2000 Lexus RX300

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 2000 LEXUS RX-300 AWD WITH 110,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON A VERY BUSY 3-LANE HIGHWAY, I STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN WITH A NUMBER OF CARS BEHIND ME. AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT THE INTERSECTION, WAITING FOR CARS TO CLEAR, WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE THROUGH, THE CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL ALTHOUGH IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I TRIED REVERSE (RISKING HITTING THE CAR BEHIND ME) AND IT STAYED IN NEUTRAL. AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF A COUPLE OF TIMES, IT FINALLY WENT INTO DRIVE AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TWO BLOCKS TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. THEIR SERVICE SHOP CHECKED IT OUT AND SIMPLY SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO REPLACED AT A COST OF $5200. THE LEXUS "OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT" WITH MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES SAYS ONLY TO "INSPECT" TRANSMISSION FLUID AT 30K, 60K, 90K, 120K, AND 150K MILES. SEE PAGES 77 - 97 OF THE MAINTENANCE LOG BOOK. ONLY FOR "SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS" IS IT RECOMMENDED TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THEN ONLY AT 60K AND 120K MILES. I HAVE NOT OPERATED THE VEHICLE UNDER ANY OF THE SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. YET, BOTH THE LEXUS AND TOYOTA DEALERS I USE RECOMMEND REPLACING THE OIL EVERY 15K MILES, WHICH I HAVE DONE. BASED ON MY LIMITED RESEARCH, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH EARLY MODEL LEXUS RX300'S AND UNACCEPTABLE THAT IT SHOULD FAIL, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE ADDED SERVICE / MAINTENANCE THAT LEXUS RECOMMENDS, WHICH IS AT ODDS WITH WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THEIR OWN MANUAL. HAD THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN 50 -60 MPH RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC , IT WOULD HAVE PUT ME IN A POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION. I STRONGLY SUSPECT LEXUS IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION, GIVEN THEIR DEALER SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIR. *TR

RX300 FAILED TO GO INTO REVERSE FROM PARK IN OCTOBER 2007. TOOK TO TOYOTA DEALER INSOFAR AS NO LOCAL LEXUS DEALER IN BEND, OREGON. FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. PROBLEM RETURNED 4 MONTHS LATER AT 2,000 MILES INTO THE NEW ATF, WITH OCCASIONAL FAILURE IN DRIVE GEAR. 4/9/08 VEHICLE WAS MOVING IN DRIVE FROM HOME GARAGE WHEN TRANSMISSION WENT BUMP/THUMP TWICE. 50 YARDS FURTHER FORWARD, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN A GRINDING NOISE. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, BUT DRIVE FORWARD WAS OKAY. RETURNED TO VEHICLE IN 2 HRS AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. NO REVERSE GEAR WHEN SHIFTER WAS IN REVERSE. NEUTRAL WOULD ALLOW FREEWHEEL. TRIED TO TURN 180 AND RETURN TO HOME GARAGE. VEHICLE WAS NOW PERPENDICULAR TO BOTH LANES OF TRAFFIC. TRIED TO ENGAGE NEUTRAL TO FREEWHEEL IN REVERSE. VEHICLE SEEMED TO BE IN GEAR OR PARK WHEN IN NEUTRAL ON THE SHIFTER. DROVE FORWARD ONE FOOT AND TRIED NEUTRAL, GOT A SOUND LIKE SOMETHING COMING UNSTUCK AND BECOMING SYNCHRONIZED. NEUTRAL NOW ALLOWED FREEWHEEL. REVERSE GEAR NOW WORKED AND I DROVE THE VEHICLE THE 50 YARDS HOME AND BACKED IT USING REVERSE GEAR INTO THE GARAGE. 68,745 TOTAL MILES ON 2000 RX300.LEXUS SAYS VEHICLE OUT OF THE 6 YEAR/70,000 DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. LEXUS SAYS TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. *TR