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All cars · Lexus RX

2002 Lexus RX.

The 2002 Lexus RX has too few complaints to score: 16 in its first 3 years. Owners complain most about airbags, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 18 mpg combined. The best Lexus RX year is 2014.

Not enough data. Only 16 complaints in its first 3 years: too few to score.

Best year 2014 · Worst year 2004

Lexus RX
Photo shows a 2017 Lexus RX. RL GNZLZ from Chile, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Most common problemAirbags25% of owner complaintsRecalls5Free fix at any dealerBetter year to buy201410× fewer complaints than averageRepair notes from Lexus68Ask a seller if they were done
Owner complaints16first 3 years
Fuel economy18 mpgcombined, EPA
Front crash★★★★☆NHTSA, driver

How serious. Out of 100 owner complaints, owners reported:

21crashes
10injuries
1fires
2tows
68 repair notes from Lexus

Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.

Every Lexus RX year. 2002 is highlighted. Lower is better.

2000342.9× fewer complaints2001–few complaints2002–few complaints2003–few complaints20041701.7× the complaints2005–few complaints2006442.3× fewer complaints2007701.4× fewer complaints2008611.6× fewer complaints2009402.5× fewer complaints2010811.2× fewer complaints2011175.9× fewer complaints2012175.9× fewer complaints2013195.3× fewer complaints20141010× fewer complaints2015313.2× fewer complaints2016442.3× fewer complaints2017392.6× fewer complaints2018195.3× fewer complaints2019412.4× fewer complaints2020234.3× fewer complaints2021362.8× fewer complaints2022273.7× fewer complaints202350early read · 2× fewer complaints202459early read · 1.7× fewer complaints202533early read · 3× fewer complaints

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

airbags25%
speed control19%
brakes19%
transmission & drivetrain12%
visibility12%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Lexus RX year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 96K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 61K to 130K miles on the car (82 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

  • transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 83K–130K miles

Recalls 5

  • lights 2009

    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

  • lights 2009

    SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES.

  • visibility 2008

    POLYMER PROCESS DEVELOPMENT IS RECALLING 931 UNITS OF BACK GLASS, P/NO.

Show all 5 recalls
  • lights 2006

    CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.

  • lights 2006

    CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Lexus told dealers about

Lexus sent dealers 68 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • In-mirror compass inoperative
  • This bulletin has been developed to reduce an abnormal noise fromthe front seat back
  • Noise and vibration from abs/trc actuator

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningNot offered
Lane departure warningNot offered

Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆

NHTSA front crash test of the 2002 Lexus RX
Front crash test · NHTSA
Fuel cost and engines

About $3550 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.0L 6-cyl.

In owners' words

While going slow the car accelerates suddenly, already this happened twice and both times I hit the wall.

2002 Lexus RX owner · NHTSA complaint 10018360
More owner reports

While driving came to a complete stop. Then, vehicle surged forward. Took the vehicle to the dealer.

NHTSA complaint 10089177

Vehicle involved in collision and air bags did not deploy.

NHTSA complaint 10079338

Quick answers

Is the 2002 Lexus RX reliable?

There isn't enough data to score it: owners filed only 16 complaints in its first 3 years.

What are the most common 2002 Lexus RX problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are airbags (25%), speed control (19%) and brakes (19%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2002 Lexus RX have?

5 safety recalls (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2002 Lexus RX get?

18 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

At what mileage do 2002 Lexus RX problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 61,200 and 130,000 miles. The middle report was at 96,000 miles, from 82 complaints.

Does the 2002 Lexus RX have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 12% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2002 Lexus RX cost in fuel a year?

About $3550 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2002 Lexus RX have?

3.0L 6-cyl.

What Lexus RX year is better than the 2002?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2011 and 2012.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data