'99 LEXUS RX300 WITH 157,000. TRANSMISSION DIED. IT STARTED JERKING AND HAD TROUBLE SHIFTING. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP ABOUT 5 MILES TO THE DEALER. I HAD READ ABOUT A NUMBER OF THESE FAILING AND PAID EXTRA AT THE LAST REGULAR SERVICE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR SERVICE. THAT WAS 1,000 BEFORE FAILURE. LE…
Read full complaint
'99 LEXUS RX300 WITH 157,000. TRANSMISSION DIED. IT STARTED JERKING AND HAD TROUBLE SHIFTING. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP ABOUT 5 MILES TO THE DEALER. I HAD READ ABOUT A NUMBER OF THESE FAILING AND PAID EXTRA AT THE LAST REGULAR SERVICE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR SERVICE. THAT WAS 1,000 BEFORE FAILURE. LEXUS CHARGED $4700 OUT THE DOOR TO DIAGNOSE AND REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REBUILT ONE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10277244
75,000 miles · Jun 20, 2009
Power Train
I HAVE A 99 RX 300 LEXUS WITH 75,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION JUST DIED TODAY. I DID ALL THAT LEXUS RECOMMENDED WITH FLUIDS REPLACEMENT (EACH 10K MILES WHICH IS OUTRAGEOUS) AND WITH ALL THAT THE TRANSMISSION DIED I HOPE THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10274398
140,000 miles · May 23, 2009
Power Train
1999 LEXUS RX 300 TRANSMISSION BROKE ON FREEWAY. SEEMS THIS IS VERY COMMON AMONG THESE CARS. THEY KNOW ABOUT IT AND ARE BURYING THEIR HEAD IN THE SAND AND NOT HELPFUL AT ALL. WE NEED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10269792
146,992 miles · May 21, 2009
Power Train
THIS IS MY SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN THIS VEHICLE. IF YOU READ ANY LEXUS OWNER'S BLOG, YOU WILL REALIZE THAT THE EARLY RX300 MODELS HAVE A SERIOUSLY HIGH FAIL RATE FOR TRANSMISSIONS. MOST FAIL AROUND 80K MILES. MINE HAS AVERAGED 70K MILES PER TRANSMISSION. LEXUS REALLY NEED TO OWN UP TO THEIR DESIGN FLAW. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10269613
Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2009
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10264924
147,200 miles · Apr 6, 2009
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN A LEXUS RX300. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10264300
89,300 miles · Apr 1, 2009
Power Train
MY 1999 LEXUS RX-300 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE IN HIGHER GEAR AND CONTINUED AT 2ND GEAR. I HAVE FLUSHED THE ATF WITH ORIGINAL TOYOTA TYPE 4 ATF FLUID EVERY 30K MILES. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED REGULARLY AND DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10263857
94,000 miles · Mar 31, 2009
Power Train
1999 LEXUS RX-300. I HAVE 94,000 MILES ON IT, ORIGINAL OWNER. HAVE GOTTEN EVERY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SERVICE ON IT INCLUDING 30,000 , 60,000 AND 90,000 MILES SERVICE IN OCTOBER 2008. NOW MARCH 2009 AND HAVE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 94,000 MILES WHEN I HAD 92,000 MILES ON MY CAR FOR ITS SERVICE IN OCTOBER 2008. SAW A…
Read full complaint
1999 LEXUS RX-300. I HAVE 94,000 MILES ON IT, ORIGINAL OWNER. HAVE GOTTEN EVERY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SERVICE ON IT INCLUDING 30,000 , 60,000 AND 90,000 MILES SERVICE IN OCTOBER 2008. NOW MARCH 2009 AND HAVE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 94,000 MILES WHEN I HAD 92,000 MILES ON MY CAR FOR ITS SERVICE IN OCTOBER 2008. SAW ALL THE TALK ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN SAME SITUATION AND LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE SAYS THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM REFERRING TO! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10263695
152,052 miles · Mar 26, 2009
Power Train
TRANSMISSION HAD SLIPPING PROBLEMS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. DRAINED TRANS & CHANGED FILTERS. REMOVED SHIFT SOLENOIDS & CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY OPERATED. ROAD TESTED FAIRLY GOOD. FOUND OUT FROM REPUTABLE TRANS REPAIR PERSON THAT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR MODEL TRANS HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS THAT LEXUS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSING. THEY CAN REBUILD …
Read full complaint
TRANSMISSION HAD SLIPPING PROBLEMS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. DRAINED TRANS & CHANGED FILTERS. REMOVED SHIFT SOLENOIDS & CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY OPERATED. ROAD TESTED FAIRLY GOOD. FOUND OUT FROM REPUTABLE TRANS REPAIR PERSON THAT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR MODEL TRANS HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS THAT LEXUS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSING. THEY CAN REBUILD TRANS BUT CANNOT UPDATE COMPUTER FOR THE SHIFTING PROBLEMS WHICH WILL RUIN TRANS DURING TEST DRIVE. NOW MY TRANS WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10263161
103,671 miles · Mar 17, 2009
Power Train
DURING NORMAL DRIVING - THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV HIGHER THAN NORMAL - BARELY GOT THE CAR HOME (2 1/2 MILES) - GOING DOWN THE ROAD WITH A 55MPH SPEED LIMIT AT 20 MPH, THE NEXT DAY I TOOK THE CAR FOR A SHORT TEST DRIVE AND IT WOULD NOT SHIFT - WILL BE TAKING THE CAR (99 RX300) TO A SHOP TO HAVE IT FIXED. *TR
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS MAY NOT AUTOMATICALLY ILLUMINATE IN LOW AMBIENT LIGHT WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS PLACED IN THE "AUTO" POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES FOLLOWING BEHIND MAY NOT SEE THE VEHICLE SINCE NO HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS WOULD BE ILLUMINATED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MODIFIED BODY ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. DUE TO IMPROPER DESIGN OF THE REAR BRAKE TUBE DISTRIBUTION, IF ONE OF THE DUAL BRAKE LINES FAILS WHEN THE DRIVER APPLIES THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WILL FEEL UNSTABLE COMPARED TO VEHICLES WITH PROPER REAR BRAKE TUBE DISTRIBUTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL MODIFIED BRAKE TUBES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
1999 Lexus RX300 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
Illustration