Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Lexus RX350. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Sensor Failures May Prevent Air Bag Deployment
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.
- Consequence
- If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.
Brake Actuator may have a Damaged O-Ring/FMVSS126
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016. These vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
- Consequence
- Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.
Inflator Gas may Leak from Driver's Knee Air Bag
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles manufactured November 16, 2015, to December 23, 2015. Due to an improper weld, the gas needed to inflate the driver's knee air bag may escape from the inflator.
- Consequence
- A defective inflator may increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the knee air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began March 7, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is GLA.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (58)
58 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The unknown or other is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 58 |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 19 | 32.8% |
| Air bags | 9 | 15.5% |
| Service brakes | 8 | 13.8% |
| Power train | 7 | 12.1% |
| Electrical system | 5 | 8.6% |
| Engine | 5 | 8.6% |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 8.6% |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 8.6% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 5.2% |
| Steering | 3 | 5.2% |
How 2016 compares with other RX350 years
Best and worst RX350 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 33 | 1 |
| 2013 | 59 | 1 |
| 2014 | 15 | 0 |
| 2015 | 42 | 1 |
| 2016 | 58 | 3 |
| 2017 | 46 | 3 |
| 2018 | 18 | 1 |
| 2019 | 31 | 3 |
| 2020 | 7 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 4 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2016 Lexus RX350 suv fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 23 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,900
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 390 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 23 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 8-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 27 / 23 | $2,900 | 390 |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 8-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 19 / 26 / 22 | $3,050 | 405 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2016 RX350 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2016 Lexus RX350 FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Lexus RX350 have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 18V085000 (air bag), 16V198000 (brake), 16V053000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Lexus RX350 problems?
Owners filed 58 complaints with NHTSA. Unknown or other (19), Air bags (9), Service brakes (8) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Lexus RX350 get?
EPA rates the 3.5 L 6-cyl · 8-speed automatic version at 20 city, 27 highway and 23 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2016 Lexus RX350 get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Lexus RX350 suv fwd 4 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (18% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 RX350 compare with other years?
Among the 2012–2021 Lexus RX350 model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 2013 the most (59). The 2016 drew 58. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.