What breaks most · 2011 to 2016 model years
Lexus CT problems by year
Owners have filed 146 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Lexus CT across model years 2011 to 2016. Three years stand out: 2012 for engine complaints, 2013 for brakes complaints and 2011 for brakes complaints. The quietest years are 2014.
- Years to check closely: 2012, 2013, 2011
- Fewest complaints: 2014
- Complaints on file
- 1462011 to 2016, all trims
- Worst year
- 201243 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 121 fires · 111 injuries · 99 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 49kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 0Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 2 | 0 | Brakes (8) | |
| 43 | 3 | 0 | Engine (15) | |
| 43 | 4 | 0 | Brakes (17) | |
| 19 | 1 | 0 | Brakes (11) | |
| 16 | 2 | 0 | Brakes (9) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) |
What fails on the 2012 Lexus CT
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 35% |
15 | 1 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 26% |
11 | 0 | Shop all brakes parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 12% |
5 | 0 | — |
| Air bags | 9% |
4 | 1 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 7% |
3 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop all stability control parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Engine has oil use and knocking sound that neither Lexus know what is wrong. A lot of Lexus owners are experiencing the same issues with no resolve. Lexus/Toyota needs to fix the issue with these years models.
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This is a known defect covered under Customer Support Program 21-LE-01. Lexus failed to notify me despite regular service at their dealership. I was forced to pay $3,000 for a safety defect that should have been covered
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I have to add 4-5 quarts in between oil changes. My engine consumes so much oil and i believe it's constantly burning. Also when i break it makes a loud electric braking noise. It's the hybrid breaking system and it's really loud.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Lexus CT years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2012, 2013, 2011 carry the most filings on the Lexus CT. The 2012 alone has 43 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Lexus CT problem?
On the 2012 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 15 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Lexus CT problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Lexus CT complaints that include mileage is about 49,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.