Just spent most of the day installing an OEM hitch on my 2015 Base. Let me tell you—this was not a fun project. There were so many fasteners, and so many different types! Unlike a Curt hitch, the OEM hitch uses large adapters that attach to the side of the car's frame (in addition to the three on the bottom), resulting in a total of ten bolt connections instead of six. The installation also requires replacing the stock bumper, which means you have to completely remove the rear bumper and lower fascia. Honestly, I’d rather tackle the rear spark plugs again than do this install. At least with the plugs, there’s no crawling around on the floor and not nearly as many fasteners to deal with.
That said, the upside is that the OEM hitch is an absolute beast. It fits perfectly, and the wiring is seamlessly integrated into the hitch design.

 

you had to replace the rear bumper? what did you use to replace it?

 

Not sure about this. I installed an OEM trailer hitch on my 2015 Lexus RX 350 a few years ago and didn't have to do anything to the bumper and the job only took about 30 minutes. The only minor difficulty was holding up the somewhat heavy towing hitch assembly while starting the first couple of bolts but it wasn't undoable in the least.

Correction - please see posts 5-7 below where TriRex corrected my error. I in fact installed an aftermarket hitch which although configured differently from the factory hitch involved fewer fasteners and no cutting or removal of the bumper. Sorry for any resulting confusion.

 

Thank you for sharing. With so much information on the net, it is hard to determine what is right.
My previous understanding [as gleaned from posts] was that the rear bottom splash guard [belly pan] has to be cut, but the bumper stays as is.

Salim

 

I installed the OEM hitch (PT228-48210), which secures with 10 bolts—six perpendicular to the ground and four parallel. The installation requires two adapters that replace the OEM tow hooks, removal and reinstallation of the bumper cover, and replacement of the aluminum bumper. It also includes a built-in wiring harness.

This differs from aftermarket hitches, which typically use only four or six downward-facing bolts. While it’s possible that Exactly installed a different OEM hitch, it’s more likely they used an aftermarket option like Curt or Draw-Tite, which are much simpler to install.

Here’s a picture from a Lexus video that highlights the differences between the OEM and aftermarket hitches. (The image is not of an RX hitch, but it is close).

 

Here is a video of an OEM hitch install

 

TriRex is correct - I misspoke. I will revise my original reply (as I hate being misled on line and I apologize if any churn resulted from my initial response). Well done, TriRex in correcting this for other's benefits.