There are 6 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2017 Lexus RXin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owned a 2017 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated while making a left turn exiting a car wash, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated independently and crashed into the commercial building where it came to a stop. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle was in full throttle and failed to stop. The air bags did not deploy. No warnings light illuminated. No Medical Attention was needed. During the failure, the contact was the only occupant seated in the vehicle. The contact sustained injuries to the head, black and blue marks on the left side of her leg and shoulder as well as her left knee sustained swelling the right of her bottom was also bruised. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to impound lot by the insurance company and then towed to a salvage lot. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 LEXUS RX350. -THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. -THE VEHICLE STRUCK A GUARD RAIL. -NO APPARENT REASON WHY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND STRUCK A GUARD RAIL. ALL THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED (INCLUDING CURTAIN AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED ACCORDING TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL, TWO FRACTURED RIBS AND 2 FINGERS, TREATED AND RELEASED. THE POLICE WAS PRESENT AND REPORT NUMBER: 20192380195 WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,700. *DT *TR
OFTEN TIMES I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE A LITTLE AND IT'S LIKE YOU LET OFF THE GAS ENTIRELY. YOU THEN HAVE TO AGGRESSIVELY PRESS THE PEDAL DOWN TO WHICH IT REACTS WILDLY. SOMETIMES YOU BARELY TOUCH THE PEDAL AND IT TAKES OFF BUT MOST TIMES YOU GET LITTLE TO NO RESPONSE. ACCELERATION DOES NOT REACT LINEAR IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GAS PEDAL. A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU TRY AND ENTER INTO TRAFFIC.
VEHICLE SOMETIMES WILL VIOLENTLY SURGE FORWARD WHEN TAKING OFF. THE RESPONSE OF THE ACCELERATOR IS VERY INCONSISTENT. SOMETIMES, YOU CAN HARDLY GET THE VEHICLE TO GO, AND OTHER TIMES IT WILL JUST EXPLODE FORWARD WITH JUST THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE PEDAL.THIS CAUSED ME TO RUN INTO THE DITCH. VERY UNSAFE.
THE PROBLEM IS IN THE LEARNING ABILITY OF THE EIGHT-SPEED AUTOMATIC ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED TRANSMISSION (ECT) IN MY WIFE'S LEXUS 2017 RX 350. IT HAS DELAY OF 2 TO 3 SECOND IN ACCELERATING OCCASIONALLY AFTER A STOP OR WHEN TRYING ACCELERATED IN A NORMAL DRIVE' IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AS EXPECTED.
WHILE DRIVING HOME, I STOPPED THE CAR AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE DRIVE WAY AT THE MAIL BOX BY APPLYING BRAKE .THE CAR CAME TO A FULL STOP. I SHIFTED THE GEAR ( AUTOMATIC ) TO PARK TO GET OUT OF THE CAR TO PICK THE MAIL. AS SOON AS THE GEAR WAS IN PARK, THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY, INSPITE OF HARD BREAKING. I COULD FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM BEING ACTIVATED BY THE WAY IT FEELS ON THE BREAK PEDAL. THE CAR HIT THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND STOPPED. THIS VEHICLE HAS BUILT IN PRE COLLISION SYSTEM. AFTER NOTIFYING THE INSURANCE COMPANY THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP WHERE IT IS BEING WORKED ON.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026