IllustrationTL* - ON 12-22-06 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH TRANSMISSION DROPPED TO FIRST GEAR AND WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP ON SCHEDULE. THE CONTACT CURRENTLY HAS VEHICLE AT THE REPAIR FACILITY. *AK UPDATED 2/27/2007 - *NM
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 reportsPURCHASED 2000 LEXUS RX300. SERVICED BY DEALER AT ALL RECOMMENDED TIMES. ONE PREVIOUS OWNER PRIOR TO ME. AT APPROXIMATELY 125,000 MILES. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, DIAGNOSTIC DONE. NEED NEW TRANSMISSION. APPARENTLY THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. HOW CAN THEY BE ALLOWED TO SELL DEFECTIVE PRODUCT TO CONSUMERS? ISN'T THAT…
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PURCHASED 2000 LEXUS RX300. SERVICED BY DEALER AT ALL RECOMMENDED TIMES. ONE PREVIOUS OWNER PRIOR TO ME. AT APPROXIMATELY 125,000 MILES. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, DIAGNOSTIC DONE. NEED NEW TRANSMISSION. APPARENTLY THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. HOW CAN THEY BE ALLOWED TO SELL DEFECTIVE PRODUCT TO CONSUMERS? ISN'T THAT FRAUD? *JB
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS, VEHICLE CONTROL WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN IT COLLIDING WITH A PARKED VEHICLE. A PIECE OF METAL WAS OBSERVED ON THE GROUND AFTER THE INCIDENT. THERE WAS A POLICE RE…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS, VEHICLE CONTROL WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN IT COLLIDING WITH A PARKED VEHICLE. A PIECE OF METAL WAS OBSERVED ON THE GROUND AFTER THE INCIDENT. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED AN AIR BUBBLE IN THE METAL OF THE CONTROL ARM CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE SHOP REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM, STRUT, INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD, AND THE BOOT KIT.
AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF FEELING OCCASIONAL SLIPPAGE IN THE DRIVE TRAIN OF MY 2000 RX300 (118K MILES), I HAD MY LOCAL MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT. HE DROVE TESTED IT, CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS, VISUALLY INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE, U-JOINTS ETC AND COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. TODAY WITH NO FURTHER NOTICE, THE TRANSMISSION FULL…
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AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF FEELING OCCASIONAL SLIPPAGE IN THE DRIVE TRAIN OF MY 2000 RX300 (118K MILES), I HAD MY LOCAL MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT. HE DROVE TESTED IT, CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS, VISUALLY INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE, U-JOINTS ETC AND COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. TODAY WITH NO FURTHER NOTICE, THE TRANSMISSION FULLY BROKE - LURCHING, CLUNKING, AND AFTER PULLING OVER TOTAL SLIPPAGE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE I'M WAITING FOR AN EVALUATION OF THE SITUATION. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, I COULD HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT, AS THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION CAUSING A VERY UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. *NM
EARLY FAILURE OF PLANETARY GEAR SET IN LEXUS RX300 TRANSMISSION FAILING IN MORNING TRAFFIC IN BUSY STREET. *JB
THIS IS AN LEXUS RX300 2000 EDITION; THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. IT STARTED WITH AN UNTRACEABLE PROBLEM IN WHICH THE REAR TAIL BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING; LATER ON, THE TWO MAIN HEAD-LAMPS STOPPED WORKING; FUSES HAVE BEEN CHANGED, BULBS HAVE CHANGED, BUT NO PROBLEM HAS BEEN FOUND. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY …
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THIS IS AN LEXUS RX300 2000 EDITION; THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. IT STARTED WITH AN UNTRACEABLE PROBLEM IN WHICH THE REAR TAIL BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING; LATER ON, THE TWO MAIN HEAD-LAMPS STOPPED WORKING; FUSES HAVE BEEN CHANGED, BULBS HAVE CHANGED, BUT NO PROBLEM HAS BEEN FOUND. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS OR DAMAGE. *JB
MILEAGE 75000 AWD RX300 COMPLETE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION PUMP. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND MANUVERABILITY => DANGEROUS CAR WAS 100% MAINTAINED BY A LEXUS DEALER WEB REVEALED MANY SIMILAR FAILURES FIRST TIME TOYOTA TRIED TO USE A LIFETIME TRANSMISSION FLUID, IT DID NOT WORK!!!!*JB
I TOOK MY LEXUS 2000 BECAUSE IT SHIMMIED BADLY. THE DEALER COULD NOT LOOSEN THE NUT BECAUSE THE WHOLE CYLINDER DISC ASSY WAS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THEY HAVE TO SAW IT OFF. THE BRAKE PAD COULD NOT EVEN MOVE, THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THE ARM THAT CONNECT BRAKING. I WAS NEVER WARNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *JB
LIFTGATE OPENS DUE TO RUST IN BALL STUD ATTACHED TO BODY. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LIFTGATE CAN FALL OFF DUE TO RSUT IN BALL STUD AND HINGE HARDWARE FOR LIFTGATE - 2000 LEXUS RX 300
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.