving home and the car accelerated up to about 60mph. My husband was in the car with me. We were trying everything to stop the car. We finally got it stopped. It did it a second time with my husband driving the next day. We know without a doubt that it was not the floormat . Which that is what lexus blamed it on. I would not drive that car again. *tr
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash
I was turning left into a driveway on a two lane highway. A jeep behind me was not paying attention and tried to pass me on the left while I was turning. The impact was on the driver side door. I was hit so hard his bumper tore a whole in the door and broke the front wheel off from moving me sideways. I was knocked out from the concussion and ended up in the middle of the highway gathering my wits. I was shocked the side airbag did not deploy. Thank goodness I had my seat belt on! *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 lexus rx350. While driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a truck. The vehicle sustained significant damage to the front end. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 43,000. ..updated 06-15-15 *bf updated 9/18/15 *js
Other engine problem
I have a new 2010 lexus rx 350 keep stalling while I was waiting for traffic light, problem stated soon after I started driving , while mileage was around 1500, when the car stalled ABS (anti brake system) sign showed up. I took the cars several times back to lexus, they used their computer to check computer records of my cars and claimed nothing wrong with the car, until the third time I went back , the brake malfunction warning sign showed up while lexus's technician was inside the car with me, then they kept the car 10 days and repaired the problem, but still claimed nothing else is wrong with the car, cannot explain why the car stalled, they claimed computer of my car didn't record any stalled history therefore no proof car stalling problem. I told them the computer of my car is so defect that they didn't find brake malfunction problem until the sign showed up in dashboard, why are they still rely on the computer? They kept the car for 10 days to repair a brake, how come it takes 10 days? I believe they found out that the car has more than brake problems, and they know all the lexus car has potential pending problem, either…
As I reverse out of my driveway, which is on an incline, onto a flat main roadway, the vehicle stalls (while still in reverse). This has happened multiple times on my 2010 lexus rx 350, as well as previously on my 2008 lexus 350. *tr
Recalls on the 2010 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2010 Lexus Rx350, affecting an estimated 27,433 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
164,601 vehicles 2012-06-29- Defect
- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles, manufactured from November 28, 2008, through September 1, 2010, and model year 2008 through 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles manufactured from September 1, 2007, through September 5, 2011. In July 2012, Toyota filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2010 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles. In November 2012, Toyota informed the agency that it was including an additional 10,565 vehicles including certain model year 2008 through 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles. The total number of…
- Consequence
- A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Toyota and Lexus will notify owners of affected vehicles and dealers will modify or replace the accelerator pedal and replace any driver's floor mat not specified for the vehicle. Owners of the Lexus vehicles were notified during August 2012. Toyota has not yet provided a notification schedule for the additional Land Cruiser vehicles. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2010 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2010 — 68th riskiest of the 275 2010 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 13 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2013 comes out best at 64 and 2011 worst at 80, with 2010 itself at 74.
If the model year is negotiable, 2013, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014 score lower than 2010 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2004–2011 generation specifically, 2007 is the strongest year at 64 and 2011 the weakest at 80.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2004-2011 generation, 2007 Lexus Rx350 scores best at 64 and 2011 Lexus Rx350 worst at 80.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other speed control problem from about 7k, airbag failed to deploy in a crash from about 45k and other engine problem from about 53k.
On a 2010 Lexus Rx350 with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other speed control problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.
Where these figures stop being useful
123 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 123 reports, 105 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 85% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Lexus Rx350?
The most-reported failures are other speed control problem (29 reports, median 10,000 miles), airbag failed to deploy in a crash (11 reports, median 50,000 miles) and other engine problem (8 reports, median 130,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2010 Lexus Rx350 problems start?
Other speed control problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 10,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 7,500 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 33,000 miles.
Is the 2010 Lexus Rx350 reliable?
It scores 74 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 68th riskiest of the 275 2010 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2010 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Lexus Rx350 is best?
Within the 2004–2011 generation, 2007 scores best at 64 out of 100 and 2011 worst at 80. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed