Problems · NHTSA complaints
2023 Lexus NX 250 problems
Owners filed 17 complaints about the 2023 Lexus NX 250 with NHTSA between Sep 2023 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is service brakes (2).
Complaints
17
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes2
- Forward collision avoidance2
- Power train2
- Vehicle speed control2
- Engine2
- Electrical system2
- Structure2
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Exterior lighting1
- Air bags1
- Other / unknown4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
5
6
4
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 | 4 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes
2 reports1 crash
“I was traveling on I-35 in heavy stop & go traffic, in an area under heavy construction where no shoulder was accessible, when the 18-wheeler in front applied their brakes consistent with the flow of traffic. I applied the brakes, but nothing happened causing me to roll forward and hit the back of the 18-wheeler. After impact, I placed the vehicle in park, & it was not until I pressed park that I believe the brakes became re-engaged. Once out of heavy traffic & safe to do so, I exited the highway, pulled over & restarted the vehicle. I believe the manual brakes failed to engage causing the incident. My safety and the safety of my passengers was put at risk, brakes are an integral part of a vehicle. I was not going fast and was actively engaged in driving. When I pushed the brakes and nothing happened, I repeatedly slammed my foot on the brake as my vehicle continued to roll into the 18-wheeler. Had I been going faster and a vehicle in front of me hit their brakes me and my passenger would be seriously injured. Toyota corporate has inspected the vehicle, and their response was as follows: "According to the electronic data, the brake pedal was being softly…”
Forward collision avoidance
2 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2023 Lexus NX350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the Adaptive Cruise Control feature activated, the vehicle came to an abrupt stop while driving by a road with vehicles parked next to the curb. The contact stated that there were no vehicles in front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance message was illuminated when the vehicle came to a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.”
Power train
2 reports
“The contact owns a 2023 Lexus NX 350. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds or while idling, the transmission independedntly shifted into park (P), and the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact applied excessive pressure to the accelerator pedal while depressing the parking brake to unlock the transmission, allowing the vehicle to shift into drive (D). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a software update was performed; however, the failure persisted. The failure mileage was approximately 39,500.”
Vehicle speed control
2 reports
“The contact owns a 2023 Lexus NX 250. The contact stated that while driving at various highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly decelerated. During the failure, there was no warning light illuminated or messages displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 14,000.”
Engine
2 reports
“Vehicle is built so that water from hand-washing/rinsing gets under the hood and into a computer causing electrical issues and causing the car to not start. The dealership put a foam/rubber trim around the hood to prevent water from getting in but this won't last forever and, when they tested the other cars of the same model on the lot, they confirmed it happened with those cars also. The manufacturer's statement was that the owner's manual says you are not supposed to hand wash it. This is ridiculous. The owner's manual says you can't pressure wash the engine compartment - which noone did. This was caused during a routine wash at the car wash. It is unlikely anyone would buy a car if they were told they couldn't take it to a car wash. But the concern is that it happened twice and the fix will be temporary. Both times this occurred, the car was parked. The first time, there were electrical issues. The second time, the car refused to start after it was shut off.”
Electrical system
2 reports
“On [XXX] my Lexus would not start properly and then I heard noises which were associated with the battery closing down. This included locking all the doors. I was trapped in the car for 50-60 minutes until a repair person unlocked the door. This is a safety issue because the temperature where I live (las Vegas) is over 100 degrees months of the year. According to other Lexus owners, mine was a somewhat common experience. Some people have had the battery fail while driving. A recall to fix the problem is needed. When I contacted both corporate Lexus and my dealer they played dumb and told me to drive the car more often, but no one could specify how much that would be. Purchased in February, 2023 the vehicle has over 25,000 miles.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.