Illustration2000 LEXUS RX 300 WITH BACK DOOR LOCK PROBLEM CUSTOMER STATES THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM**CC THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS A DEFECT WITH THE REAR DOOR OF THE VEHICLE IT WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEY OR REMOTE CONTROL. THE CONSUMER STATED UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR. *TR
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RX300 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
50–25K
525–50K
1750–75K
4375–100K
77100–150K
15150K+
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 reportsCAR HAS 94,000 MILES AND HAS RECEIVED ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING COMPREHENSIVE 90K SERVICE TWO MONTHS AGO. NO IMPENDING PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY DEALER. CAR MADE CLINGING/HESITATION WHEN LEAVING STOP SIGN 2-3 TIMES. PARKED CAR AND STOPPED ENGINE. CAR WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE. SHIFTED TO DRIVE - CAR MOVED FWD AS MUCH …
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CAR HAS 94,000 MILES AND HAS RECEIVED ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING COMPREHENSIVE 90K SERVICE TWO MONTHS AGO. NO IMPENDING PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY DEALER. CAR MADE CLINGING/HESITATION WHEN LEAVING STOP SIGN 2-3 TIMES. PARKED CAR AND STOPPED ENGINE. CAR WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE. SHIFTED TO DRIVE - CAR MOVED FWD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE (LIMITED SPACE). TRIED REV AGAIN - CAR MOVED 12-18 INCHES AND MADE VERY ABRUPT STOP. COULD NOT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHO RECOMMEND COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. DID SEARCH FOR "RX300 TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON INTERNET - FOUND DOZENS OF REPORTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEM - COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING, ON THIS MAKE/MODEL OF CAR WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.*JB
FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR WILL READ THE WRONG READING AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.THE FUEL GAUGE WAS STANDING AT A QUARTER OF A TANK AND SUDDENLY WHEN NEXT TIME VEHICLE WAS STARTED THE INDICATOR WILL JUMP TO 3 QUATERS FULL , AND IT CREATED MISS JUDGEMENT. DEALER STATED NO TO FIX IT …
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FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR WILL READ THE WRONG READING AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.THE FUEL GAUGE WAS STANDING AT A QUARTER OF A TANK AND SUDDENLY WHEN NEXT TIME VEHICLE WAS STARTED THE INDICATOR WILL JUMP TO 3 QUATERS FULL , AND IT CREATED MISS JUDGEMENT. DEALER STATED NO TO FIX IT OR REPLACE IT . CONSUMER HAD NO IDEA THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. *AK
BOUGHT 2000 LEXUS RX300. 85,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION IS SHOT! *TR
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB
MY 2000 LEXUS RX300 TRANSMISSION HAS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT @ 90,000 MILES. I HAVE SPENT $3000.+ FOR REPAIRS. I BELIEVE THAT RECALL WOULD RESTORE FAITH IN THE NAME OF QUALITY FOR LEXUS. BE HONEST. *NM
TL*- WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON A 2000 LEXUS RX300. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO NEUTRAL THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AT LOW SPEEDS AT 15 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY TRIED TO SEE IF THE MANUFACTURER WOULD COVER THE VEHICLE UNDER GOODWILL, BUT THE …
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TL*- WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON A 2000 LEXUS RX300. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO NEUTRAL THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AT LOW SPEEDS AT 15 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY TRIED TO SEE IF THE MANUFACTURER WOULD COVER THE VEHICLE UNDER GOODWILL, BUT THE MANUFACTURER INSISTED THAT THEY COULDN'T COVER THE REPAIR DUE TO THE FACT THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY.
SITTING IN TRAFFIC AND STARTED TO MOVE WHEN I NOTICED A FEELING LIKE I WAS ON ICE. A SLIGHT SLIP, THEN I MOVED. NOT EVEN A HALF MILE DOWN THE ROAD AND MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE ENGINE REVVED BUT NO MOVEMENT AT ALL! MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 85,000 MILES!!! *JB
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION ON A 2000 LEXUS RX 300 FAILED. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR GO INTO REVERSE. THE CONTAC…
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TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION ON A 2000 LEXUS RX 300 FAILED. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR GO INTO REVERSE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD RECEIVED REGULARLY SCHEDULED SERVICING.*AK
FAILED TRANSMISSION AFTER 90,000 MILES ON A $50,000 LEXUS RX 300.*JB
Official recalls
0No 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
1DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.