2000 Lexus RX300

PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION ON LEXUS RX 300. DEALERS REFUSAL TO STEP UP TO PAY FOR AN ORIGINALLY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, AND REQUEST TO PAY $4500 FOR A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. LEXUS' REFUSAL TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF A WIDESPREAD ISSUE ON AN OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. LEXUS DENIAL OF A CLEARLY MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. *TR

DROVE MY LEXUS RX300 TO LAKE TAHOE. IT WAS 28 DEGREES AS I ENTERED THE TAHOE AREA. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAIN TO SLIP, NOT MAINTAINING ENGAGEMENT. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE HOTEL BUT ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER REGISTERING I TRIED TO DRIVE AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE. IT WAS NOW 24 DEGREES. I TRIED AGAIN IN THE MORNING BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND NOW THERE WAS A WHIRLING SOUND. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP ONE HUNDRED MILES AWAY. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE FRONT-SIDE TRANSMISSION PUMP. LEXUS/TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE THE PART. SINCE IT IS AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. LEXUS POLICY. IT IS A 15 HOUR REPAIR. EVEN IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO REPLACE THE PUMP IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE HOURS TO REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER PRIOR TO PURCHASING IT THAT IT WAS IN IMPECCABLE CONDITION. AN INSPECTING AUTHORIZED MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT ITS RARE TO SEE A VEHICLE IN AS EXCELLENT OF A CONDITION. AN SUV SHOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM IN SLIGHT EXTREMELY COLD CONDITIONS. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ISNT UNCOMMON IF THEY ARE IN EXTREMELY HOT OR COLD CLIMATES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW. HE HAS NEVER HAD TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AS FREQUENT IN HIS PREVIOUS VEHICLES. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. IT COST $4700.00

THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING ON A 300 MILE TRIP TO SEE FAMILY, OUR LEXUS RX 300 LOST THE TRANSMISSION AT 86,000 MILES AND RUINED OUR ENTIRE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH CORPORATE LEXUS THEY HAVE DECIDED EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE PUT OUR A TSB AND ARE WELL AWARE OF THE TRANSAXLE FAILURE IN THIS MODEL, THEY WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE ANY FINANCIAL MONIES TO HELP JUSTIFY OUR $6,000.00 BILL. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER LEXUS NOR ANYONE WITHIN MY FAMILY. VERY DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. CAR COULD NOT BE PLACED IN GEAR, HAD TO BE TOWED. LEXUS SAID THAT 120K MILES WAS THE LIFE SPAN OF THE TRANSMISSION AND WANTED TO CHARGE $5,400 FOR REPAIR. CAR HAD ONLY BEEN SERVICE BY LEXUS SINCE PURCHASE, LAST SERVICE WAS 6 MONTHS PRIOR AND NO INDICATION WAS GIVEN OF ANY EXPECTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR

2000 LEXUS RX 300 AWD: THE TONE RING ON THE RIGHT REAR DRIVE AXLE CRACKED CAUSING A FALSE READING TO THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM, THE CRACKED RING WOULD NOT TURN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AXLE CAUSING THE ABS SYSTEM TO THINK THAT THE AFFECTED AXLE WAS NO LONGER TUNING THEREFORE ACTIVATING THE ABS SYSTEM AND JEOPARDIZING BRAKING DISTANCE, AFTER REPAIRING I WAS WONDERING HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED AND DID SOME INQUIRIES, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES (RIGHT REAR AXLES AWD MODELS) WATER GETS INTO THE AXLE TONE RING AREA, FREEZES CAUSING THE RING TO CRACK AND CREATING A DANGEROUS CONDITION, UNNECESSARY ACTIVATION OF THE ABS SYSTEM FOR THE UNSUSPECTING DRIVER LEXUS DEALERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST KEEP THESE A SUPPLY OF THESE VERY EXPENSIVE AXLES IN STOCK DUE TO THEIR FAMILIARITY IF THIS PROBLEM. *TR