Electrical system, powertrain, and fuel system issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The 2020 Lexus RX is designed to be a high-end vehicle that should impress users. The automaker claims the newer models are “The leading luxury SUV. Now even more refined.” However, the same problems exist with this model as the older ones, including a faulty electrical system, defective powertrain and dangerous fuel system.
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If the electrical system isn’t working, customers are going to complain because this system runs just about everything.
Here’s an example from an Edmunds review. “Very sad overall experience and the customer service from Lexus IS absolutely insulting and feels their vehicle could never be a lemon. I’ve been locked out of the vehicle numerous times when doors won’t open, the infotainment system is pathetic. The app to control this from your phone is so fickle, it’s pathetic. The navigation system typically takes you to a destination nowhere near where you set it for and only finds the longest, most challenging routes imaginable. The climate control for the summer never cools the car no matter how low the temperature is set or how long it is on. In the winter, the heat can overwhelm you. Even at 62, the vehicle is stifling on a 10 degree Fahrenheit day. Moisture sensing wipers, they come on constantly on sunny days and never turn on when it’s raining. Seven returns to Lexus in six weeks and they find nothing wrong. Their Customer Relations team tells me it’s the driver and not the car. Let me go back to my Benz and Jaguar, even my twenty year old Infiniti was better than this. Very sorry to have made this acquisition. Believe me, I could go on about the negative, but enough said.”
It seems that every system on the Lexus SUV is suffering, even the Enform Remote. Service Bulletin #L-TT-0279-20 shows that the system becomes inoperative after giving it commands. It’s so bad that the dealers are replacing the system entirely. Where is this “refinement” that Lexus is talking about?
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Electrical System | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| Engine | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Tires | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Vehicle Speed Control |
Additionally, the powertrain is causing some major issues. However, this is a basic system that should be reliable and dependable.
Here’s another Edmunds review. “The transmission in mine hesitates when rolling into the throttle, shudders when the torque converter looks up, will refuse to downshift in eco/mode and the transmission/engine wine, will lock up in gears in sport mode, up shifts to fast and then has to down shift right away. Tuning with cruise control, the vehicle surges down the road when using cruise. It hunts for gears when going up hills instead of holding a downshift, one long hill it shifted 9 times.”
Performance concerns are just the start. Service Bulletin #L-SB-0002-20 Rev shows that there is also transmission fluid leaking and seeping out of the system. This isn’t just dangerous but also leads to damage of the most expensive car parts. At this point, the Lexus SUV can only be labeled the most “refined” lemon.
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A final look leads to the fuel system, which has been plagued with problems for years.
One NHTSA complaint reads, “The contact owns a 2020 Lexus RX350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 20V012000 (Fuel System, Gasoline)” however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. [Dealer] was contacted by phone. However, the contact was unable to reach a representative. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.”
Not only have earlier RX models been part of a class action lawsuit because of the fuel system, but this model is now part of a massive recall affecting more than 1.5 million vehicles. The recall states that he low-pressure fuel pump is failing in many models. If this occurs while driving, the SUV can stall. There’s nothing safe about a stalling vehicle in the middle rush hour traffic. It appears that Lexus needs to do a little more refinement of the vehicles, or start selling them as Toyotas for a lot less.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Lexus pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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