Decode Your VIN
Enter your vehicle's VIN code to discover all technical specifications. The VIN consists of 17 alphanumeric characters.
Lexus RX VIN Decoder
Decode any Lexus RX VIN free in under three seconds. Type the 17-character vehicle identification number into the decoder above and pull the generation, model year, engine, trim, drivetrain, factory options, plant of origin, and open NHTSA recalls. No account, no credit card, no email gate.
This page is the dedicated Lexus RX hub. Below you’ll find the generation-by-generation series codes the RX actually carries in its VIN, the two plants (one in Japan, one in Canada) that have built the RX across its history, the engine families used since 1999, a position-by-position guide, and the spots on the vehicle where the VIN is stamped. Every code on this page was checked against real, checksum-valid RX VINs decoded through NHTSA’s vPIC database, not assumed from a generic template.
About the Lexus RX
The RX launched for the 1999 model year as the RX300 and is widely credited as the vehicle that created the luxury crossover SUV segment: a car-based unibody SUV with car-like ride and handling, built before most competitors had a comparable entry. It has since gone through five generations, and it is currently Lexus’s best-selling model worldwide.
| Generation | Years | Series codes (VIN-confirmed) | Notable trims | Built at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1999-2003 | MCU10L / MCU15L | RX300 | Kyushu, Japan |
| 2nd | 2004-2009 | MCU33L/MCU38L (2004-06), GSU30L/GSU35L (2007-09), MHU33L/MHU38L (hybrid) | RX330, RX350, RX400h | Kyushu, Japan / Cambridge, Ontario, Canada |
| 3rd | 2010-2015 | GGL10L/GGL15L/GYL10L/GYL15L | RX350, RX450h | Kyushu, Japan / Cambridge, Ontario, Canada |
| 4th | 2016-2022 | GYL25L/GGL25L/GGL20L/GYL26L/GGL21L/GGL26L | RX350, RX350L, RX450h, RX450hL | Kyushu, Japan / Cambridge, Ontario, Canada |
| 5th | 2023-present | “10 Series” and “15 Series” (RX350), “16 Series” (RX450h+), “17 Series” (RX500h) | RX350, RX500h, RX450h+ | Kyushu, Japan / Cambridge, Ontario, Canada |
A quick honesty note on that last row: for the newest generation, NHTSA’s decoder returns a plain numeric “Series” label (10, 15, 16, or 17) instead of the alphanumeric MCU/GGL-style codes used on older RX VINs. That’s simply what the field contains; it isn’t a mapping we invented. Every code above comes from decoding real RX VINs pulled from dealer listings, so a few generations show more than one code because different body styles, engines, or plants used slightly different suffixes.
Lexus RX WMI codes (positions 1 to 3)
The first three characters of a VIN form the World Manufacturer Identifier, assigned by SAE on behalf of ISO. These are the WMIs confirmed on real, decoded Lexus RX VINs:
| WMI | Country | Plant | RX generations built here |
|---|---|---|---|
| JT6 | Japan | Toyota Motor Kyushu, Miyawaka, Fukuoka | 1st gen RX300, earliest 1999-2000 model year cars only |
| JTJ | Japan | Toyota Motor Kyushu, Miyawaka, Fukuoka | 1st gen RX300 (2001-03), RX400h, 3rd through 5th gen RX350/450h/500h/450h+ |
| 2T2 | Canada | Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Cambridge, Ontario | 2nd through 5th gen RX330/RX350/RX400h/RX450h/RX500h |
Two things worth flagging honestly. First, the earliest RX300s (1999-2000 model years) carry the WMI JT6, while every Kyushu-built RX from 2001 onward, including 400h, 450h, 500h, and 450h+ variants, carries JTJ. Both point to the same physical plant; Toyota simply changed the manufacturer identifier partway through the first generation. Second, NHTSA’s own plant-country field is inconsistent on a handful of 2T2 VINs, mostly 2007-2009 RX350 examples, where the country reads “Japan” even though the plant city, state, and company name all correctly say Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. When that mismatch shows up, trust the plant city/state/company fields; the WMI itself (2T2 = Canada) isn’t in dispute.
If your RX VIN starts with anything other than JT6, JTJ, or 2T2, treat it as suspect and decode the full VIN with the tool above to confirm.
How to read a Lexus RX VIN: position by position
Every RX built since the 1999 model year uses the 17-character ISO 3779 standard. The string breaks into three blocks, and each character carries specific meaning.
Positions 1 to 3: World Manufacturer Identifier
See the table above. The first character identifies the country of assembly (J for Japan, 2 for Canada), the second identifies the manufacturer, and the third narrows the vehicle class. JTJ means a Japan-built Lexus, assembled at Toyota Motor Kyushu; 2T2 means a Canada-built Lexus, assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Cambridge, Ontario. Both plants have built the RX simultaneously for most of its history: Cambridge became the first Lexus assembly plant outside Japan when it started building the RX330 in September 2003, and it has produced the RX continuously since, alongside Kyushu, through five generations.
Positions 4 to 8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
This is where the RX gets specific: body style, restraint system, and engine/drivetrain family. On older RX generations, the VDS maps to the series codes above (MCU, GSU, GGL, GYL, and suffixes); on 5th-generation RX350, RX500h, and RX450h+ vehicles, NHTSA’s decoder returns a numeric series label instead. Confirmed engine facts by generation, based on displacement, cylinder count, and fuel type returned by decoded VINs:
| Generation | Engine(s) (displacement/cylinders confirmed by VIN decode) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (1999-2003) | 3.0L V6, gasoline | RX300 only; commonly documented internally as the 1MZ-FE |
| 2nd (2004-2009) | 3.3L V6 gasoline (RX330, 2004-06); 3.5L V6 gasoline (RX350, 2007-09); 3.3L V6 strong hybrid (RX400h) | First RX hybrid, confirmed as “Strong HEV” in NHTSA’s electrification field |
| 3rd (2010-2015) | 3.5L V6 gasoline (RX350); 3.5L V6 hybrid (RX450h) | |
| 4th (2016-2022) | 3.5L V6 gasoline (RX350, RX350L); 3.5L V6 hybrid (RX450h, RX450hL) | RX350L/RX450hL added a third row for 2018-2019 |
| 5th (2023-present) | 2.4L turbocharged I4 gasoline (RX350); 2.4L turbocharged I4 hybrid (RX500h); 2.5L I4 plug-in hybrid (RX450h+) | First RX generation without a V6; RX450h+ confirmed as a true PHEV in NHTSA’s electrification field, built at Kyushu only in every VIN we found |
Toyota’s internal engine codes (1MZ-FE, 3MZ-FE, 2GR-FE, 2GR-FXE, 2GR-FKS, T24A-FTS, and so on) are well documented externally, but NHTSA’s VIN decoder doesn’t return that literal alphanumeric code, only displacement, cylinder count, fuel type, and electrification level. The table above states what’s actually verifiable from a decode rather than guessing at a position-8 mapping.
Position 9: Check digit
The check digit is the one character in the VIN that catches typos. It’s calculated from the other 16 characters using a fixed weighting table and modulo-11 math. Mistype a single character anywhere in the VIN and the math no longer matches; any compliant decoder, every state DMV, and the NHTSA recall database will reject the entry.
Position 10: Model year
The 10th character maps to model year on a 30-year cycle. The Lexus RX has existed for two full passes through part of that cycle, so here is the complete, gap-free table from the RX’s 1999 debut through the current model year:
| Char | Year | Char | Year | Char | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X | 1999 | 8 | 2008 | H | 2017 |
| Y | 2000 | 9 | 2009 | J | 2018 |
| 1 | 2001 | A | 2010 | K | 2019 |
| 2 | 2002 | B | 2011 | L | 2020 |
| 3 | 2003 | C | 2012 | M | 2021 |
| 4 | 2004 | D | 2013 | N | 2022 |
| 5 | 2005 | E | 2014 | P | 2023 |
| 6 | 2006 | F | 2015 | R | 2024 |
| 7 | 2007 | G | 2016 | S | 2025 |
| T | 2026 |
The letters I, O, and Q are skipped because they look like 1 and 0. Every character above was cross-checked against real decoded RX VINs spanning 1999 through 2025 model years, so this table has no gaps and no guessed years. Since the RX hasn’t yet completed a full 30-year cycle, there’s no ambiguity yet between an “X” 1999 RX300 and a future “X” 2029 RX.
Position 11: Assembly plant
A single character identifies the specific factory. Based on real decoded VINs:
| Char | Plant | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Kyushu, Japan | Observed only on the earliest RX300 VINs (1999-2001 model years) |
| 2 | Kyushu, Japan | Observed on every Kyushu-built RX from the RX400h (2006) through the current RX350/RX500h/RX450h+ |
| C | Cambridge, Ontario, Canada | Observed on every Canada-built RX from the RX330 (2005) through the current RX350/RX500h |
The Kyushu plant’s code changed between the first and second generation (from 0 to 2), which is a documented quirk of how Toyota assigns internal line/plant codes; it doesn’t mean two different Kyushu factories built the RX. The Cambridge code (C) has stayed constant across every generation built there.
Positions 12 to 17: Serial number
The final six characters are the production sequence stamped on your specific RX as it left the line. Combined with the previous 11 characters, this makes every RX VIN globally unique. Two RXs with the same generation, year, plant, and engine still differ here.
Where to find the VIN on a Lexus RX
Four locations on every modern RX, plus the paperwork:
- Lower-left corner of the windshield, visible from outside the vehicle
- Driver’s side B-pillar label (door jamb sticker)
- Stamped on the engine block, near the firewall side
- Stamped on the front frame rail or cross-member, visible from under the front of the vehicle
- Vehicle title, registration, insurance card, Lexus Enform/Lexus app
The windshield and door jamb are the easiest to read on a used-car lot. The block and frame stamps are the ones to check if you suspect a cloned plate; they’re physically tied to the vehicle and much harder to swap.
Check Lexus RX recalls and safety information
The RX has been swept into several industry-wide and Lexus-specific NHTSA recall campaigns over its five generations, including the industry-wide Takata airbag inflator recall that touched millions of vehicles across nearly every automaker, and separate campaigns addressing fuel pump and hybrid-system components on various model years. Coverage varies significantly by generation and model year, so don’t assume your specific RX is or isn’t affected without checking.
To check your specific RX:
- Decode the VIN with the tool above to confirm the exact model and year
- Cross-reference the 17-character VIN with Lexus’s US recall lookup or NHTSA’s recall database
- Contact your nearest Lexus dealer service department for any open campaign repair
Recall repairs are free regardless of vehicle age, mileage, or ownership history.
Frequently asked questions
How do I decode a Lexus RX VIN?
Type the 17-character VIN from the windshield, door jamb, or title into the decoder at the top of this page. Results return in under three seconds and include generation, model year, engine, drivetrain, plant, and any open NHTSA recalls. No sign-up.
Where is the VIN on a Lexus RX?
The two easiest spots are the lower-left corner of the windshield (read from outside the vehicle) and the driver-side B-pillar label inside the door frame. Both are required by federal labelling regulation. The engine block and front frame rail carry physical stamps that match the same number.
What does a Lexus RX VIN starting with 2T2 mean?
2T2 is the WMI for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Cambridge, Ontario. An RX with a VIN starting 2T2 was built in Canada, which has been a Lexus RX assembly site since September 2003, when it became the first Lexus plant built outside Japan. It does not mean the vehicle was sold in Canada; Cambridge-built RX models are sold across North America.
What does a Lexus RX VIN starting with JTJ mean?
JTJ is the WMI for Toyota Motor Kyushu in Miyawaka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, the original and longest-running RX plant. It has built every RX generation since 1999, including hybrid variants like the RX400h, RX450h, RX500h, and RX450h+.
How do I tell the generation of my RX from the VIN?
The VIN doesn’t spell out “1st gen” or “3rd gen” directly. Older RX VINs (1999-2022) encode a series code such as MCU10L, GSU30L, or GYL25L in the Vehicle Descriptor Section at positions 4 to 8, which maps to the generations in the table above. The current (5th) generation returns a numeric series label instead. The model-year character at position 10, combined with the trim/engine data a full decode returns, is the most reliable way to confirm generation; run the VIN through the decoder above rather than trying to eyeball the raw string.
Is the Lexus RX VIN decoder really free?
Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every Lexus RX VIN free of charge with no sign-up. The basic decode covers everything the factory stamped into the VIN. A full vehicle history report (accident records, odometer history, prior ownership, salvage status) is available as a paid upgrade if you need it.
Can a Lexus RX VIN be faked?
The 17 characters can be retyped on a counterfeit plate, but the check digit at position 9 catches most single-character changes through math, and the engine-block and frame stamps are physically tied to the original vehicle. If the windshield and door-jamb VINs match but the frame stamp doesn’t, the vehicle has been cloned. The guide how to check if a car is stolen by VIN walks through the verification steps.
Decode any Lexus RX VIN free
Type your 17-character RX VIN into the decoder at the top of this page for an instant breakdown. To go deeper into VIN structure or check other Lexus models:
- Lexus VIN decoder hub for the brand-wide guide
- How to read a VIN number for the general standard
- What every character in a VIN means for a position-by-position reference
- Classic car VIN decoder for pre-1981 formats
- VIN decoder vs. vehicle history report for what a decode covers vs. what it doesn’t
