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2000 Lexus RX300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most RX300 years

Owner complaints for the 2000 Lexus RX300 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 88.

About this comparison →
216Owner complaints

Model-year median: 88

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
0
19973
1998221
1999216
2000169
200188
200225
2003
Compare all RX300 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
138Engine And Engine Cooling
20Vehicle Speed Control
14Service Brakes, Hydraulic
8Electrical System
7
All reported categories
Engine
6Exterior Lighting
6Latches/locks/linkages
5Steering
5Suspension
5Seat Belts
4Structure
4Visibility
4Equipment
3Tires
3Unknown Or Other
3Fuel System, Other
2Service Brakes
2Air Bags
1Child Seat
1Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Service Brakes, Air
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

162 reports with mileage · 54 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 138 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. 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.

16 crash reports0 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

216 reports
136,000 miles · Feb 15, 2009
Power Train

LEXUS RX 300 DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY POPPED INTO 1ST GEAR AND WOULD NOT UP SHIFT. LIMPED THE CAR HOME AND HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO CONTACT DEALER. IT APPEARS MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM. I AM SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258698

100,000 miles · Feb 13, 2009
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 47 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND THEN FELT A JOLT IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 47 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND THEN FELT A JOLT IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $4,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10258609

95,000 miles · Feb 3, 2009
Power Train

I HAVE A 2000 RX300 THAT BROKE DOWN AS I WAS ACCELERATING TO ENTER THE FREEWAY COMING BACK FROM A TRIP 2 HOURS NORTH OF HOME. WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO GO ABOUT 25MPH BACK TO FAMILY'S HOUSE. AAA TOWED IT THEN TO A MECHANIC. HE TOOK THE PAN OFF AND SAID THERE WAS A LOT OF METAL. IN RESEARCHING THIS THERE ARE SEVERAL FORUMS WITH SIM…

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I HAVE A 2000 RX300 THAT BROKE DOWN AS I WAS ACCELERATING TO ENTER THE FREEWAY COMING BACK FROM A TRIP 2 HOURS NORTH OF HOME. WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO GO ABOUT 25MPH BACK TO FAMILY'S HOUSE. AAA TOWED IT THEN TO A MECHANIC. HE TOOK THE PAN OFF AND SAID THERE WAS A LOT OF METAL. IN RESEARCHING THIS THERE ARE SEVERAL FORUMS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE RX300. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AT THIS POINT. WE'RE NOT SURE IF WE CAN SPEND $5000 TO REPAIR THIS CAR THAT WE THOUGHT HAD SUCH GREAT RELIABILITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257309

114,283 miles · Feb 3, 2009
Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MY 2000 LEXUS RS-300. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257293

120,789 miles · Feb 1, 2009
Power Train

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH MY SON IN THE SEAT. THE CAR STOPPED GOING. ALMOST GOT SMASHED BY AN 18 WHEELER. GOT IT TOWED HOME AND FOUND OUT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257069

120,000 miles · Jan 27, 2009
Power Train

THE TRANSSMISION ON MY LUXUS RX 300 FAILED WITH 120,000 MILES. LUXUS WANTED TO PAY 25 % OF THE BILL.($4300). I TOLD THEM THA T A LUXUS CAR SHOULD NOT FAIL WITH THAT LOW MILEAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10256536

174,000 miles · Jan 14, 2009
Power Train

I HAVE A WELL KEPT 2000 RX300 - TRANSMISSION WENT COMPLETELY OUT. IT WAS ON THE INTERSTATE HEADING OUT OF TOWN FOR CHRISTMAS. IT IS A ONE OWNER CAR. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE. I PAID $4000+ TO GET IT REPLACED. NOT INCLUDING TOWING 150 MILES AND RENTAL CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10255007

124,000 miles · Jan 14, 2009
Power Train

I HAVE A 2000 LEXUS RX300 WITH 124,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED IN THE CAR AFTER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL DOES NOT INDICATE TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION OIL IN THE CAR, ONLY TO CHECK IT. I HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS LEXUS INTERNET SITES WHICH HAVE STATED THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TO THEM …

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I HAVE A 2000 LEXUS RX300 WITH 124,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED IN THE CAR AFTER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL DOES NOT INDICATE TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION OIL IN THE CAR, ONLY TO CHECK IT. I HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS LEXUS INTERNET SITES WHICH HAVE STATED THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TO THEM WITH THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR LEXUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10254999

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2009
Power Train

WELL TAKEN CARE OF LEXUS RX 300 TRANSMISSION FAILURE TWICE. USED TRANSMISSION INSTALLED IN 2004 AFTER FIRST FAILURE. SPECIAL ATTENTION WAS GIVEN SUCH AS NEVER SHIFTING GEARS QUICKLY WHEN BACKING UP AND TO PUT INTO DRIVE. TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED... AGAIN. THE USED TRANSMISSION HELPS TO PROVE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS INEVIT…

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WELL TAKEN CARE OF LEXUS RX 300 TRANSMISSION FAILURE TWICE. USED TRANSMISSION INSTALLED IN 2004 AFTER FIRST FAILURE. SPECIAL ATTENTION WAS GIVEN SUCH AS NEVER SHIFTING GEARS QUICKLY WHEN BACKING UP AND TO PUT INTO DRIVE. TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED... AGAIN. THE USED TRANSMISSION HELPS TO PROVE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS INEVITABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10253705

100,000 miles · Dec 8, 2008
Power Train

WELL TAKEN CARE OF 2000 LEXUS RX300 HAS FAILED TRANSMISSION. COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT AS WENT OUT ON BUSY ROAD WITH NO NOTICE. 100K PREDOMINANTLY HIGHWAY MILES. VERY WELL CARED FOR, ONE OWNER VEHICLE. NEW TRANSMISSION COST EQUALS $4000 PER DEALER CALL. A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT GO OUT ON A WELL CARED FOR, HIGHWAY DRIVEN VEHICL…

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WELL TAKEN CARE OF 2000 LEXUS RX300 HAS FAILED TRANSMISSION. COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT AS WENT OUT ON BUSY ROAD WITH NO NOTICE. 100K PREDOMINANTLY HIGHWAY MILES. VERY WELL CARED FOR, ONE OWNER VEHICLE. NEW TRANSMISSION COST EQUALS $4000 PER DEALER CALL. A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT GO OUT ON A WELL CARED FOR, HIGHWAY DRIVEN VEHICLE. WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SHARED A PICTURE OF MY GMC YUKON PULLING MY WIFE'S LEXUS TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THIS MORNING. AWFUL RELIABILITY FOR WHAT THE PRICE OF THIS CAR ORIGINALLY COST. THE LEXUS WAS PURCHASED FOR PERCEIVED RELIABILITY. I GUESS PERCEPTION IS NOT REALITY. BUYER BEWARE ON LEXUS HIGH PRICED GARBAGE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10251095

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.