Lexus Rx350 MOT pass rate & common failures
5,066 MOT tests on the Lexus Rx350 (2003–2023) give it an 80.2% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 26.6% of the time, so this is 6.7pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (10.5%) and lighting & signalling (8.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and brake pads — position lamp alone was recorded 232 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.6% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 37.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Rx350 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,940 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Brakes |
| 2007 | 2,075 | 79.9% | 20.1% | Brakes |
| 2008 | 573 | 81.8% | 18.1% | Brakes |
| 2009 | 337 | 83.1% | 16.9% | Brakes |
| 2015 | 31 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.5% | 531 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 451 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.0% | 303 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.2% | 263 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.5% | 180 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 152 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.4% | 121 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.8% | 40 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 232 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 201 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 199 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 176 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 129 |
| 6 | Wipers | 123 |
| 7 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 112 |
| 8 | Catalyst emissions | 99 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 37.3% | 1,887 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.1% | 1,372 |
| 3 | Tyres | 24.5% | 1,242 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.5% | 988 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.0% | 559 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.9% | 503 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 46 | 17.4% |
| 30-60k | 337 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,199 | 16.9% |
| 90-120k | 1,753 | 20.1% |
| 120-150k | 1,135 | 23.2% |
| 150k+ | 594 | 24.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,198 | 17.9% |
| 2022 | 1,123 | 19.5% |
| 2023 | 1,037 | 20.1% |
| 2024 | 921 | 21.2% |
| 2025 | 787 | 21.5% |
What to check before buying a Lexus Rx350
- Brakes (10.5% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (8.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.0% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Lexus Rx350?
80.2% of the 5,066 Lexus Rx350 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 19.8% fail rate, across model years 2003–2023.
What does the Lexus Rx350 most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 10.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (8.9%).
How much does mileage affect Rx350 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 17.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 24.6% for 150k+, a 7.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,066 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.