Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
625–50K
1550–75K
3875–100K
75100–150K
17150K+
152 reports with mileage · 17 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 123 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
169 reports
56,500 miles · Aug 21, 2007
Power Train
MADE A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR LOST POWER AND WOULD REV LESS THAN 2000RPM. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AND SHUT ENGINE OFF. RESTARTED THE CAR AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE, BUT CAR STILL WOULDN'T REV ABOVE 2000RPM. SINCE I DIDN'T WANT TO BLOCK A DRIVEWAY, I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERS…
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MADE A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR LOST POWER AND WOULD REV LESS THAN 2000RPM. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AND SHUT ENGINE OFF. RESTARTED THE CAR AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE, BUT CAR STILL WOULDN'T REV ABOVE 2000RPM. SINCE I DIDN'T WANT TO BLOCK A DRIVEWAY, I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, BUT IT DIDN'T MOVE. HAD TO TOW MY 2001 RX300 WITH ONLY 56K MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10200390
70,345 miles · Jul 26, 2007
Power Train
1) WHILE DRIVING ON 101 FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES ON A 90 DEGREE DAY THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE. 2) THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH BY EXITING THE FREEWAY. 3) THE AUTO DEALER MADE A GOOD WILL REPAIR EVEN THOUGH IT WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10197521
101,000 miles · Jul 24, 2007
Power Train
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 138,000. UPDATED 08/14/07. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10197332
99,033 miles · Jul 13, 2007
Power Train
2001 LEXUS RX300. MULTIPLE INCIDENCES OF TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, REQUIRING A FULL REBUILD.
NHTSA ODI #10196252
101,230 miles · Jul 11, 2007
Power Train
AFTER 101,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 2001 LEXUS RX300 SIMPLY WENT OUT. I COULD NOT GO IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. I PARKED IN A STALL AT MY SON'S PRESCHOOL AND AFTER DROPPING HIM OFF, I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT. AT FIRST THE CARD DIDN'T MOVE, THEN A QUICK JOLT AND A CLANKING NOISE AND THAT WAS IT. I HAVE REGULARLY…
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AFTER 101,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 2001 LEXUS RX300 SIMPLY WENT OUT. I COULD NOT GO IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. I PARKED IN A STALL AT MY SON'S PRESCHOOL AND AFTER DROPPING HIM OFF, I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT. AT FIRST THE CARD DIDN'T MOVE, THEN A QUICK JOLT AND A CLANKING NOISE AND THAT WAS IT. I HAVE REGULARLY SERVICED THE CAR, AND JUST CLEANED THE TRANSMISSION NOT MORE THAT 2 MONTHS AGO. THAT WAS THE THIRD TRANSMISSION FLUSH I HAD DONE SINCE 2001. MY FATHER OWNS A REPAIR SHOP SO MAINTENANCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN KEPT UP. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10196074
79,990 miles · Jun 2, 2007
Power Train
MY 2001 LEXUS RX300'S TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT HAS 80,000 MILES AND IS DEALER SERVICED. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR UNTIL THE CAR SUDDENLY WOULDN'T REVERSE. IN DRIVE THE CAR WOULD SHIFT AND STOP ABRUPTLY. I WAS SCARED THAT I WAS GOING TO GET HIT IN THE BACK BY ANOTHER CAR. DEALER WANTS $4800 TO FIX TRANSMISSION AND …
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MY 2001 LEXUS RX300'S TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT HAS 80,000 MILES AND IS DEALER SERVICED. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR UNTIL THE CAR SUDDENLY WOULDN'T REVERSE. IN DRIVE THE CAR WOULD SHIFT AND STOP ABRUPTLY. I WAS SCARED THAT I WAS GOING TO GET HIT IN THE BACK BY ANOTHER CAR. DEALER WANTS $4800 TO FIX TRANSMISSION AND THEY CLAIM IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE CAR. MY QUESTION WAS WHY IT WASN'T RECALLED THEN AND I GOT NO RESPONSE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10192312
103,675 miles · May 3, 2007
Vehicle Speed Control
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 67 MPH THE VEHICLE'S VARIABLE SKID CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE BEEPER ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO SWERVE BEFORE AUTOMATICALLY SHUTTING OFF. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED THREE TIMES WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE VARIABLE SKID CONTR…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 67 MPH THE VEHICLE'S VARIABLE SKID CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE BEEPER ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO SWERVE BEFORE AUTOMATICALLY SHUTTING OFF. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED THREE TIMES WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE VARIABLE SKID CONTROL BEEPER DEACTIVATED AND THE LIGHT DIMMED. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH DRY ROAD CONDITIONS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 103,675.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10189644
81,000 miles · Jan 24, 2007
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10180621
98,000 miles · Jul 6, 2006
Power Train
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AT NIGHT WITH MYSELF, MY HUSBAND AND OUR 8 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER. HAD TO GET THE HIGHWAY PATROL TO FOLLOW US TO AN EXIT. THIS CAR HAD 98000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND ACCORDING TO ALL MY INTERNET RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON, KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE LEXUS RX300 THAT THEY REFUSE TO ADDRESS. …
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TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AT NIGHT WITH MYSELF, MY HUSBAND AND OUR 8 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER. HAD TO GET THE HIGHWAY PATROL TO FOLLOW US TO AN EXIT. THIS CAR HAD 98000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND ACCORDING TO ALL MY INTERNET RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON, KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE LEXUS RX300 THAT THEY REFUSE TO ADDRESS. ITS A SAFETY HAZARD. LEXUS OF COURSE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. COST 3600.00 IN REPAIRS. NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION GO OUT THIS EARLY, ACTUALLY NEVER HAD ONE GO OUT PERIOD ON CARS WITH MANY MORE MILES. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10161652
Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REFERENCING 2001 LEXUS RX 300. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD DEVELOPED SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER SHE WILL HAVE TO PAY $13000 TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE INSTALLED. THE CONSUMER HAS FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS WEBSITE IN REFERENCE TO THIS PROBLEM. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10144305
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2001 Lexus RX300 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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