Lexus RX AL20: common faults & what to check

You're looking at the AL20

3 engine variants are documented for this generation. Pick yours to narrow further, or keep reading for the generation as a whole.

2015–2022AL20 Selected2015–2022AL202.0 turbo petrolPetrolDocumented issues5 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2015–2022AL20 Selected2015–2022AL203.5 V6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues7 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2015–2022AL20 Selected2015–2022AL203.5 hybridHybridDocumented issues9 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Lexus RX

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Lexus RX before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Inspect ball joint boots for cracking or grease leakage.

  See why

  Front lower control arm ball joint failure

  RX AL10 and AL20 front lower control arm ball joints are a documented wear item, typically failing between 100,000–150,000 km but sometimes earlier on NZ vehicles exposed to chip-seal and gravel surfaces. The ball joint is integral to the lower control arm assembly on most variants, requiring full arm replacement. A failed joint causes loss of steering geometry and in extreme cases collapse of the front corner — a safety-critical failure that will cause WOF rejection.

  What you would notice

  • Clunking or knocking from the front suspension over bumps or rough road
  • Steering pulling to one side under braking or on uneven surfaces
  • Abnormal front tyre wear — particularly outer edge
  • Loose or vague steering feel at low speed

  Typically $950–$2,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check the VIN with Lexus for the fuel pump recall completion.

  See why

  Denso fuel pump recall — engine stall risk (RX350/RX450h)

  2016-2022 RX350 and RX450h are included in the global Denso fuel pump recall (NHTSA 20V-012 and matching Australian campaigns): the pump's plastic impeller can swell and seize, stalling the engine without warning at any speed. Replacement is free at Lexus dealers and US owners got a 15-year/150,000-mile pump warranty via class action; NZ/AU buyers should simply verify the campaign is done on the VIN. The fourth-gen RX is otherwise one of the cleanest-record large SUVs of its era.

  What you would notice

  • Engine stall while driving
  • Rough idle or hesitation before a stall
  • Hard starting / long crank when hot

  Typically $0–$1,200 to put right.

• Common issue

  Operate the power liftgate using both the key fob and the interior button.

  See why

  Power Liftgate Actuator Motor Failure

  The electrically-operated power liftgate on the RX AL10 and AL20 generations uses a pair of electric actuator strut units that combine a gas spring with an integrated electric motor. The motor windings and gear mechanism inside each strut are a well-documented failure point: the gate loses the ability to open or close under power, or partially opens then stops. The struts also progressively lose gas charge, causing the gate to drop under its own weight even when the motor is functional.

  What you would notice

  • Liftgate fails to open or close under power
  • Liftgate stops partway through the opening cycle
  • Liftgate slowly droops or drops when manually held open
  • Clicking or grinding noise from strut actuators during operation
  • Power liftgate warning or error displayed on instrument screen

  Typically $400–$1,400 to put right.

• Worth checking

  Use the infotainment for a full five minutes: navigation, audio source changes, phone pairing, reversing camera.

  See why

  Infotainment touchpad/screen freezes and glitches

  The fourth-gen RX's Remote Touch touchpad interface is widely disliked and the head unit can freeze, reboot or lose phone connectivity, particularly on pre-facelift (2015-2019) cars before CarPlay/Android Auto arrived. Software updates and occasional head unit replacements resolved most cases under warranty. A nuisance rather than a mechanical risk, but head unit hardware out of warranty is expensive, so test it thoroughly.

  What you would notice

  • Screen freezing or rebooting mid-drive
  • Touchpad cursor lagging or unresponsive
  • Bluetooth/phone connection drops

  Typically $0–$1,500 to put right.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Lexus RX’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Hybrid Battery Replacement Cost
• Cambelt Replacement Cost
• Timing Chain Replacement Cost

Other Lexus models