Lexus NX problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 237 owner complaints and 9 safety recalls for the Lexus NX. That averages 6.7 complaints per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (index 0.17 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Luxury SUVs segment it ranks #1 of 9 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 14.2.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is worsening. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 115% above the 2018 and 2019 models (21 early complaints per model year versus 11).
The 2024 model year has the highest rate (17.2 complaints per year) and the 2021 model year the lowest (2.9). The 2024 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 6.7 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2018 and 2021 run at least 40% below this model's average of 6.7 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Electrical (16.5% of complaints), followed by Fuel system (16.0%) and Body & structure (14.8%). 32 complaints (13.5%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 18 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 63 complaints versus 50 in the previous 12 months — up 26%. The 2024 model year generated the most recent reports (15). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 21 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 9 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2025 (4). 1 NHTSA investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
It has fewer complaints per year than every other tracked model among Luxury SUVs, including Audi Q7, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Audi Q5.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 26 | 3.0 | 0.07 | 5 | 1 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2019 | 44 | 5.6 | 0.14 | 6 | 2 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2020 | 28 | 4.1 | 0.1 | 10 | 0 | Engine | View › |
| 2021 Fewest complaints | 17 | 2.9 | 0.07 | 2 | 0 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2022 | 32 | 6.7 | 0.17 | 6 | 2 | Unspecified or other | View › |
| 2023 | 18 | 4.8 | 0.12 | 4 | 3 | Unspecified or other | View › |
| 2024 ▲50%+ | 48 | 17.2 | 0.43 | 15 | 5 | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 18 | 10.1 | 0.25 | 9 | 5 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 6 | 6.0 | 0.15 | 6 | 0 | Electrical | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 63 · Previous 12 months: 50 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Electrical
39 · 16.5% · 1.05 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Fuel system
38 · 16.0% · 3.7 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Body & structure
35 · 14.8% · 1.62 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Unspecified or other
34 · 14.3% · 1.6 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Engine
22 · 9.3% · 0.42 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Brakes
21 · 8.9% · 1.47 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
11 · 4.6% · 2.51 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
10 · 4.2% · 1.68 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
8 · 3.4% · 0.59 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
7 · 3.0% · 0.78 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Transmission / powertrain
7 · 3.0% · 0.25 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
3 · 1.3% · 0.2 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
2 · 0.8% · 0.54 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 21 months
What owners report
I was traveling on I-35 in heavy stop & go traffic, in an area under heavy construction where no shoulder was accessible, when the 18-wheeler in front applied their brakes consistent with the flow of traffic.
The contact owns a 2024 Lexus NX 450H. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact stated that the vehicle was uncontrollable.
my vehicle was boought back under the California lemon lawyer today. It had repeated electrical failures in which the 12 V battery would fail.
I was driving on a surface road at approximately 30mph when my vehicle suddenly hit the brakes and came to a complete stop for no reason.
Low pressure fuel pump defective, which caused vehicle to stall while driving. Barely made it off of the highway when this happened, which left me in traffic with children in the car and my hazard lights until able to pull over safely and call a tow.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Luxury SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexus NX | 237 | 6.7 | 0.17 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 9 | Electrical |
| 2 | Audi Q7 | 364 | 6.8 | 0.17 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 20 | Engine |
| 3 | Lexus RX | 441 | 11.7 | 0.29 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 12 | Airbags & seat belts |
| 4 | Mercedes-Benz GLE | 498 | 12.4 | 0.31 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 2 | Engine |
| 5 | Audi Q5 | 575 | 12.8 | 0.32 | Stable | Rising | 19 | Electrical |
| 6 | Mercedes-Benz GLC | 529 | 13.3 | 0.33 | Worsening | Rising | 8 | Engine |
| 7 | BMW X3 | 665 | 15.9 | 0.39 | Improving | Rising | 40 | Electrical |
| 8 | BMW X5 | 825 | 22.8 | 0.56 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 44 | Electrical |
| 9 | Acura MDX | 981 | 26.6 | 0.66 | Stable | Rising | 16 | Engine |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 9
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (1) · 2019 (2) · 2020 (0) · 2021 (0) · 2022 (2) · 2023 (3) · 2024 (5) · 2025 (5) · 2026 (0)
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…