Check a VIN

2011 Lexus RX problems

The most common problem on the 2011 Lexus RX is engine and cooling. Its complaint count is close to a typical RX model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
73/100
Owner complaints
29
Recalls
0
Service bulletins
81
Worst area
Engine
Fuel economy
20-29mpg

The worst 2011 Lexus RX problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Engine
    10
  • Airbags
    4
  • Body
    4
  • Brakes
    4
  • Electrical
    4

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Engine
    10
  • Airbags
    4
  • Body
    4
  • Brakes
    4
  • Electrical
    4
  • Fuel system
    2
  • Suspension
    1
  • Transmission
    1

Recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Technical service bulletins for the 2011 Lexus RX 81

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 81 bulletins for the 2011 Lexus RX

2011 Lexus RX fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
3.5L 6‑cyl HybridFWD312829
3.5L 6‑cyl HybridAWD292728
3.5L 6‑cylFWD182421
3.5L 6‑cylAWD182420

What 2011 Lexus RX owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed May 27, 2026 · UT

Dealership rolled back the odometer to 125,460 miles, but the last service was performed at 162k miles at Lexus of Murray.

Filed May 27, 2026 · UT

This vehicle is being sold at a dealership in Layton Utah. They have rolled back the odometer to show 119,287k miles, but the vehicle was last serviced by the Lexus dealer at 164,279 miles.

Filed Apr 10, 2026 · Electrical · 195,937 miles · CA

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Lexus RX450H. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 116,000. It was later discovered that the mileage was 195,937 upon scanning the vehicle upon scanning the vehicle.

Filed Jan 23, 2026 · Engine · CO

I made a 6-mile trip from my garage and back (12 miles total). The next day, my neighbor asked me to come outside to inspect my driveway where I found a trailing stream of oil. The oil leak was substantial enough to visibly observe an unbroken ribbon of oil spanning the entire length of the asphalt street leading to my driveway and a large pool of oil where I waited momentarily for the garage door to open. Needless to say, I then discovered a large pool of oil under the front of the engine on the passenger side. It was the lower oil cooling line. No warning signal appeared reflecting the leak or low oil pressure. I remembered receiving a letter from LEXUS Corporate stating that this was a known defective part and could be repaired at the dealer at no cost to me. However, the caveat was that the age of the car could not exceed 10 years and the mileage 150,000. My mileage was only 106,400, but the car age exceeded the 10 year limit. Did LEXUS think that the defective part would magically heal itself after 10 years? Why put a limit? LEXUS would NOT assist me in any way, so I had the repair completed at an independent shop. I only repaired one side and now fear the other side will go out and the leak will not be discovered in time before blowing up the engine. I'm white-knuckle driving in a car I used to love. I'm extremely disappointed in the lack of "good-will" provided by LEXUS for a known defective part (a rubber hose, replaced with a metal one) because they would not stand behind their product. Loyalty is a delicate trait, and they have lost mine.

Filed Oct 16, 2025 · Brakes · IN

Abs, traction control, brake lights & beeping sound all on. Brake pedal is hard. Pedestrians, other drivers & family are at risk due to safety risk. Diagnosis codes c1253 - c1256 during test indicates ABS pump assembly issues. This problem was noticed by me in late august 2025.

Filed Sep 9, 2024 · Electrical · 150,000 miles · IA · fire

The contact owns a 2011 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH the front driver seat heater was activated and moments later smoke and flames were present coming from the center console of the vehicle. After stopping and exiting the vehicle the fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away by the insurance company. No injuries were reported and no police or fire reports were taken. The cause of the fire was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted regarding the incident. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Filed May 1, 2024 · Suspension · NJ

Rear control arms are rusted and can break and cause an accident.i went for an alignment and they couldn’t do the full alignment beater of the corrosion

Filed Apr 25, 2024 · Transmission · AL

Tranmission failure around 100k miles. Spoke to few others with similar engine and transmission from lexus who had similar issues. This could be a widespread issue. Costs between 6 to 9 thousand dollars to fix.

Filed Mar 14, 2024 · Engine · KS

My 2011 Lexus RX350 was running fine as I ran errands for groceries and other items around town one day. Then, out of the blue, I realized that after returning home and parking in my garage, there was a trail of oil in my driveway, leading to my vehicle. I looked under the engine area and noticed a pool of oil. I had a certified mobile mechanic come to my home and provide a diagnosis. This diagnosis was that a hole had formed in the rubber Engine Oil Cooler Line, and drained nearly all the oil in my engine. He mentioned that one more mile and I could have had total engine failure. He proceeded to replace it with a new Genuine Lexus, all metal Oil Cooler Line. I contacted Lexus about this incident, but they provided no compensation for this occurrence, even though there was a short 4-year technical service bulletin they issued barely a year after production, that called out this was indeed a flaw in their design. After doing some research, I see this is a VERY common issue, with many in the past most recent years having this very issue. Yet, Lexus has not recalled this, nor reimbursed those that have suffered from this manufacture defect. I am really hoping that something can be done by the federal safety agency and/or Lexus to resolve this issue that I am certain is still plaguing thousands of Lexus owners on the road, and putting our and those around us' safety at risk. Surely, a part that obviously and very consistently degrades over the course of 5+ years so often, needs to be addressed and recalled for the sake of safety and integrity.

Filed Jul 18, 2023 · Electrical, Fuel system · TX · crash · 1 injury

I was driving my 2011 Lexus RX 350 on July 7, 2023, to a swimming pool. I was pulling into a parking spot just rolling to a stop with my foot on the brake. The car suddenly accelerated with grate speed and ran on the curb of the sidewalk forward to a small rock wall, I immediately turned the vehicle to the right and pressed down on the brakes, but the vehicle kept moving about 45 feet and came to a stop after crushing another two vehicles in the parking lot. These two vehicles were destroyed and not repairable according to the insurance company. For my car the right front side was crushed and both airbags on the drive side deployed, and my chest and legs were injured by the airbags. The biggest injury was my mental injury which made me unable to return to normal life.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2011 Lexus RX before you buy

Compare the 2011 Lexus RX

RX vs Acura MDXRX vs BMW X5RX vs Volvo XC90RX vs Audi Q7RX vs Mercedes-Benz GLE 350RX vs Cadillac XT5

Other model years

1999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026

Questions about the 2011 Lexus RX

Is the 2011 Lexus RX reliable?

Owners have filed 29 complaints about the 2011 Lexus RX, close to a typical RX model year.

What is the 2011 Lexus RX year score?

The 2011 Lexus RX scores 73 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Lexus RX: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2011 Lexus RX?

Engine and cooling, with 10 complaints. Next is airbags (4).

How many recalls does the 2011 Lexus RX have?

No recalls on record.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Lexus RX get?

Official estimates for the 2011 Lexus RX range from 20 to 29 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.5L 6-cyl hybrid, FWD) gets 31 city and 28 highway.

Share your experience with the 2011 Lexus RX

Tell other buyers what went wrong and what it cost. We review every report before it appears, and we never publish names, emails or VINs.

No names, contact details or links. Reports about a dealer or a person are not published.

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2011 Lexus RX?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history
Is this car on a recall?Check VIN