NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2011–2016
Lexus CT complaints and VIN decoding
NHTSA lists 146 owner complaints for the Lexus CT from model years 2011 to 2016, and no vehicle recall campaigns filed under this model name. The 2012 and 2013 model years drew the most complaints (43 each), and Service Brakes is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
- 146 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
- 6 model years with data (2011–2016)
- most complaints: 2012, 2013 (43 for that model year)
- top component: Service Brakes (57 complaints)
- 12 complaints reporting a crash (8.2%)
- 1 complaint reporting a fire (0.7%)
- 11 complaints reporting an injury (7.5%)
- 1 complaint reporting a death (0.7%)
The 2012 and 2013 model years share the highest count, 43 complaints each. Next come 2011 (22) and 2014 (19). The fewest are for 2016, with 3 complaints.
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 43 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | 43 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| All model years | 146 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Service Brakes is the component named most often, in 57 complaints (39.0% of all 146), followed by Engine (35) and Electrical System (16).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 57 | 39.0% |
| Engine | 35 | 24.0% |
| Electrical System | 16 | 11.0% |
| Unknown or Other | 16 | 11.0% |
| Air Bags | 12 | 8.2% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 | 4.8% |
| Structure | 7 | 4.8% |
| Power Train | 5 | 3.4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 3.4% |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 4 | 2.7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 2.7% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | 2.7% |
| Suspension | 4 | 2.7% |
| Wheels | 3 | 2.1% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1.4% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
What NHTSA owner complaints mean
These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.
- They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
- Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
- Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
- One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
- Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.
Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.
Are there any recalls for the Lexus CT?
NHTSA lists no vehicle recall campaigns filed under the model name CT. NHTSA sometimes files versions of a model under other names, so check the brand’s other models too, and use NHTSA’s VIN lookup (opens in a new tab) for any particular vehicle.
Which Lexus CT model year has the most complaints?
The 2012 and 2013 model years tie, with 43 complaints each out of 146. The next are 2011 (22) and 2014 (19). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.
What is the most common Lexus CT complaint?
Service Brakes is the component named most often: 57 complaints, or 39.0% of all 146. Engine (35) and Electrical System (16) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
How many Lexus CT complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?
Of the 146 complaints, 12 report a crash, 1 a fire, 11 at least one injury and 1 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.
The Lexus models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Lexus VIN decoder with every Lexus model page, WMI code and VIN note.
- Lexus ES 350 2007–2023 · 11 recalls · 1,451 complaints
- Lexus RX 1999–2026 · 10 recalls · 947 complaints
- Lexus RX 350 2004–2023 · 13 recalls · 838 complaints
- Lexus RX 300 1998–2003 · 2 recalls · 722 complaints
- Lexus IS 250 2006–2016 · 8 recalls · 719 complaints
- Lexus ES 1996–2025 · 4 recalls · 666 complaints
- Lexus IS 1999–2026 · 8 recalls · 595 complaints
- Lexus ES 300 1995–2013 · 4 recalls · 562 complaints
All Lexus models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.