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1999 Lexus RX300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most RX300 years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Lexus RX300 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 88.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

149 reports with mileage · 72 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 129 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports10 fire reports11 injury reports

What owners actually said

221 reports
114,000 miles · Feb 24, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS ENGAGES EVERY TIME BRAKES ARE APPLIED, INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCE, AND CAUSING A POTENTIAL HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10313993

20,000 miles · Feb 23, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

I WANT YOU TO KNOW DURING THIS TIME OF TOYOTA PROBLEMS AND COVERUP, THAT WE LEASED NEW A 1999 LEXUS RX300, IT WAS MAINTAINED AT MEADE LEXUS ACCORDING TO PLAN AND MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SEIZED AND THE CAR QUIT WORKING. THE CAR HAD MY TWO INFANT CHILDREN IN IT AT THE TIME AND SHE WAS STUCK NEAR T…

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I WANT YOU TO KNOW DURING THIS TIME OF TOYOTA PROBLEMS AND COVERUP, THAT WE LEASED NEW A 1999 LEXUS RX300, IT WAS MAINTAINED AT MEADE LEXUS ACCORDING TO PLAN AND MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SEIZED AND THE CAR QUIT WORKING. THE CAR HAD MY TWO INFANT CHILDREN IN IT AT THE TIME AND SHE WAS STUCK NEAR THE EXIT RAMP WITH VEHICLES/TRUCKS/SEMIS BEARING DOWN ON HER. SHE AND THE CHILDREN WERE SCARED AND NEARLY COLLIDED WITH AT ITS SUDDEN LOCATION TO STOP. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LEXUS DEALER AND DISCOVERED SLUDGE HAD RUINED THE MOTOR. THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR IT AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO OUR GARAGE WHERE IT SAT AS I MADE PAYMENTS ON IT. I TOOK LEXUS TO ARBITRATION WITH MY MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS AND LOST AS THE ARBITRATOR SAID I MAY HAVE ABUSED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE TOYOTA REP SHOWED A SAMPLE OF THE SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE STILL SAT IN THE GARAGE AND MONTHS LATER LEXUS ADMITTED FAULT WITH THE OIL PASSAGES ON THE MOTOR AND REPLACED THE ENGINE JUST IN TIME FOR ME TO RETURN IT OFF LEASE. I AGREE THEY FINALLY REPAIRED IT 5-6 MONTHS LATER, BUT THIS FAILURE NEARLY COST MY FAMILIES LIFE AND WAS IGNORED BY LEXUS. THE DATES STATED HERE ARE APPROX AND HERE IS AN INFORMATIONAL LINK I FOUND HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS04/2007/01/TOYOTA_SLUDGE_SETTLEMENT.HTML I WOULD LOVE TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE POOR TREATMENT AND IGNORING ATTITUDE ABOUT MY PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10313078

91,000 miles · Feb 16, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHENEVER THE CONTACT WOULD ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT A LOW SPEED THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SURGE FORWARD BEFORE THE BRAKES WOULD ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHENEVER THE CONTACT WOULD ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT A LOW SPEED THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SURGE FORWARD BEFORE THE BRAKES WOULD ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HAS NOTICED THE FAILURE SINCE THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 91000.

NHTSA ODI #10310978

1,000 miles · Feb 15, 2010
Seat Belts

THE SEATBELTS IN MY LEXUS RX300 DO NOT RETRACT ALL THE WAY. TOYOTA MADE A FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS BY PLACING TEFLON TAPE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE BELT UP, BUT IT DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT IT AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATIO…

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THE SEATBELTS IN MY LEXUS RX300 DO NOT RETRACT ALL THE WAY. TOYOTA MADE A FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS BY PLACING TEFLON TAPE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE BELT UP, BUT IT DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT IT AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION: IF I GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT WILL BE TOO SLACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10310646

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2010
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT PROPERLY RETRACT AFTER BEING EXTENDED. WAS REPLACED ONCE BY THE LOCAL DEALER ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. BELT HAS GRADUALLY DEVELOPED THE SAME PROBLEM OVER THE RECENT YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10310335

170,320 miles · Feb 14, 2010
Power Train

WIFE DRIVING 1999 RX300 LEXUS W/ AWD AND IT JUST STOPPED AND UNABLE TO ENGAGE REVERSE DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT WAS TOWED HOME AND AFTER SOME INQUIRIES JUST PARKED UNTIL ENOUGH MONEY CAN BE RAISED TO ATTEMPT REPAIR (VERY COSTLY). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10310273

275,000 miles · Feb 8, 2010
EquipmentPower Train

ACCELERATOR ENTRAPMENT IN AFTERMARKET FLOOR PAD OF A LEXUS RX 300 LAST SEPTEMBER. (I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF FLOOR PAD, I BOUGHT IT IN 1999 AND INSTALLED IT THEN, IT IS ONE OF THE THICK ONES THAT IS GOOD A HOLDING SNOW AND WATER.) I FIGURED OUT THAT THE FLOOR PAD WAS THE PROBLEM WHILE THE ENGINE WAS REVVING TO 90 MPH AND THE …

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ACCELERATOR ENTRAPMENT IN AFTERMARKET FLOOR PAD OF A LEXUS RX 300 LAST SEPTEMBER. (I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF FLOOR PAD, I BOUGHT IT IN 1999 AND INSTALLED IT THEN, IT IS ONE OF THE THICK ONES THAT IS GOOD A HOLDING SNOW AND WATER.) I FIGURED OUT THAT THE FLOOR PAD WAS THE PROBLEM WHILE THE ENGINE WAS REVVING TO 90 MPH AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR. LEXUS COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG BUT SAID NOTHING TO ME ABOUT THIS BEING A PROBLEM IN TOYOTA PRODUCTS. NO CRASH AND NO INJURY SINCE I FIGURED IT OUT; THE FLOOR MAT FELT THICK TO MY FOOT SO I YANKED IT OUT FROM UNDER THE PEDALS. JUST REALLY SCARY.... SPECIFICALLY, I CAME OUT OF A SIDE STREET ON TO A MAIN ROAD AND NEEDED TO GET AHEAD OF TRAFFIC SO I STOMPED IN THE ACCELERATOR PRETTY HARD- NOT MY TYPICAL DRIVING STYLE- AND THEN THE ACCELERATOR STUCK, THE CAR REVVING AND GOING TO 90- 100 MPH. I STOOD ON THE BRAKES BUT IT WOULD NOT STOP. I TRIED TO THROW IT INTO PARK ( BUT THANKFULLY THE CAR WOULDN'T LET ME- I WAS THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP IT, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE A HAND BRAKE SO THAT'S WHY I WAS SO STUPID AND TRIED TO THROW IT IN PARK. THE NOISE FROM THAT WAS SO HORRIFYING I DID NOT PUT IT IN NEUTRAL). THEN I FELT THE LUMPY FLOOR MAT AND YANKED IT OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE PEDALS. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND THERE WERE NO CARS ON THE ROAD SO I HAD A MILE OF CLEAR ROAD TO WORK THIS OUT. CAR HAD ABOUT 275,000 MILES ON IT. BUILT IN JULY 1998, JT6H10U7X0032830 IS SERIAL I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT DATE BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND THE SERVICE RECEIPT- SORRY!

NHTSA ODI #10307384

125,000 miles · Feb 6, 2010
Traction Control System

THE 1999 LEXUS RX 300 TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY 125K MILES ON IT. BASED ON THE DISCUSSION BOARDS, I BELIEVE THAT LEXUS IS COVERED UP A DESIGN FLAW IN PARTICULAR MODELS. WE AS OWNERS DESERVE TO BE CONFRONTED AND LEXUS SHOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT NO COST TO CUSTOMER. INFACT LEXUS SHOULD BE PENALIZED FOR NOT RECALLING TH…

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THE 1999 LEXUS RX 300 TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY 125K MILES ON IT. BASED ON THE DISCUSSION BOARDS, I BELIEVE THAT LEXUS IS COVERED UP A DESIGN FLAW IN PARTICULAR MODELS. WE AS OWNERS DESERVE TO BE CONFRONTED AND LEXUS SHOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT NO COST TO CUSTOMER. INFACT LEXUS SHOULD BE PENALIZED FOR NOT RECALLING THE TRANSMISSIONS. *CN

NHTSA ODI #10307110

15,000 miles · Feb 4, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

3 EPISODES OF SEVERE ACCELERATION TERMINATED BY SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL. IN EACH CASE THE RPM CYCLED FROM 3,000 TO 8,000 AND THEN SPONTANEOUSLY RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE. IN NEUTRAL GEAR. I WAS UNABLE TO OVERCOME ACCELERATION BY BRAKING. THE GAS PETAL FELL TO FLOOR EACH TIME BUT WAS NOT STUCK AND RETURNED TO NORMAL A…

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3 EPISODES OF SEVERE ACCELERATION TERMINATED BY SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL. IN EACH CASE THE RPM CYCLED FROM 3,000 TO 8,000 AND THEN SPONTANEOUSLY RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE. IN NEUTRAL GEAR. I WAS UNABLE TO OVERCOME ACCELERATION BY BRAKING. THE GAS PETAL FELL TO FLOOR EACH TIME BUT WAS NOT STUCK AND RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER THE EPISODE WAS OVER. THESE 3 EVENTS OCCURRED IN A SINGLE WEEK. I FELT THERE WAS SOME MALFUNCTION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL--WHICH I NEVER USE. I HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL DISCONNECTED AT A LOCAL GARAGE AND NEVER HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM. WHEN I TOLD THE LEXUS DEALER ABOUT THIS AT THE NEXT ROUTINE SERVICE VISIT, THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND DID NOT SUGGEST FURTHER ACTION. I NEVER RECONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL. I REPORT THIS NOW BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT CONCERNS. THIS WAS CLEARLY ELECTRONIC IN SOME FASHION AND I BELIEVE INVOLVED THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10305533

45,765 miles · Feb 2, 2010
Power Train

I PURCHASED A LEXUS RX300 IN OCTOBER 2009. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND PROPER FLUIDS CHECKED OR REPLACED. ON FEBRUARY OF 2010 THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION. NOW I AM TOLD THAT IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY 4400K TO REPLACE. AS I RESEARCH I COM…

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I PURCHASED A LEXUS RX300 IN OCTOBER 2009. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND PROPER FLUIDS CHECKED OR REPLACED. ON FEBRUARY OF 2010 THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION. NOW I AM TOLD THAT IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY 4400K TO REPLACE. AS I RESEARCH I COME TO FIND OUT THAT I HAVE PURCHASED A TOP OF LINE VEHICLE WITH A MID CLASS TRANSMISSION (CAMRY). CAR IS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY STILL NO CHECK ENGINE OR WARNING LIGHTS. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10303933

Official recalls

2

99V011000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch

Jan 20, 1999

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.

99V012000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:differential Proportional Valve

Jan 20, 1999

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.