Lexus RX won't start problems

Filed Mar 7, 2026 · Electrical · CA · 2 injuries

I am reporting a recurring electrical and mechanical system failure on a 2024 Lexus RX 350h Luxury. On [XXX], the vehicle suffered a total power loss that rendered the electronic door latches unresponsive to all inputs. Because the occupants were a [XXX] and a [XXX] strapped into car seats, they were physically unable to reach the interior manual overrides. Critically, the mechanical backup key also failed to unlock the vehicle from the exterior, preventing immediate rescue. This created a life-threatening entrapment scenario. The doors only responded after multiple minutes of repeated manual attempts. Once entry was gained, the vehicle would not start and the headlights began blinking rapidly, indicating a total system communication failure. I had to use jumper cables to restore power. This is the second occurrence of this catastrophic failure, documented on Repair Order [XXX] at Lexus of Westminster. The failure of both electronic and mechanical failsafes constitutes an extreme occupant safety hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 12, 2025 · Electrical, Locks · NV

I entered then attempted to start my Lexus on November 11, 2025. The car would not start - the dashboard lights fleshed briefly, then the car was completely dead. There was not a light on anywhere. The doors would not open and the windows would not roll down. I was trapped. fortunately I had my cell phone so I was able to call my wife who was inside of our house. She could not open the door with the manual key, She called AAA. The tech hooked up some power device under the hood and the car started and seems OK. This was frightening. I was trapped in the car and running out of air. I could have suffocated.

Filed Sep 26, 2025 · Driver assistance, Electrical · SC · crash

HI, I purchased a brand new 2022 Lexus RX350 from Hendrick Lexus of Charleston SC. Since day one I had dangerous issues below: 1. The transmission shifts up and down so hard, I've almost gotten rear ended due to the car and not braking. This I was told by two separate Lexus dealers I'm feeling a hard "transmission gap"-whatever that means. To add fuel to this dangerous defect is my autistic son would need to be specially medicated to ride in the car b/c he panics and tries to jump out. 2. The car also is equipped with a "rear kick sensor" that never worked, The service manager in Charleston kicked my bumper and swore at the car. I had another Service tech on video for minutes unable to open it. 3. The car, scarily, will not start on me or recognize the key. I've been 3 hrs from home and nearly stuck in a grocery store parking lot with my autistic son freaking out again. This is documented on video. 4. As if there could even be more, the car is equipped with rear collision warning. An example of this, is backing up in a grocery store parking lot and it senses someone walking and auto stops the car if I'm not already breaking. Well, last Sept I was moving, had my autistic son's anxiety super high, and hit a POD for moving in my driveway doing maybe 2 miles per hour. But, and the big but is why did the pre-collision not kick in. This little bump cost insurance over $15k and yet Hendricks is saying its not the car! The mysognostic behavior I've been privy beyond demeaning and offensive. 5. The big kicker is the car went to Hendricks Collision as I wanted a certified Lexus dealership to fix it and do my 30k service. They would only do the 30k service, service writer-again another mansplainer didn't capture all my three continuous problems properly, filled the RO out days after I dropped the vehicle last Nov of 2024-yes, a YEAR AGO. Lexus refuses to address my three warranty items and ran my warranty. No car in a YEAR. Please advise. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION A

Filed Jun 2, 2025 · CA

From last month, I am receiving a lot of messages on my IPhone that multiple rear doors are open, please check the doors. Over night RX2024H draining the Battery and a lot of time it shows on screen red. Today again it showed only close to 20% charge left. I took the RX to Roseville Lexus and they perform 10K miles service and advise me that this RX350H has issues with the notices sending to owner's cell phones. They advised me to delete my account and logoff on my cell for Lexus App. Now I am driving on GUEST Mode and it still has the Battery issue it is draining over night or when parked in the garage. Chris Lawson at Roseville Lexus told me last month that RX350H has this issue and when battery is dead and car won't start and they called the Lexus service and they sent the AAA and AAA guy. Some of them got more issues and Lexus is not covering it under warranty. When, I called Chris that my batter shows RED on charge and he said, if I want them to check the car dealer will charge $219 for trouble shooting. Please look into it and Lexus should fix the issues in their cars or fix the issues in the applications. it is not safe for driving. Any questions please call Chris Lawson at 916‑472‑7445 for more information. I have the pics but not able to attach to this complaint

Filed Mar 18, 2025 · Electrical · GA

Put key into ignition port and heard and felt a klunk. Key was then freely moving and connecting to nothing inside the ignition chamber. So vehicle would not turn over at all. Had towed to town closer to home. And Currently having towed to mechanic shop for further evaluation. The only symptom the car was having previously was a mysterious scratching sound coming from what sounded like the right side of the hood near the firewall. Took to mechanic and he drove the car and heard the sound but could not pin point it, said nothing was scrubbing the fan or anything else he could see. And to bring it back if it got worse. Never did we think it was the starter nor the ignition chamber. The only way to know now....is to replace it and see if that noise is still there. There were no other warnings. The danger in this is being stranded. Still needs to be evaluated by mechanic.

Filed Mar 17, 2025 · Electrical · NC

The vehicle would not start. It is a known problem with this PHEV that if car is not used for a couple of days the 12v battery becomes depleted and the car cannot be started and all systems of the car are dead.

Filed May 27, 2023 · Brakes, Electrical · TN

I am financing a 2006 Lexus rx400h hybrid and the other day I went out to start it up and the light and everything came on but would not display ready and would not start. Check hybrid system with red triangle was on dash display along with several other warning lights, also when I put the key in the ignition it will release in the ACC position. Where I am purchasing the vehicle will not fix it saying my Vin is not part of the recall list and the lexus dealership to me it was to late to have the recalled parts replaced for free. What do I do?

Filed Jan 28, 2023 · Electrical, Transmission · WA

This vehicle seems to have a well-documented problem with water intrusion that damages the ECU and hybrid battery. The 2006 and 2007 RX400h has the HV battery located under the seat, which is the low spot in the rear section of the car. If water is spilled or the body has a water leak, the water will pool at the center of the battery. Lexus considered this, and added a drain under the battery, but the drain has a filter, presumably to keep insects out, and the filter is easily clogged. This, coupled with a pattern problem of split body seams near the rear hatch strut mount causing a water leak in the rear of the car, has created isolation faults in many of the RX400h SUVs. The condition presents as warnings on the instrument cluster and a no-start condition where the vehicle is inoperable. A search for "lexus ECU water intrusion" brings up my vehicle's exact model and year so this is well-documented.

Filed Jul 19, 2018 · Engine · 120,000 miles · TX

I have regularly maintained my lexus rx at an independent lexus shop. While the car was parked/running, the engine suddenly, without any warning noise or dashboard alert, stopped. After the car failed to restart, I suspected it needed a battery jump. However after replacing the battery, the car still did not start. The car was towed to an independent lexus shop-davenport, where it was discovered that valve springs had dropped and caused the engine to seize/lock. The shop notified me that I would need to either get a new engine or have it repaired, both options would cost >$8500usd. This is upsetting because my car was well maintained, there were no warnings, and if this had happened while driving it could have caused an accident or left me totally stranded.

Filed May 16, 2018 · Airbags · 117,000 miles · TN

My complaint is not about the airbag but rather about the dashboard protecting the airbag! Lexus is aware of cracking dashboards in the rx since they issued an extended warranty to replace these dashboards that expired 05/31/2017! My dashboard did not start cracking until april 2018 and has now started cracking in 5 different locations in just the last month, three of which are in proximity to the passenger airbag. When I took the car to my mechanic for an estimate to replace the airbag he mentioned the safety issue with the dashboard developing cracks in the area that protects the airbag. He said it was a safety issue and recommended that I contact the federal safety agency with a complaint about this potential safety issue. I purchased this 2005 model in dec 2004 and it has been garage kept the whole time so these cracks are age related not weather related.