2016 Lexus NX Owner Complaints
Complaint Summary
The 2016 Lexus NX has 20 reported complaints.
- Top issues involve engine and power train.
Reliability Score
Reliability Score
Based on 20 complaints
Most Frequent Issues
ENGINE
4 20%
POWER TRAIN
3 15%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
3 15%
SERVICE BRAKES
3 15%
AIR BAGS
2 10%
Quick Insights
The top category is ENGINE, accounting for 20% of all complaints.
Owners have reported issues across 9 distinct vehicle systems.
Note: Complaint data reflects owner reports and may not always indicate a verified defect. Compare with Recalls and TSBs for a complete picture.
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What owners keep reporting on the 2016 Lexus NX
The 2016 Lexus NX has 20 owner complaints in this dataset. ENGINE is the most common complaint category, representing about 20% of the reports shown here.
Most common complaint categories
The top complaint groups for the 2016 Lexus NX are ENGINE (4), POWER TRAIN (3), FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (3).
Are these complaints a serious red flag?
Potentially. 12 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems like brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection.
What should buyers inspect on a used 2016 Lexus NX?
Start with the top complaint systems, compare them against the recall report, then inspect service records for evidence that those same areas were already repaired or monitored.
Detailed Complaint Log
Showing 9 of 9 systems
ENGINE
4 Reports20% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 LEXUS NX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STARTED TO SHUDDER AND HESITATED. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DISPLAYED HIGHER ENGINE TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STERLING MCCALL LEXUS CLEAR LAKE LOCATED AT (18160 GULF FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TX 77546, 281-8523-1400) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
3/5/2020
I WAS DRIVING ON THE WESTBOUND SIDE OF THE FREEWAY 170 WHEN A VEHICLE HIT ME ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR WITCH THE IT PUSH ME TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY MAKING ME GO OF THE ROAD AND HITTING A TREE , I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING AT THE MOMENT OF THE IMPACT
3/16/2020
POWER TRAIN
3 Reports15% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE WESTBOUND SIDE OF THE FREEWAY 170 WHEN A VEHICLE HIT ME ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR WITCH THE IT PUSH ME TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY MAKING ME GO OF THE ROAD AND HITTING A TREE , I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING AT THE MOMENT OF THE IMPACT
3/16/2020
2016 NX, F-SPORT. TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND SUV JUST WENT INTO LIMP MODE. NO CODE ON DASH BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.
8/4/2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
3 Reports15% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
9/5/2016. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN DESPITE PRESSING ACCELERATOR. RPMS WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 1200 RPM. MESSAGE DISPLAYED "REDUCED ENGINE POWER. VISIT YOUR DEALER" CONTINUED TO DRIVE A SLOW SPEED TO NEARBY DESTINATION. MORE MESSAGES APPEARED, TRACTION CONTROL DISABLED FOLLOWED BY 4WD SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, 2WD MODE. PARKED VEHICLE OVERNIGHT. 4WD SYSTEM MALFUNCTION MESSAGE WAS THE ONLY ONE REMAINING. ENGINE ACCELERATED NORMALLY. PULLED CODE AT NEARBY AUTO PARTS STORE P0087 "FUEL RAIL/SYSTEM PRESSURE TOO LOW". CLEARED CODE. PROBLEM 2 MORE TIMES ON 9/6/2020. THE FIRST TIME I PULLED OVER BEFORE ANY MESSAGES OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN. ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER, SPUTTER, AND STALL. AFTER WAITING 5-10 MINUTES ENGINE STARTED NORMALLY AND RAN FINE FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 30 MINUTES. ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. TURNED ENGINE OFF AND WAITED 15 MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN FINE FOR THE NEXT 3 HOURS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR. COMMON FACTORS, UP HILL ACCELERATING, HALF TANK OR LESS OF FUEL, DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR.
9/7/2020
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY MY VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE PANEL SHOWS A REDUCE ENGINE POWER MESSAGE. I TRIED TO ACCELERATE MY VEHICLE BUT IT DIDN'T WANT TO GO OVER 20 MPH, THAN IT BEGAN STALLING UNTIL IT SHUT OFF. I TRIED TO RESTART IT BUT IT KEPT DOING THE SAME THING. FINALLY I DECIDED TO WAIT LIKE 15 MINUTES AND TRIED AGAIN UNTIL IT FINALLY WORKED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES A YEAR, BUT NOW IS HAPPENING AT LEAST TWICE A MONTH. SOME OF THE OBD CODES ARE: P00CF, P106D, P107B, P0087(FUEL RAIL SYSTEM PRESSURE TOO LOW). IT HAPPENED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES: 6/13/20 , 7/15/20X 2 / 8/28/202 X 2, 8/30/20, 9/04/20, 9/05/20, 9/10/20/ 9/17/20, 10/24/20 X5, 10/27/20X 2, 11/3/20, 11/13/20. THESE ARE THE DATES THAT I RECORDED BUT THIS ISSUES HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2017.
11/17/2020
SERVICE BRAKES
3 Reports15% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
Upon entering a parking lot yesterday and heading down a small ramp my 2016 Lexus NX 200 spontaneously accelerated and even with my foot on the brake did not stop. I was unable to control my car and ending up hitting a tree. All of the airbags deployed; the windshield cracked; the body of the car was severely damaged and I suffered injuries. The car was brought to a body shop and is available for inspection. Fortunately, no other cars were in the parking lot and no one else was hurt. The car will be inspected over the next few days. There weren't any warning signs. I cannot say for sure what mechanical failure occurred to cause the accident, but there was clearly a mechanical failure as the acceleration was beyond my control.
12/15/2021
My brakes have stopped working twice. Each time I'll stop driving for a day and it's normal again. When it happens my brakes feel very loose and I can't control the direction of my car. I have to pump multiple times and/or press all the way to the floor to even begin to feel it begin to brake. I've had my car checked out and nothing was physically wrong with it.
6/19/2023
AIR BAGS
2 Reports10% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 72.5 MPH THE BRAKES LOCKED UP WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID 60 TO 70 FEET, CRASH INTO A CONCRETE CENTER DIVIDER AND AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED. MODERATE INJURIES. LEXUS DID AN INSPECTION 32 DAYS LATER AND THEY HAVE NO EXPLANATION. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AGO ON AUGUST 9 , 2019. VEHICLE STILL SITS AT THE DEALERSHIP WHILE I MAKE PAYMENTS, PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR, AND ENSURE THE VEHICLE. LEXUS HAS NOT GIVEN ME ANY WRITTEN EXPLANATION AS PROMISED.
10/9/2019
As I was traveling eastbound going 55MPH, a car pulled out in front of me from a parking lot and hit my car in the front passenger side. The impact caused my car to go over both eastbound lanes, the median, both westbound lanes, down a hill, and headfirst into a fence. All passenger side airbags deployed, but my driver airbag did not. The impact from the collision should have caused my airbag to go off, and then head first into the fence should have been a second reason for it to deploy. The airbag not going off could have avoided a concussion and severe neck and back trauma. There is an airbag recall on the year, make, and model of my car but my VIN does not show up as an impacted vehicle. This is being looked into currently by the vehicle manufacturer.
9/21/2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2 Reports10% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 72.5 MPH THE BRAKES LOCKED UP WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID 60 TO 70 FEET, CRASH INTO A CONCRETE CENTER DIVIDER AND AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED. MODERATE INJURIES. LEXUS DID AN INSPECTION 32 DAYS LATER AND THEY HAVE NO EXPLANATION. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AGO ON AUGUST 9 , 2019. VEHICLE STILL SITS AT THE DEALERSHIP WHILE I MAKE PAYMENTS, PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR, AND ENSURE THE VEHICLE. LEXUS HAS NOT GIVEN ME ANY WRITTEN EXPLANATION AS PROMISED.
10/9/2019
Upon entering a parking lot yesterday and heading down a small ramp my 2016 Lexus NX 200 spontaneously accelerated and even with my foot on the brake did not stop. I was unable to control my car and ending up hitting a tree. All of the airbags deployed; the windshield cracked; the body of the car was severely damaged and I suffered injuries. The car was brought to a body shop and is available for inspection. Fortunately, no other cars were in the parking lot and no one else was hurt. The car will be inspected over the next few days. There weren't any warning signs. I cannot say for sure what mechanical failure occurred to cause the accident, but there was clearly a mechanical failure as the acceleration was beyond my control.
12/15/2021
STRUCTURE:BODY
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE WESTBOUND SIDE OF THE FREEWAY 170 WHEN A VEHICLE HIT ME ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR WITCH THE IT PUSH ME TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY MAKING ME GO OF THE ROAD AND HITTING A TREE , I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING AT THE MOMENT OF THE IMPACT
3/16/2020
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
Upon entering a parking lot yesterday and heading down a small ramp my 2016 Lexus NX 200 spontaneously accelerated and even with my foot on the brake did not stop. I was unable to control my car and ending up hitting a tree. All of the airbags deployed; the windshield cracked; the body of the car was severely damaged and I suffered injuries. The car was brought to a body shop and is available for inspection. Fortunately, no other cars were in the parking lot and no one else was hurt. The car will be inspected over the next few days. There weren't any warning signs. I cannot say for sure what mechanical failure occurred to cause the accident, but there was clearly a mechanical failure as the acceleration was beyond my control.
12/15/2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
1 Report5% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The sunroof glass suddenly shattered, for no apparent reason and without warning. There was no collision and no impact by an object. We were driving at freeway speed when we heard a loud bang above our heads. The interior sunroof cover was closed at the time. I slid it partway open and saw that the glass of the sunroof had shattered, so I closed the cover to keep glass from falling in the car. Had it been open at the time of break, the glass would have rained down on the driver and passenger. I have not yet taken it to a dealer or repair shop.
9/29/2024
Data and Methodology
Scores are derived from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, normalized by vehicle segment averages.
What are the most common owner complaints for the 2016 Lexus NX?
Are complaints about the 2016 Lexus NX a serious warning sign?
How should buyers use complaint data for the 2016 Lexus NX?
Are complaints about the 2016 Lexus NX severe?
Complaint list entries are sourced from owner-submitted NHTSA ODI records.
Lexus NX: How should complaint data influence buying decisions?
Carfocal links complaint data directly to recall and maintenance routes for the same model year.
- Complaint entries
- 20
- Top-topic view
- 5 grouped topics shown
- Primary source
- NHTSA ODI owner complaint records
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