2008 Lexus RX Problems, Recalls & Reliability
249 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Lexus RX, alongside 0 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 54/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Other leads the reports, typically around 57,500 miles.
Below average
Where 2008 sits among all RX years
What owners report
“Takata recall dashboard is cracking and i did not get the recall to have it replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 RX
“Rear latch melted, not due to temperatures in the city and state where i live but instead to a electrical component overheating. Lexus will not fix without a charge of over $200. This is clearly a defect”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 RX
“Oil leak while driving - engine oil cooling pipe technical service bulletin #l-sb-0154-11 technical service bulletin# zlc technical service bulletin # pol14-02”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 RX
“Automatic rear door does not open in hotter weather. Vehicle is consistently garaged. Latch on rear door melts and black gooey tar rubs off on fingers and hands when opening door. Dealer said to replace this melted tar like door latch is $650. Automatic door does not open in heat. Lexus says there…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 RX
“Had filed a complaint over my lexus brakes but put in the incorrect vin. My complaint code is 11413142 and was accidently put under my toyota highlanders vin”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 RX
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 169 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 114,366 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls
No recall campaigns on file for the 2008 Lexus RX.
Technical service bulletins
190 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2008 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 2008 Lexus RX reliable?
The 2008 Lexus RX drew 249 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 54/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2008 Lexus RX problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Lexus RX are other (40 complaints), electrical (35), and engine (34).
At what mileage do 2008 Lexus RX problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Lexus RX problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 114,366 miles.
Does the 2008 Lexus RX have recalls?
No recall campaigns are on file for the 2008 Lexus RX. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check the VIN before buying.
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.