YearToAvoid

2021 Lexus RX Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2021 Lexus RX has a complaint index of 100, the highest of any RX model year, ranking it 1st worst out of 21 years. Airbags account for 68% of its 69 complaints, and it carries one recall for a faulty airbag sensor, earning it an Avoid verdict relative to other RX years.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
100/100
#1 of 21 RX years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
69
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
1
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
9
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
9
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2016
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
29.5
30 city / 28 hwy
Injuries / deaths
9 / 0

Top 2021 Lexus RX problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags47 (68%)
  2. Other7 (10%)
  3. Collision Avoidance & Cameras5 (7%)
  4. Structure & Body5 (7%)
  5. Electrical System4 (6%)
  6. Seat Belts4 (6%)
  7. Brakes3 (4%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (4%)
  9. Engine2 (3%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers2 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Airbags fail to deploy during side-impact collisions, including animal strikes, leaving occupants unprotected.
  • Seat belts fail to properly engage at the shoulder or hip during crashes, contributing to injuries.
  • A rear passenger seat belt reportedly failed to restrain a child in a booster seat during a collision.
  • The driver's seat reclining mechanism failed to hold position after a rear-end collision, letting the seat fall backward.
  • Steering and braking reportedly became unresponsive during an emergency swerve, resulting in a collision.
  • Sunroof drain channels failed to route water away, causing interior leaks after rain or car washes.
2021 Lexus RX complaints: complaints filed per month9Aug 2021Sep 2022Feb 2024Jun 2024Nov 2024Mar 2025Jul 2025Nov 2025
69 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2021 to Dec 2025; peak Dec 2024 (9).

2021 Lexus RX recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V865000Dec 20, 2023Airbags999,901 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification

    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 Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

    Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

2021 Lexus RX fuel economy and fuel cost

City
30 MPG
Highway
28 MPG
Combined
29.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,700
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.

2021 compared with other RX years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2019Caution6034129.5
2020Avoid8046129.5
2021Avoid10069129.5
2022Caution7029029.5
2023Avoid9061331.5

All Lexus RX years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Lexus RX reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2021 RX has the highest complaint index (100) of all 21 RX model years and ranks 1st worst, making it the model's Avoid year relative to other years.
What is the main problem with the 2021 Lexus RX?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 68% of the 69 complaints filed, including reports of airbags failing to deploy in crashes.
Does the 2021 Lexus RX have a recall?
Yes. NHTSA recall 23V865000 covers a faulty airbag sensor on the 2021 RX350 and RX450h, with dealers inspecting and replacing the sensor as needed.
At what mileage do 2021 RX problems typically show up?
NHTSA data lists a median mileage at failure of 58,000 miles across all reported problems, though airbag-specific complaints show a median of 76,000 miles.
How does the 2021 RX compare to other RX years?
The 2021 RX's complaint index of 100 is higher than every other RX year in the dataset, including 2020 (80) and 2023 (90), which are also rated Avoid.

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.