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

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

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 …

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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

NHTSA ODI #10262161

Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 2009

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHEN I RUN THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, WATER SEEPS FROM UNDER THE FLOOR BOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, SOMETIMES UP TO 3/4 INCH. I HAVE TO USE A VACUUM AND OR A CUP TO GET IT OUT. IT IS DAMAGING THE BODY. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10262137

147,000 miles · Mar 10, 2009

Power Train

LEXUS RX300 1999 MODEL COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT JUST OVER 100K MILES. BASED ON INTERNET COMMENTS THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL. COST TO REPLACE IS FROM $3500-4500. ON AN EXPENSIVE CAR LIKE THIS, IT IS CRAZY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10261412

125,000 miles · Mar 5, 2009

Power Train

I WAS JUST DRIVING ALONG AND AS I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE THE RPMS WENT REAL HIGH AND THE SPEED WOULD NOT INCREASE. AFTER STOPPING AND STARTING AGAIN IT BEGAN JERKING AND WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. IT TURNED OUT THAT MY TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. I BOUGHT A 2000 RECONDITIONED ONE TO SAVE MONEY. NOW I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10260886

Official recalls

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

DP02004 · Engine Seizure

Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.