NHTSA Complaint #11699862 — 2010 LEXUS RX

Pot affects 2007-2011 RX350/450= 459,285 units. 1. On Friday, [XXX], the oil cooler pipe burst on our 2010 RX350. 2. All six quarts of engine oil were lost in approximately 700 feet while traveling at 70–75 mph on the highway. 3. Massive amounts of smoke poured from the front of the vehicle & through the air vents, causing my wife & daughter to fear for their safety due to risk of a fire & smoke inhalation. 4. No warning lights appeared on the dash, meaning the vehicle could easily have been driven to engine failure had there been no smoke. 5. 2 Colorado Department of Transportation vehicles & a State Trooper stopped to be sure they were ok & monitor the risk of a fire.  8. Towed & Lexus dealership confirmed seen many 3rd gen RXs with this same issue, some with seized engines because no dash warnings were triggered.   9. Lexus updated part from RUBBER to STEE, acknowledging design flaw.   Major Safety Concerns This failure represents a serious safety risk that could have resulted in fire, injury, death, or catastrophic engine/property damage. - Oil spray on hot engine components like the headers & exhaust pipes (700-1100F) poses a legitimate fire hazard considering oil flashpoint (400-700F). - Oil sprayed onto the brakes increased the risk of loss of braking & traction control in sudden/emergency maneuvers. - Engine seizing/stop due to loss of oil could result in an accident if the vehicle stops suddenly on the highway when it seizes, loses control, or the electric steering, braking &/or other safety systems fail. - If this had occurred on a mountain descent from the Rockies into Denver or any other long descent, a fire caused by oil spraying on 700-800F brake rotors or loss of control could have occurred. - Entire underside of the vehicle is coated in oil, contaminating the rear brakes, potentially damaging wiring, solenoids, & other safety-critical components, as well as representing an additional fire risk due to oil on the exhaust pipe.   INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO