Lexus NX Reliability by Year
Best & Worst Years, Problems & Recalls β NHTSA Data
Comparing used Lexus NX options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017β2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
Model-year trends show patterns. Run a VIN check for the exact Lexus NX you plan to buy.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Lexus NX has 17 owner complaints and 15 safety recalls across model years 2017β2026. The most reported issue area is UNKNOWN OR OTHER. 2022 drew the most complaints; 2025 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Lexus
- Model
- NX
- Model years analyzed
- 2017β2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 17
- Safety recall campaigns
- 15
- Crash-related complaints
- 4
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2022 (16 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2025 (0 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Reliability signal
- Good
Lexus NX: Which Years to Avoid & Which to Buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used β lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record β lower risk starting points.
β NHTSA NCAP Crash Test Ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the Complaint Data Suggests
GoodThe LEXUS NX has 17 NHTSA complaints and 15 recalls on record. 4 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 17 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 15 federal recall campaigns
- 4 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
π NHTSA Safety Recalls
15 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017β2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
π§ Most-Reported Problem Areas
Based on component keywords extracted from all 17 NHTSA complaints.
π NHTSA Complaint Reports
17 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
I was stopped at Starbucks in a small business area. I needed to make a sharp left turn to get out of there to get back on the highway, I would typically go very slow as to not hit any parked cars etc. As soon as I went forward the car took off so fast I put both feet on the brakes. The car usually sets alarms off for everything! I looked for somewhere I could go to each side so as not to go on the highway. There was nowhere. I was going so fast at this point I was afraid to turn. I went straight across and hit an oncoming car. I then hit a cement planted area for bushes in the parking lot. It was about 6" high. My car hit two sides of the planter. That is the point it stopped. Still no warning lights or alarms! The Insurance reported the car is totaled.
I allowed a software update to my vehicle about six weeks ago. Now, about 10 minutes after starting the car, a screen comes up, completely covering all vehicle information. The screen does not close except with repeated tapping of the X and the left bar. Closing the screen requires attention that would be better paid to road conditions and other drivers. I asked my Lexus dealer service department to get rid of the screen. They were unable to do so. They suggested contacting Lexus via the emergency button while parked. I did so but when I replied that I did not have an emergency, I was disconnected. If this screen came up when the vehicle is started, then it would not be a safety concern. But coming up 10 minutes after ignition, it is definitely a dangerous distraction. I live in a mountainous region where driving requires full attention. It is a 30 minute drive to where I can pull over and get rid of the screen. During this time I am distracted by the screen and have no access to vehicle information.
Safety recall was issue in July 2023. NHTSA Recall Number 23V478, Manufacturer Recall Number 23LB01. As of today March 2024, there still no remedy for the recall. I'm not able to use the car because of this safety recall. Over 8 months with no remedy or timeline when it will be fix.
Fuel door does not open. Mis-aligned door does not open. Car has been back to the dealer twice for this problem. Both times we were told the entire assembly was replaced and both times the door was still visibly mis-aligned. See photos attached
Hello, I'm currently in Ontario, Canada, and I've been experiencing an issue with my car. Specifically, the driver's door refuses to open when the temperature drops below freezing. This problem is consistently occurring, making it quite inconvenient as I'm unable to access the driver's side. It appears that the sensor freezes in such conditions, preventing the door from opening externally. Its been 5 days the temperature is below freezing and my driver side door will not open from outside door handle. Fortunately, it does open from the inside. This situation becomes particularly hazardous during strong winds when I have to open the door from the passenger side, risking the door swinging open unexpectedly. This could potentially lead to fatal consequences if the door collides with a passing vehicle or motorcycle. This issue is recorded by multiple dealers, its reported on Lexus forums and i have escalated it to Lexus of London. Canada. And Lexus USA too.
The electrical system failed. It operates just about all the systems including items that are normally operated manually. My wife entered the car and pressed the start button and the car would not start. The car locked my wife inside with no manual method for opening the door. Fortunately, I was home at the time and was able to execute a manual release of the door using a key found inside the remote. Lexus sent a AAA service truck to jump start the engine. We believe this dangerous situation is related to our previous complaint #11495096 for VIN [XXX] on 11/28/2022 where the car locked us out on two reported occasions. At vehiclehistory.com I found a similar problem reported for the Lexus RX450h, another plug-in Hybrid. In that case an amp meter was used to trace the source of the electrical drain from the battery. A faulty amplifier was consuming more power than needed and draining the 12 volt battery to a completely discharged state. There is a problem with the auxiliary battery holding a charge. There were no warnings, messages or prior symptoms. The car is available for inspection on request. We are taking it to the dealer this morning. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I purchased a new Lexus NX 350 on Oct 15, 2022. On Aug 7, 2023, with 6300 miles, my tire and wheel flew off while I was exiting a 5 lane highway. The tire continued rolling and went through the windshield of another vehicle. I was able to get the car off to the side of the exit ramp while riding on the rotor. The dealer claimed no responsibility even though the car had been in for its initial 5K service that included a tire rotation 1300 miles earlier. I asked Lexus Corporate to inspect the vehicle to protect others from a potential serious hazard. Lexus said the lug bolts were shorter in style and incompatible with the standard lug bolts. In addition the jack was missing. Why would I or anyone change lug bolts when the wheels and tires are still original? In addition, this SUV has 20β standard run flat tires which does not include a jack..
Driving down the interstate we heard a big bang. It startled us. Had no idea what it was. Like someone was shooting at us. We pulled over to the side of the interstate to see what was going on. We checked the tires and side glass then saw the rear section of the panoramic roof had shattered. We had to find a store and purchase masking tape to hold it all together to complete our drive back home There were no vehicles around us and nothing apparently hit it to cause that. We submitted it to insurance and brought it to dealership for a quote.
My front driver tire flew off as I was exiting the expressway 8-7-22. The tire and wheel continued on to go through another vehicleβs windshield, Crash # 23080049 was filed by NV Highway Patrol Trooper E Thallon # 347.The car had 6300 miles at the time of the accident. It had its first customary 5K maintenance which included a tire rotation on 5-26-23. If I wouldnβt have been exiting the freeway, this would have happened in 5 lanes of traffic whIch could have killed me or other drivers as well. Since I drove 1391 miles since service, the dealer is claiming someone else did something to the tire. I never lost tire pressure and have had no reason to have anyone touch my tires. I purchased the car new 10-15-22 and also pre-paid for 3 years of customary maintenance as well as tire and wheel protection. The car is garage kept and just used for traveling short distances to my work/local places (within 25 miles of my home). After the dealer claimed no liability, I reached out to Lexus Corp who inspected and told me to have it fixed. I and my insurance are currently responsible for repairs, rental etc. If the dealerβs service center did not over-tighten a lug nut or not tighten one enough, there is a serious problem with this vehicle that needs to be investigated ASAP.
A 3 cars collision involves this vehicle accelerating while my mom was holding on to the brake pedal. She was pulling into our home driveway, when suddenly it accelerate and hit my sister Prius and my dad's Rav4. See photos. No one pull into the driveway with their foot on the gas pedal. I strongly believe the agency should investigate this vehicle to capture a potential recall with this model. Available is a video of the door ring showing the car engine ramp up after forcefully stopped by two park cars.
Problems with the infotainment system. 8 out of 10 times wonβt connect to phone or CarPlay. Need to turn off screen & turn back on a couple times. Sometimes turn car off & on.
My car was hit from the back by another vehicle. After the collision, I parked the vehicle and turned the ignition switch off, before getting out of the vehicle, the doors automatically get locked and the vehicle does not allowed to open the door even with the key card inside. I had to open the car with the manual handle from the inside. After I went out of the car, immediately the car again was automatically locked with the key card inside. I tried to open the car several times, and even with the phone application, however its remains locked. The car never opened, so I have to use an external hard ket to get access to the inside. I am very concerned about the lock system of the vehicle because someone can get stuck inside with this system failure and if there is a fire or something, this could be a very serious problem. I have kids and pets and now I don't feel safe driving this vehicle again thinking about this behavior during an accident.
A very serious issue with inadequate side mirror visibility: The brand new 2022 Lexus NX driver side mirror does not have a range of adjustment to safely accommodate shorter drivers. The primary driver of the vehicle is 5 feet 3 inches tall and when seat adjustments have been made, the driver side mirror does not articulate inward enough, preventing the driver from seeing the side of the vehicle nor an area near the side of vehicle. The lack of range creates a very SERIOUS LACK OF VISIBILITY OF SMALL CHILDREN, PEDESTRIANS, OR PETS that maybe standing next to the vehicle during reversing. In households with small children or in congested parking lots, the lack of driver visibility of pedestrians standing next to the vehicle poses extreme risk of pedestrians being crushed by the vehicle. The danger is especially severe if the reversing vehicle needs to turn to the driver's right side, where the left front tire will travel in a larger radius than the left rear tire, potentially striking or crushing any small pedestrian standing next to the vehicle's driver's side. The passenger side mirror range of adjustment is satisfactory, the safety issue is reported on the driver's side only.
Driver side mirror vibrates excessively and prevent intended use as a mirror. The wobbling and vibrating mirror causes nausea when using and does not allow a suitable view.
On two occasions the car has locked us out. The auxiliary battery fails which does not allow the electric door locks to operate. Itβs necessary to follow a manual procedure to unlock the driver door so the hood can be opened and the auxiliary battery can be charged and the car jump started. We purchased the car on July 30, 2022 and it has 2400 miles on the odometer. On each occasion the local Lexus dealer sent a technician to open the car and jump start the engine. Following the second occurrence we were instructed to bring the car to the dealership. They could find nothing wrong. This morning the Service Manager told me they had tested the battery five times over several days and it continued to show itself healthy. On a whim the service manager tested it again and it was dead as a door nail. The test showed a bad cell. The good news is that the problem was diagnosed and a new battery has been ordered. The potentially bad news is that the auxiliary battery in the NX450h+ may be defective in other cars.
2022 Lexus NX driver's seat is crooked, confirmed by Lexus dealership and Lexus field rep. The left side of the seat is back further while the right side of the seat is closer to dashboard. Lexus has confirmed that the seat is properly attached and bolted to the seat rails. An identical seat from an unaffected 2022 Lexus NX was placed in my vehicle and did not fix the crooked orientation; the replacement seat sat crooked as well. The vehicle was delivered brand new to me from Lexus with this defect. This defect may affect the crash worthiness of vehicle, seat strength, and the driver's body in the event of a car crash, as well as how the seatbelt fits the driver due to crooked orientation of seat. Lexus headquarters sent this vehicle to a frame shop to dismantle vehicle and measure frame. I have been told they cannot locate what is causing the driver's seat to be crooked but have ruled out that the problem is not in the actual seat itself or the seat rails. Lexus has also told me this problem cannot be fixed. Per the photos from the frame shop that exposed the entire frame and unibody of the vehicle, the round seat mounting holes in the framing of this vehicle appear to be elongated into egg shaped slots instead of round circles. This may also compromise the vehicle and seatβs strength and integrity, and affect the crashworthiness of the vehicle. Sitting in this crooked driver's seat for several months has resulted in a hip injury.
I have a 2022 Lexus NX. The driver's side mirror shakes excessively and consistently. It is a serious safety concern because at night there is blurry lights reflecting and makes seeing cars difficult. It is also a safety concern because during the day you cannot see the distance cars or objects are away from the vehicle as the mirror is constantly shaking. This puts myself and others at risk of collision. This also causes me to become carsick when driving. I took the car into the dealer, Lexus of Riverside, in Riverside, California two times since purchasing the vehicle for this to be fixed. They refused to fix it, acknowledged Lexus knows about the problem and said not enough people have complained for them to fix it. They are currently saying this is a normal characteristic of the vehicle but this simply cannot be. It is extremely unsafe. This issue first appeared when I purchased the vehicle and took delivery. This seems to be wide spread based on information I have seen on social media and online forums. The mirror shaking happens at all speeds.
Showing 17 of 17 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Before You Buy, Check the Exact Lexus NX
These pages show model-year patterns across 10years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
π Understanding This Data
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is β but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Lexus NX has 17 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Lexus NX has 15 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 4 of the Lexus NX's 17 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions β a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Good) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable β simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Lexus NX vehicles on the road β not any specific car. Two Lexus NX vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage β NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Lexus NX has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
Buyers Also Compare
How does the Lexus NX stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.