2008 Lexus RX Hybrid Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RX Hybrid years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Lexus RX Hybrid. That ranks 3rd out of 22 RX Hybrid model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (19 complaints, 33%), typically at around 32,318 miles. Complaints mention 18 crashes, 10 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 57owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 18complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Lexus RX Hybrid problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 19 | 33% | 32,318 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 18% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 14% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 9% | 20,050 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 9% | 43,325 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 5% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 5% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 5% | 15,100 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 5% | 56,380 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 4% | 97,070 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 4% | 89,160 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 4% | 155,200 | — | — |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 2 | 4% | 178,660 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 4% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 2% | 78,068 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 2% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | 56,380 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Lexus RX Hybrid recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.
Risk: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by this campaign.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound with the VSC message displayed and the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle made the same abnormal sound for 15 minutes…
The contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the check engine and the Hybrid system maintenance warning…
The contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ABS warning light would illuminate, and a grinding noise was present while depressing the brake pedal. On multiple occasions while driving at very slow speeds the vehicle abruptly stopped. The vehicle was…
The contact owns a 2008 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated that while reversing out a parking space at a low rate of speed, the vehicle stalled as the hybrid system warning message illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact was able to walk to an automotive parts store and purchased a new…
Started noticing "burping" noise when i pressed on brakes from engine bay, then later i noticed continuous clicking sound coming from front passenger engine bay after i would turn off engine completely. As later time went by the clicking sound would get longer and consistent. I also experienced…
Other Lexus RX Hybrid years
← 2007 RX Hybrid · 2010 RX Hybrid →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 RX Hybrid | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 RX Hybrid | 1 | 2 |
| 2024 RX Hybrid | 1 | 3 |
| 2023 RX Hybrid | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 RX Hybrid | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 RX Hybrid | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 RX Hybrid | 2 | 1 |
| 2019 RX Hybrid | 3 | 0 |
| 2018 RX Hybrid | 3 | 0 |
| 2017 RX Hybrid | 10 | 0 |
| 2016 RX Hybrid | 7 | 2 |
| 2015 RX Hybrid | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 RX Hybrid | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 RX Hybrid | 12 | 0 |
| 2012 RX Hybrid | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 RX Hybrid | 12 | 0 |
| 2010 RX Hybrid | 8 | 1 |
| 2008 | 57 | 1 |
| 2007 RX Hybrid | 59 | 3 |
| 2006 RX Hybrid | 154 | 5 |
| 2005 RX Hybrid | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 RX Hybrid | 0 | 1 |
See all Lexus RX Hybrid problems by year, every Lexus model, or the Lexus VIN decoder.
Similar Lexus models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Lexus RX Hybrid?
Owners most often report vehicle speed control, service brakes, hydraulic, service brakes problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Lexus RX Hybrid?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Lexus RX Hybrid a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RX Hybrid model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.