2015 Lexus RX Hybrid: common problems

Owners of the 2015 Lexus RX Hybrid filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 5
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 60% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 60% of all complaints
3 Engine 40% of all complaints
4 Air bags 20% of all complaints
5 Electronic stability control 20% of all complaints
6 Latches, locks, linkages 20% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 20% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 3 complaints (60% of all).
Service brakes: 3 complaints (60% of all).
Engine: 2 complaints (40% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 1 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (20% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 5 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure1 · 20%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 20%
headlights and tail lights1 · 20%
rollaway, parking brake1 · 20%
steering or power steering problems1 · 20%
unintended acceleration1 · 20%
warning lights, check engine1 · 20%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	3	0
Service brakes	3	0
Engine	2	1
Air bags	1	1
Electronic stability control	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Vehicle speed control	1	1
Other	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Upon entering my garage, the car surged forward when I slightly applied a little pressure to the gas pedal. I turned the wheel to avoid a straight on collision, but still sustained much damage to both car and home. This was not the first time it surged, but was certainly the most severe since there was nowhere to go.
Engine · crash · 2017-09-11 · NHTSA complaint #11022640
The contact stated that the passenger door would not lock manually or with the vehicle remote. The doors would also not lock when the vehicle was in drive. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Electrical system · 2019-07-22 · NHTSA complaint #11233982
I could not stop the car and all the warning lights, engine warning lights, check hybrid system, and vehicle warning lights appeared on the dashboard of the car. The car was purchased new with 71 miles, the car was never in an accident, the car had nothing installed to it, the car was serviced by lexus for 10,000 mile…
Service brakes · 2017-09-05 · NHTSA complaint #11021469
About 15 miles into my drive to work in my 2015 lexus rx 450h with only 6,300 miles, my dash panel indicated the following errors: check abs, check bsm system, check headlight leveling system, brake malfunction, check hybrid system, check power steering system, speedometer at 0 mph and every possible error light…
Electrical system · 2017-06-20 · NHTSA complaint #11000255
Operating vehicle 50 mph slight downhill abs warning brake warning hybrid warning all came on with audible alarm. Vehicle was difficult to stop.
Electrical system · 2015-03-28 · NHTSA complaint #10702336

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20151
20173
20191

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).

On average one model year of the RX Hybrid has 16 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Lexus RX Hybrid?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, engine. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (20%), door locks, latches, handles (20%), headlights and tail lights (20%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2015 Lexus RX Hybrid?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2015 Lexus RX Hybrid from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2015 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.