Consumer champion Which? has identified a major battery flaw in certain Toyota and Lexus cars, which has reportedly led to people being trapped inside their vehicles. The issue affects the 12V starter battery, with some owners experiencing repeated failures and incurring costs for replacements.
The Which? Car Survey, conducted between April and June 2025, revealed that some Toyota and Lexus hybrids showed a disproportionate number of 12V battery failures. For example, the Lexus LBX had a 29.2% battery problem rate, and the Toyota Yaris Cross had a 19.1% rate. This compares to about 5.6% of owners of full hybrid cars from any brand reporting a battery issue in the survey.
Which? has called on Toyota and Lexus to replace faulty batteries for free, refund affected owners, and provide safety-critical information to customers with electric door-opening systems. Testimonies from owners suggest that some franchised dealers may have blamed battery failures on driving habits, such as insufficient mileage.
Toyota has since published an article on its website offering guidance on 12V battery failures, including what to do when electric door releases stop working. Lexus is expected to follow suit. Toyota/Lexus stated that customer safety is their highest priority and acknowledged the importance of customers being familiar with manual override features.