LexusNX3002020Overview/lexus/nx300/2020/base/

2020 Lexus NX300

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 NX300.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2020 Lexus NX300 is a compact luxury SUV equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission, requiring 5.2 quarts of 0W-20 motor oil for service, and achieves EPA-estimated fuel economy of 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined — placing it among the more efficient options in its class for the model year. Reliability data for this model year shows 23 total owner complaints with zero recalls, positioning 2020 between the model's lowest complaint year (2018 with 21 complaints) and its highest (2019 with 36 complaints), indicating a return to more typical complaint levels following the previous year's spike.

Model year2021202020192018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/28/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 9030179006. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tail / brake / turnCLTSOEM · verified
Tire size225/65R17 102HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7; Optional: 7.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9030179006 alt 9672335028
Engine air filter178010P051
Fuel filter7702478040 alt 2321736010
Spark plug9091901276
Battery2880038080
Front wiper blades8522278012 alt 8521278011
Serpentine belt9091602727
Thermostat9091603154 alt 9091603156
Cabin air filter8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length182.3 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height65 in
Wheelbase104.7 in
Curb weight3869 lb
Track (front / rear)62.2 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 28 / 25 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.2 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, SAE 75W · API · GL-5 in the differential, SAE J1703 · DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid CapacityU661E
Brake FluidSAE J1703 · DOT 3
Differential Gear OilSAE 75W · API · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity0.48-.058
Engine CoolantUse only TOYOTA Super Long Life Coolant,
Engine Coolant Capacity8.3
Engine Oil0W-20 · SAE 0W

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs20.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)63.0 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts192.0 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts192.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)32.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)15.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Differential Fill Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Differential drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Driveshaft Flange to Transmission26.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts65.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug6.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)750-850 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug TypeDILFR7K9G
Spark Plug Gap0.0315 to 0.0354 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing8 to 12° BTDC @ idle degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant Capacity0.99-1.21 lbs
Oil Type46YF
Oil Capacity4.06 oz
RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure MinimumStandard: 196 to 833 kPa
Fuel Pump Pressure MaximumHigh pressure: 3400 to 8000 kPa
Injector Primary ResistanceFor port injection: 11.6 to 12.4 Ω at 20°C
Engine CompressionMinimum 900 kPa
Engine Oil Pressure30

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 25.0; Rear: 25.0
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 75.0, Rear 77.0
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.0; Rear: 6.0
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.0394; Rear: 0.0394 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 0.984; Rear: 0.413
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: 0.00197; Rear: 0.00591

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130.0 ft. lbs. Step 2: 90°30 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
163.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90°, Step 3: 90°63 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs. Step 2: 45.0 ft. lbs. Step 3: 90°15 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 40,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 miFloor Mat (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (road test) · Windshield Wiper Blade (inspect)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft Flange Yoke (torque) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
Every 40,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Intercooler (drain & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Intercooler (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2020 Lexus NX300 sits at the low end of this three-year federal record arc. Complaints rose from 21 in 2018 to a generation peak of 36 in 2019, then fell back to 23 in 2020, while recalls dropped from one per year to zero and TSBs trended downward from 134 to 115. That places the 2020 model in the cleanest slot of this run, with no recalls, no investigations, and the lowest volume of technical service bulletins. Its leading complaint categories are Fuel/Propulsion System (4), Engine (3), Visibility/Wiper (3), and Unknown Or Other (3), though the data does not specify root causes; crash and fire complaints are each reported at one. Given the declining complaint and recall trajectory, 2020 appears to be the most settled year of this generation and a comparatively good used-buy choice.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
115
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
23
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 23 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel/Propulsion System4
Engine3
Visibility/Wiper3
Unknown Or Other3
Power Train,Engine2
Fuel System, Gasoline,Engine1
Electrical System,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Seat Belts1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 115 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0057-22 Rev22026-02-02Electrical SystemOBSOLETE NOTICE February 2, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0004-26.
L-SB-0004-262026-01-23Electrical SystemSome 2018 – 2025 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform™ 2.0 Navigation…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-TT-0326-23 Rev22025-08-19Electrical SystemSome customers may experience operational difficulties with some telematics features…
L-SB-0043-23 Rev12025-06-13Electrical SystemThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific NX300. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2020 NX300 take?

5.2 qt of 0W-20 Toyota Genuine Motor Oil SAE 0W-20 or ILSAC GF-5 multigrade engine oil, per the factory manual.

Does the 2020 NX300 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the NX300 get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 28 highway / 25 combined mpg.