Selling a junk Lexus RX
Any RX sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Lexus RX
NHTSA has 1,088 owner complaints on file for the Lexus RX, model years 1999 to 2022, the 272nd-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are other (156, 14%), air bags (123, 11%), engine (122, 11%). 132 complaints involved a crash, 22 a fire, and 103 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 90,500 miles. The 2010 model year has the most complaints (108). Data as of 2026-10-12.
The guides below explain how each kind of fault changes what a buyer pays.
Lexus RX by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 41 | Transmission and drivetrain | 2 | 0 | 0 | 102,500 |
| 2000 | 30 | Transmission and drivetrain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 92,500 |
| 2001 | 25 | Transmission and drivetrain | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 13 | Transmission and drivetrain | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 4 | Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 56 | Body and structure | 1 | 1 | 1 | 68,000 |
| 2005 | 39 | Other | 3 | 3 | 1 | 80,000 |
| 2006 | 53 | Electrical system | 1 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 2007 | 79 | Brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 93,426 |
| 2008 | 89 | Engine | 5 | 2 | 0 | 117,183 |
| 2009 | 42 | Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 82,500 |
| 2010 | 108 | Engine | 12 | 0 | 0 | 43,400 |
| 2011 | 36 | Engine | 6 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 20 | Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 25 | Other | 3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 14 | Brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 27 | Other | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 33 | Body and structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 62 | Other | 14 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 35 | Other | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 63 | Driver assistance | 23 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 2020 | 58 | Air bags | 13 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 2021 | 89 | Air bags | 16 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 2022 | 47 | Other | 12 | 3 | 0 | — |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Lexus RX recalls
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for brakes (1), fuel system (1), air bags (1). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 2019 model year, fuel system (campaign 25V028000, Jan 2025): Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Camry, 2019 Lexus NX300, and 2019 RX350L vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
- 2020 model year, air bags (campaign 23V865000, Dec 2023): Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybri…
- 2004 model year, brakes (campaign 10V499000, Oct 2010): 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 …
What a Lexus RX is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk RX on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
How to sell a car that doesn't run 
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Catalytic converters and junk cars 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them Other Lexus models
- Lexus ES350 1,629
- Lexus RX350 1,109
- Lexus IS 250 938
- Lexus RX300 849
- Lexus ES 837
- Lexus IS 804
- Lexus ES300 713
- Lexus RX330 659
Questions people ask
- What is a junk Lexus RX worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same RX gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Lexus RX that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Lexus RX?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Lexus RX numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.