Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 RC | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 RC | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 RC | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 RC | 3 | 1 |
| 2016 RC | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 RC | 6 | 1 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Unknown or other5
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Wheels1
- Visibility/wiper1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Structure1
- Service brakes1
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 18 RC vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 9 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 |
| 2017 | 4 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | 8 | 1 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
In New Zealand
44 RC cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2017 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2015 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| 2014 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the United Kingdom
91 RC cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 | — |
| 2017 | 12 | 1 |
| 2016 | 74 | 3 |
| 2015 | 4 | 1 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
2,312 RC cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 88% passed first time, against 82% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 255 | 88% |
| 2019 | 412 | 88% |
| 2018 | 396 | 90% |
| 2017 | 437 | 89% |
| 2016 | 626 | 87% |
| 2015 | 186 | 84% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | RC | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 7.1% | 5.6% |
| Visibility | 2.5% | 3.5% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.6% | 4.8% |
| Brakes | 1.3% | 3.4% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Suspension | 0.2% | 2.9% |
| Road Wheels | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.1% | 1.3% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
1,559 new Lexus RC cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2014 and 2019, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2019 the largest markets were United Kingdom (424).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 424 | 146 (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 447 | 118 (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 627 | — |
| 2015 | 60 | — |
| 2014 | 1 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the RC in 1 alert. European versions can differ from the North American car.
Due to the improper design of the flange attaching the vent tube to the fuel tank, a stress-related crack could develop on the outer surface of the flange and expand over time. increasing the risk of fire. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the…
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
1 campaigns cover the RC.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2015-2022 Lexus RC, 2016-2020 GS, and 2022 IS vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
NHTSA recalls