For some, many life milestones are defined by significant purchases that establish a sense of one’s responsibility, purpose or progress. An individual milestone could be renting an apartment for the first time, or buying a major appliance, designer handbag or watch.
After a home, many Americans’ next biggest major purchase is a car. With much of the United States covered in roads and infrastructure designed for automobiles, purchasing a new car can enable a sense of autonomy.
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These days, cars are very expensive and many buyers pay a pretty penny to drive off in a shiny new set of wheels. According to the latest data from Kelley Blue Book and Cox Automotive, the average price paid for a new car in November 2024 was $48,724, an increase of $699, or 1.5% from the same period a year prior.
Not all buyers are created equal. Some discerning buyers on the market have budgets or are willing to spend far beyond that figure to chase quality, prestige or a dream. However, owners of this expensive luxury SUV reported that the facade is [literally] melting before their eyes.
A Lexus GX 550 displayed at the 2024 New York International Auto Show.
Lexus, beware
According to a new report by TheDrive, owners of the newest iteration of the Lexus GX have taken to online spaces to complain about a major defect with their new SUVs.
Over on owners’ forums and Facebook groups, owners of the $80,000 4×4 sold under Toyota’s (TM) luxury imprint sounded the alarm that their precious new rides are showing a major defect just a few months into ownership.
The problem: The GX’s exterior plastic trim pieces, such as the side mirror caps and door trim pieces, are deforming and warping.
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The owners of these vehicles who spoke with TheDrive noted that these issues persisted while going about their normal day-to-day driving, noting that they parked their cars in the same spaces where they parked any other cars and that the vehicles did not present any other issues.
In their account, Lexus GX owner Paul Yelton posted several images of the defect happening to the driver’s side mirror cap on his green GX on a private owner’s group on Facebook. In a statement, Yelton noted that his Lexus dealership confirmed that the issue was not a defect related to its heated mirrors feature.
“I knew it happened over a four-day period and the truck was parked in my driveway,” Yelton said. “It’s currently at the dealership [and] they’re saying that the heating element in the mirror is not to blame and that everything is working properly so it’s some form of external heat.”
As a result, Yelton is on the hook for the cost of the replacement mirror.
Additionally, another Lexus GX owner on the Facebook group named Mark told TheDrive that they face a similar issue, albeit affecting more than just the side mirrors.
The North Carolina-based owner claimed that the issue started to occur the month after they purchased the vehicle in July 2024. In their case, several exterior trim pieces, including the flat black plastic roof rack hardware covers, a flat black body trim piece on the passenger side rear quarter panel, and the glossy black door trim pieces, all show signs of deformation.
Additionally, they noted that on one instance before hopping in before the drive, one of the affected plastic pieces was “so hot that it would give you a burn.” They claim that it occurred on a day when it was just 54 degrees Fahrenheit outside.
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This issue is rampant among Toyota cars
Though they enjoy the prestige of the Lexus badge and are sold in different dealerships, many of the parts in Lexus vehicles are shared with models of its parent company, Toyota. In fact, the relationship goes so far that US-bound versions of Lexus’s $42,000 ES sedan share a production line with Toyota’s popular Camry sedan in Kentucky.
Speaking of the Camry, the issue exhibited with the Lexus GX is not exclusively a Lexus problem, as other Toyotas have reportedly suffered from a similar “melting” problem on their precious rides.
Over on Reddit, owners of the newest model year Camry have posted about a similar issue on the r/Camry subreddit.
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In one post by Reddit user u/Olywa1280, they show that the door pillar trim on their 2025 Camry had begun melting despite being “30-40 degrees Fahrenheit” where they live.
“Only owned it for about 4 months after buying brand new,” they said.
Another user in a comment replying to the post responded with a picture of similar damage, also noting that the car was exposed to similarly cold temperatures.
This issue has also affected owners of used models. According to a post by Reddit user and 2019 Camry LE owner u/zmfarooqi, the black color plastic trim pieces on their doors and both side mirrors melted.
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In an updated post, the owner noted that after consulting with Toyota’s corporate office about the issue, the automaker “covered 80%” of the cost to repair the vehicle. To prevent further damage, the owner noted they installed “glossy covers” for the affected trim pieces, as well as “chrome mirror caps to protect the mirrors.”
The “melting issue” is not limited to the Camry, either. In separate threads on the Toyota RAV4 owner’s forum RAV4world, owners of recent model year iterations, as well as models as far back as 2019 have exhibited similar issues.
In one post, a 2022 RAV4 owner, under the username Spiderphins, noted that their local Toyota dealer put them on the hook for the defect.
“I have a 2022 RAV4 Prime which I regularly park in my driveway and I have three pieces of trim that are melting,” they said. “Toyota is saying windows reflect light and it’s causing it to melt so it’s not covered under warranty. I think that’s a bunch of BS. I’ve never had a car that has had pieces melt before.”
Additionally, in a post by Reddit user and Toyota owner u/WATGU on the r/Toyota subreddit, the owner reported a similar issue affecting their 2023 Highlander SUV and 2024 Sienna minivan, which has them appalled.
“I just can’t believe vehicles that cost north of $50,000 are being made with plastic parts so weak they melt in regular weather and Toyota is taking no responsibility,” they complained in their post. “[…]I’m really disappointed and at this point will probably just have to wait for my $20 as part of the class action lawsuit.”
TheStreet has reached out to Toyota Motor North America and Lexus for comment.
Toyota is traded under the ticker TM on the New York Stock Exchange.
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