The 2024-2025 Lexus NX is recalled for head restraint issues.

 

Thank you for posting this. I have a 2025 NX 250 and my brief testing shows that it apparently has this issue with the headrests. It's somewhat sad that with this issue and other recent recalls, that Lexus quality control apparently is headed in the wrong direction. Do you think this is a supplier issue and do you have any thoughts about how easy or difficult the fix will be?
Thanks again.

 

Should be a very simple fix - they are replacing the headrest. I just don't know if it's a failure on the button or the headrest.

 

Of all the recalls in the world, a plastic release on a headrest would not at all concern me. Cars are incredibly complex machines that keep getting more complex every year. If they experience a handful of minor recalls in their life consider yourself lucky, very lucky. You could have an LX/Tundra and staring down the prospect of what Toyota is deciding to do about potential serious engine failures. I bought a brand new 2004 Sienna in 2003, in its life it had probably close to 10 recalls for all kinds of things, but yet I had it for 18 yrs and it was the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned and still running very well when I sold it (not scrapped but sold). My RX had 2 or 3 recalls (if I recall, pun intended), and it was also very reliable and running well at 14 yrs of age. Recalls aren't bad in and of themselves, its how manufacturers deal with them that should be the greatest concern for car owners.

 

I agree recalls are not bad and I did say that. They are responsible and fixing issues. But the quality control and inspect phase when the car gets to the end of the line in some ways failed. They should have adjusted each headrest to ensure it holds in place. They check the glove compartment and every moveable part before sending it off for delivery.

 

True, but I believe that is part of the Kaizen culture. You can't have improvement without having something to improve. Press button, does headrest move, check. Add step, don't press button, does headrest not move, check. I've spent most of my adult life getting so many stories from my friend long time GM assembly line employee telling me all the F'ups that happen to cars when being built, makes me shudder. He tries to convince me that Lexus built cars probably have the same crap happening there, but I (hopefully not foolishly) disagree with him that they do care more. So far so good, I have only had Japanese cars in the last 20 yrs and every single one has been good to me so far so I think he's gradually softening his view, LOL.

 

This Youtuber has an extended history with Lexus, first working in Lexus sales now as a reviewer of vehicles. In this video he gets into the nitty gritty of the early Lexus Culture in Japan. This company was incredibly diligent in providing the best car they could to it's customers in the early days, but.... as he points out things are sliding in the wrong direction now. Get your popcorn first it's about 45 minutes long. I usually increase the play speed a little so thing go faster.

 

Great video! I watched it at 2x speed, and one particular point really resonated with me: “The introduction of the Crown models in the United States further complicates the decision for buyers because they are too close to Lexus in terms of price and features.” This is especially true for models like the Crown Signia. By the time you reach the higher trims, you’re almost stepping into NX luxury trim territory. Toyota needs to offer Lexus buyers more than just a different badge – exceptional service and quality should be the key differentiators.

The speaker also mentioned that “the new LS is not worth it”. Additionally, he pointed out that some Toyota models, such as the Camry and Highlander, are now better than their Lexus counterparts, the ES and RX. These are certainly thought-provoking and controversial statements.

 

This Youtuber was spot-on in many ways - such as Lexus heading downhill in many ways, which resonated with my experience. Such as, buying dealership experience was awful and terrible. I just hope that some of the made-in-Japan pixie-dust for long-term reliability for the RX450H+ will hold true for my ownership, otherwise I would consider myself ripped off.

This Youtuber does show up his "salesman" rationalizing when he "recommends" the NX PHEV (just because its "available") over the Rav4Prime despite the former's higher price, being worth its refinement (to him) - but doesn't recommend the RX PHEV just for its higher cost over the NX PHEV (despite the former's backseat spaciousness, eye-tracking ADAS and cabin-noise refinement, all measurable/objective criteria, that made me go for it as a long-term investment). Shows how "salesmen" are always there, per their training, to rationalize their subjectivity in order to "sell" - they are by their job qualification, the most rationalizing animals than rational animals

 

Interesting - Of the cars I have I trend to drive the 2023 Toyota Prius LE the most. It is faster ,more nimble and more fun than the 2022 Lexus NX 350h. The standard audio is better IMHO than the base non-ML NX audio and the Prius ride is amazingly smooth and quiet with the TNGA. And the mpg is awesome with display options (1) lifetime, (2) since fill-up and (3) trip <=== NX should have done this.

Sadly right now the NX is at the Lakehouse sitting with a trickle charger; it is currently relegated to last place.


YMMV,
MidCow3

P.S. - I think the Crown Platinum, is going to steal a lot of Lexus sales.

 

Even though my particular car is not included with the headrest recall, I spent some time playing with it and its definitely not working as I would have thought. Not sure if its normal for this car or only semi-working. I used my wife's Forester as comparison, on that car each of the 3 stops in the headrest position requires the button to be pressed to release it to go to another position. On my NX, starting with the headrest all the way down if I pull up without pressing the button it will come halfway up and lock. In this position (and only this one position) do I need to press the button to move it further in either direction. If I press once and pull up then the headrest comes out completely (so not the full extent of the issue that is being recalled). If I press button and push down, it goes to a lower (1/4 way up) position that is only half locked (in the down direction). By that I mean It won't go down all the way (unless I press the button again), but I can pull it back up to the 1/2 way up lock position I mentioned without pressing button. I looked at the metal bar on the headrest bar and it looks like there are 3 notches for positioning, but in my experience there is really only a single fully locked position that the headrest will absolutely stay if I push or pull without the button and a second that is only semi-locked. I can:

• Have the headrest all the way down, but its not locked there and will pull up without the button (until it reaches the halfway point). I can hear clicking as it passes other positions but no locking occurs.
• Have the headrest a quarter way up, in this position it is locked from going all the way down, but it can be raised to the halfway position without the button. So this is like a half position.

So with 3 notches on the headrest bar, I only have 1 1/2 locked positions. Reading the manual, its actually tough to say if this is normal or not because the manual doesn't really go into a lot of detail other than there is a button and the headrest does move up and down. Both sides work exactly the same way. It doesn't really bother me, but it just doesn't seem, what's the best word... typical.

 

What you described is exactly the operational behavior of both of my headrests. My 2025 NX also does not appear to be included in the recall but I must admit this behavior seems strange.

 

Same here.. Maybe that's the way it spose to be??