2012 Lexus RX350 - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

Based on the safety rating data provided, the 2012 Lexus RX350 SUV FWD has an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5. The vehicle scored well in terms of side crash ratings, with a 5-star rating for overall side crash and side pole crash. It also received high scores for combined side barrier and pole ratings on the front and rear sides, with ratings of 5 and 4 respectively.

Additionally, the Lexus RX350 comes equipped with electronic stability control, which is a critical safety feature that helps drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. However, it does not have forward collision warning or lane departure warning systems.

In terms of complaints and recalls, the vehicle has 36 complaints reported and 1 recall issued. It's important to address these concerns promptly to ensure the continued safety and performance of the vehicle. Overall, the 2012 Lexus RX350 demonstrates solid safety features and ratings, but it's essential to stay informed about any reported issues and recalls to maintain its safety standards.

auto generated summary, may be inaccurate.

Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

36

Recall Count

1

Investigation Count

0

Safety Rating

4/5

Search Vehicle Details

Advanced Search

The advanced search lets you search by safety ratings and features. This will return a list of vehicles that match your search criteria.

Safety Features

2012 Lexus RX350 SUV FWD Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2012 Lexus RX350 SUV FWD

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

No
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

No

2012 Lexus RX350 SUV FWD Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2012 Lexus RX350 SUV FWD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2007 Score 2012 Score 2019 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated 4 4
Front Crash Driver Side Rating Not Rated 4 4
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating Not Rated 4 4

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2007 Score 2012 Score 2019 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating Not Rated 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating Not Rated 4 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated 4 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated 5 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2007 Score 2012 Score 2019 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated 4 4
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5

Complaints for the 2012 Lexus RX350

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"initially felt the vehicle suddenly lurch foward on several occasions after backing out of parking space at work and shifting into drive. had to hit brakes, bring the vehicle to a complete stop, and then slowly start forward again. accident occurred in the driveway of a private residence. the vehicle was placed in park and fully stopped.. driver was about to turn off engine and, with passenger, exit the vehicle when it suddenly accelerated for no reason, plowing straight into the garage door of residence. garage door was completely torn off and the vehicle came to a stop after smashing an interior wall and doorframe. thankfully, no injuries but could have been worse if the windshield had broke. the vehicle was damaged on 3 sides and the property sustained damage to the garage door, interior drywall, door and doorframe. again, the vehicle was completely stopped and in park when it suddenly accelerated."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2015-08-08
Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2012 lexus rx350. while the vehicle was parked and attempting to turn off the engine, the vehicle suddenly independently accelerated and crashed into a garage door and into a wall. the vehicle had extensive damages to the front of the vehicle due to the failure. the driver and the passenger sustained whip lash that did not require medical attention. the vehicle was not diagnosed and the damages were repaired. a police report was not filed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 14,878."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2015-08-08
Complaint:
"after exiting a parking lot by backing out, lexus rx 350 driver preceded to the parking lot exit. upon making a left hand turn towards the exit, the car immediately lurched forward and despite the drivers attempt to stop the car by applying the brakes, the car hit another parked car. the rx 350 came to a stop only after hitting the curbing of the parking lot. the car that was hit was unoccupied. there were no injuries to the driver of the rx 350. *tr"
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2013-05-09
Complaint:
"i wish to inform you about a serious incident that occurred on september 21, 2013 while driving my lexus 350 awd 2012. i was parking the car. my foot was on the break pedal and i was about to reverse when the car suddenly self accelerated and went up a 45 degree embankment. the car drove over very large boulders that were at the head of the parking space. the underbelly of the car rammed into a very large boulder that raised the left rear wheel off the ground and stopped the car from continuing up the incline. the acceleration over the boulders and up the embankment was consistently fast moving and the break pedal was useless. lexus was informed and advised that would send an inspector. the life on myself and the passengers were seriously put at risk. i do not want to drive the car again because of the unpredictability and life threatening risk the car poses because of the self acceleration issue. i kindly request your office review this serious matter. i am seeking reimbursement for my up-front financial commitment or a trade-in for a dependable vehicle. *ln updated 1/8/2013 *js"
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2014-09-09
Complaint:
"i had an accident with my 2012 lexus on 5/1/13. i pulled out of a gas station unto the road and stopped at a red light behind a car carrier which was stopped already. when i stopped, my car accelerated and hit the back of the truck. when the police came, they cited me because i hit the truck. when we brought the car to the repair shop and i explained what happened, he said he had a similar case a month before. with that, i searched google and realized that i wasn't loosing my mind and that my car accelerated unintentionally. i called lexus and they sent a representative to the repair shop and after examining the car, his findings were that it didn't happen. i called two attorneys and they heard of this happening but because i wasn't hurt, they wouldn't take my case. i called "8 on your side" and they said to email you and that a gentleman from there "might" get in touch with me. i am out $4,500 for the repairs and now my car depreciated $5,000 because it was hit. i am not sure if this will happen again but i worry every time i come to a stop. is there anything you can do so i could get reimbursed from lexus or trade my car in and not lose this substantial amount. i have had lexus since 1996 and i cannot believe they will not stand behind their product. thanking you in advance for your reply! *tr"
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2013-01-05
Complaint:
"while pulling into a parking space at approx. 3 mph and being less than a foot from where i would have fully stopped, the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably as the engine raced at a very high rpm. i was able to turn my wheel quickly to the left to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of me. at that same time with my foot that was already on the brake and i braked very hard, then shifted into neutral and the vehicle stopped. i had a small piece of wood flooring on the back seat which came flying to the front and cut the passenger side dashboard. i just reported the issue to lexus and they suggest i bring the vehicle to a dealership asap. *tr"
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2014-12-04
Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2012 lexus rx 350. the contact stated that after stopping at a traffic light she attempted to accelerate, the vehicle moved forward a few feet but then deccelerated and drifted through the intersection. the failure recurred several times. the vehicle was taken to a dealer on three occasions and each time the failure could not be replicated. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 20 miles and the current mileage was 5,800."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2013-02-04
Complaint:
"on 6/25/2012- at 7:10 am, i was pulling into the parking spot for my vehicle in my hospital parking lot for a scheduled surgical case, where i work as an ob/gyn physician/surgeon . as i turned to the parking spot at the usual, approximately 2-4 miles /hr speed ( the speed at which normally one parks the car), i noticed that my accelerator pedal did not bounce back to its original position as it normally should or would. then my rt foot was on the brakes to just stop the vehicle in my parking spot. then just instantly the vehicle had increased speed and before i could stop the vehicle, it ran forward uncontrollably and climbed up the cement pathway and hit the tree just in front of that parking spot. i was pressing on the brakes and it did not stop the engine raving and i stopped the engine by turning it off. the front of the car is severely damaged including bent frame and the engine is pushed inside according to the body shop. i felt i had no control of the vehicle and it ran on its own. it was the scariest feeling. imagine the damage and casualty it could have caused if it happened at the signal crossing. *tr"
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2014-01-06

Recalls for the 2012 Lexus RX350

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 toyota tacoma and lexus rx350 vehicles and certain model year 2012 toyota rav4 vehicles. in the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder. an electrical component within the actuator may experience an increased resistance resulting in the illumination of various warning lights, including those for the vehicle stability control (vsc) system, antilock brake system (abs), and traction control system."
Consequence:
If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Component(s) Involved: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC > ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP > CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Date of incident: 2014-02-12

LEXUS Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

LEXUS ranks 23 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

Related Vehicles

Why not check out other LEXUS vehicles?

2023 IS 350
LEXUS
  • Overall Safety Rating: 5
  • Complaints Count: 0
  • Recall Count: 0
View Car
2019 GS350
LEXUS
  • Overall Safety Rating: Not Rated
  • Complaints Count: 0
  • Recall Count: 2
View Car
2020 RC 350
LEXUS
  • Overall Safety Rating: Not Rated
  • Complaints Count: 1
  • Recall Count: 0
View Car
2022 RX 450H
LEXUS
  • Overall Safety Rating: 4
  • Complaints Count: 0
  • Recall Count: 0
View Car