Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2004 Lexus RX, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure12
- Unknown or other8
- Air bags6
- Power train5
- Exterior lighting4
- Seats2
- Service brakes2
- Engine2
- Wheels2
- Vehicle speed control2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
199920002001200220042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 37 2004 RX vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 16 people died inside them, and 10 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 12.0–12.7 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 276–292 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| RX 330 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 13.5 | 10.1 | 12.0 |
| RX 330 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 13.5 | 10.1 | 12.0 |
| RX 330 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 14.4 | 10.6 | 12.7 |
| RX 330 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 14.4 | 10.6 | 12.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
10V499000 · Service brakes, hydraulic21 Oct 2010 · 728,544 vehicles
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 LEXUS RX, AND MODEL YEAR 2006 LEXUS GS AND IS VEHICLES. BRAKE FLUID CONTAINING POLYMERS IS USED THAT ACTS AS LUBRICANTS FOR CERTAIN BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IF REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID IS USED THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN SUCH POLYMERS, OR THAT CONTAINS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, A PART OF THE RUBBER SEAL LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY BECOME DRY, AND THE SEAL MAY CURL DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. IF THIS OCCURS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID COULD SLOWLY LEAK FROM THE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Lexus told its dealers about the 2004 Lexus RX: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11003650 | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible. |
| 11003648 | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation |
| 11003643 | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, |
| 11003642 | Lexus vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to remove the RapgardTM protective film within 90 days from initial application. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin No. L-PG004-94. The entire bulletin has been updated. |
| 11003641 | Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surface. These particles are often difficult to see on dark color paints but can be easily felt when brushing a hand across horizontal body surfaces such as the hood, roof, or deck lid. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to clean vehicles that may have been subjected to contamination by airborn |
| 11003595 | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible. |
| 11003593 | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation |
| 11003588 | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, |
| 11003587 | Lexus vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to remove the RapgardTM protective film within 90 days from initial application. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin No. L-PG004-94. The entire bulletin has been updated. |
| 11003586 | Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surface. These particles are often difficult to see on dark color paints but can be easily felt when brushing a hand across horizontal body surfaces such as the hood, roof, or deck lid. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to clean vehicles that may have been subjected to contamination by airborn |
| 10214355 | Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022 |
| 10207945 | POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Lexus. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Lexus.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well. |
| 10205392 | Warranty Enhancement Program - ZLD Phase 2,3 & 4 Part Replacement Available for all Models - Extention of Warranty Coverage for Cracked and/or Sticky/Melting Dashboards ( Inst krukment Panels) as a Result of Heat or Humidity. |
| 10205391 | Lexus has received reports where some vehicles may exhibit cracked and/or sticky/melting dashboards as a result of heat or humidity. |
| 10205383 | Spots in Window Glass - vehicle exterior |
| 10205352 | Windshield Wiper Blade Maintenance and cleaning |
| 10205346 | Auto matic Transmission Replacement kPrecautions |
| 10205331 | Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset |
| 10205329 | Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset. |
| 10205327 | Techstream ECU Flash Reprogramming Procedure. |
| 10179697 | TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to be a ?leak? should be repaired accordingly and will be covered under warranty if applicable. Cases that are determined to be a ?seep? should be documented on the repair order and inspected at the next service interval. Follow the Repair Information in this bulletin to determine if the concern in question is a fluid leak or fluid seep and review the Repair Procedure sectio |
| 10179601 | TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to be a ?leak? should be repaired accordingly and will be covered under warranty if applicable. Cases that are determined to be a ?seep? should be documented on the repair order and inspected at the next service interval. Follow the Repair Information in this bulletin to determine if the concern in question is a fluid leak or fluid seep and review the Repair Procedure sectio |
| 10177780 | TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. ST004-01, SU001-08, and L-SB-0174-08. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this service bulletin before proceeding. This Service Bulletin provides best practice procedures for vehicle pulling complaint, diagnosis, and repair for 2002 ? 2021 model year Lexus vehicles. This information supplements Repair Manual procedures when the symptoms are: ?Vehicle Pulling: The vehicle moves to the right o |
| 10176283 | Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements |
| 10174889 | TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0008-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
RQ10003 · Electrical system:softwareopened 16 Feb 2010 · closed 1 Mar 2011
Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation