Model year 2016 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2016 Lexus RX: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2016 Lexus RX at 22–30 mpg combined across 4 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 35 owner complaints for this model year.

Safety recalls

2

EPA combined mpg

22–30

NHTSA overall rating

—

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as RX HYBRID.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Lexus dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2016 Lexus RX recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2016 Lexus RX, newest first.

Air bags: Frontal: Sensor/control module-inactive and 2 more components

NHTSA 18V085000 Reported Jan 31, 2018
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. JLA, J0F)
Components
Air bags: Frontal: Sensor/control module-inactive; Air bags: Frontal; Air bags: Side/window
Units affected
48,672 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Air bags: Knee bolster

NHTSA 16V053000 Reported Feb 1, 2016
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. GLA)
Units affected
5,072 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2016 Lexus RX fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2016 Lexus RX EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
RX 3503.5L 6-cylAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular20/27/23 mpg$2,900390
RX 350 AWD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular19/26/22 mpg$3,050405
RX 450h3.5L 6-cyl hybridCVT (6 modes)Front-Wheel DrivePremium31/30/30 mpg$2,750297
RX 450h AWD3.5L 6-cyl hybridCVT (6 modes)All-Wheel DrivePremium30/28/30 mpg$2,750299

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2016 Lexus RX crash-test ratings

We did not find NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2016 Lexus RX (checked Oct 26, 2026). NHTSA does not test every model every year; see nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2016 Lexus RX owner complaints

Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Lexus RX, most recently on Jul 20, 2026. 3 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2016 Lexus RX complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Structure: Body7
Engine6
Power train6
Service brakes6
Electrical system5
Unknown or other4
Air bags2
Fuel/propulsion system2
Air bags: Side/window1
Electronic stability control (ESC)1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Lexus RX model years

Lexus RX by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2026 RX24–36 mpg3125/5
2025 RX24–36 mpg4245/5
2024 RX24–36 mpg4615/5
2023 RX24–36 mpg4625/5
2022 RX21–30 mpg029—
2021 RX21–30 mpg170—
2020 RX21–30 mpg149—
2019 RX21–30 mpg137—
2018 RX21–30 mpg029—
2017 RX22–30 mpg057—
2015 RX20–29 mpg025—

All Lexus RX years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2016 Lexus models

2016 Lexus CT2016 Lexus ES2016 Lexus GS2016 Lexus GX2016 Lexus IS2016 Lexus LS2016 Lexus LX2016 Lexus NX2016 Lexus RC2016 Lexus RC F

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Lexus.