2004 Lexus RX Problems, Recalls & Reliability
409 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Lexus RX, alongside 1 recall campaign and 2 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 10,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2004 Lexus RX sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2003, 2013–2014, 2018, 2020, 2022.
Avoid
Where 2004 sits among all RX years
What owners report
“1)backing out of my slanting driveway. 2)no brakes-had to hit them really hard to stop at all. 3. Dealer towed and replaced brake boosters.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 RX
“Upon acelleration, this vehicle sometimes hesitates and at times almost causing an accident. I have taken this to the lexus dealership and they are aware of it. They say there is no fix. I was told to use premium gas, and i havebeen told that the new software is in and that is all they could do.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 RX
“My 2004 lexus rx330 has horrible paint issues on the front bumper. Paint started chipping off in huge sections and it looks terrible. This has only happened on the front bumper and the rear view mirrors. Seems like the paint is defective in these area's. So disappointed. Also the transmission is…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 RX
“I have been waiting for over 2 years now for the dashboard replacement recall and would like to sell the car but the dashboard is cracking and unsightly.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 RX
“Cruise control will not turn on, cannot operate while car is in motion on the highway. 12”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 RX
“Dashboard completely cracking all over. Front lights fogged over, cannot drive car at night time due to this due to safety hazard.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 RX
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 244 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 57,300 miles. Half of those reports fall between 15,000 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
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…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAL WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 11V112000.
Technical service bulletins
177 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2004 Lexus RX. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Lexus RX reliable?
The 2004 Lexus RX drew 409 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2004 Lexus RX problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Lexus RX are brakes & stability (78 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (77), and body & structure (46).
At what mileage do 2004 Lexus RX problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Lexus RX problems around 57,300 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 15,000 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Lexus RX have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2004 Lexus RX. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.