YearToAvoid

2018 Lexus GX460 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

91/100

#2 most-complained of 12 GX460 years

The 2018 Lexus GX460 ranks 2nd worst out of 12 model years, with a Complaint Index of 91 and 7 NHTSA complaints, 2 recalls, 2 crashes, and 3 injuries. Suspension, Wheels & Tires issues dominate at 57% of complaints, driving its Avoid verdict.

Complaints
7
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
16
15 city / 18 hwy

Top 2018 Lexus GX460 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (57%)
  2. Airbags1 (14%)
  3. Brakes1 (14%)
  4. Other1 (14%)
  5. Steering1 (14%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain1 (14%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle sitting visibly lower on one side while driving and at rest, sometimes with a hissing sound from the rear after shutting off the engine.
  • Some drivers noticed the vehicle pulling or leaning to one side at low mileage, with dealers unable to fully resolve the issue after repairs.
  • One owner described a loud thud in the drivetrain when accelerating from a stop or from a roll, which the dealer called normal.
  • A driver reported the brake pedal failing to engage while the accelerator went to full throttle, resulting in a multi-vehicle crash.
  • An owner said airbags did not deploy during a side-swipe crash at highway speed, resulting in bruising and hand injuries.
  • Suspension noise persisted after dealer test drives, with the dealer reporting it could not find anything wrong.
2018 Lexus GX460 complaints: complaints filed per month3May 2018Aug 2018Dec 2018Jan 2020Jun 2020Aug 2020
9 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2018 to Aug 2020; peak May 2018 (3).

2018 Lexus GX460 recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V682000Nov 4, 2020Fuel System1,525,742 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

    Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.

  2. NHTSA 17V831000Dec 20, 2017Other649 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.

2018 Lexus GX460 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
16 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$5,000
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2018 compared with other GX460 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202022
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Caution646217
2017Avoid829316
2018Avoid917216
2019No verdict90116
2020No verdict271016

All Lexus GX460 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Lexus GX460 reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2018 GX460 has a Complaint Index of 91, the second highest of all 12 model years tracked, and carries an Avoid verdict relative to other GX460 years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2018 Lexus GX460?
Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints make up 57% of all reported issues for this year, with a median failure mileage of 185.
Does the 2018 Lexus GX460 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 GX460: a fuel pump assembly recall (campaign 20V682000) and a labeling recall (campaign 17V831000).
How does the 2018 GX460 compare to other years?
The 2018 GX460 ranks 2nd worst of 12 years with a Complaint Index of 91, behind only the 2010 model at 100; years like 2012 and 2014 scored much lower at 45 and 36.
What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Lexus GX460?
The 2018 GX460 gets 16 mpg combined (15 city/18 highway) and costs about $5,000 a year in fuel per EPA estimates.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.