2001 LEXUS RX Complaints

TRANSMISSION FAILURE-2001 LEXUS RX 300, 88,000 MILES, PURCHASED NEW, CAR WAS BABIED, SERVICES REGULARLY WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED AT 30,000 MILE INTERVALS. NEVER TOWED ANYTHING, DROVE ABOUT 9,000 MILES PER YEAR. YOU DON'T EXPECT A CAR YOU BUY FOR RELIABILITY TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FAIL AT 88,000 MILES WITH A $5,000 PRICE TAG TO REPAIR. RESEARCH SHOW THIS IS A GENETIC PROBLEM FOR AN UNDER ENGINEERED TRANSMISSION FOR A AWD AUTO. 100'S UPON 100'S HAVE THE COMPLAINT ON THIS MODEL FROM 1999-2002 WITH FAILURES AT 85,000- 95,000 MILES. DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING AS TO QUALITY, RELIABILITY AND PURSUIT OF PERFECTION WITH THE MANUFACTURER NOT WILLING TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. JUST READ THE LEXUS AND EDMUND BOARDS ON RX 300 AWD TRANSMISSION FAILURE. MANUFACTURER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM IN 2003 OR 2004 TRANSMISSIONS BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT PURCHASED BEFORE WE HAVE TO PAY THE CONSEQUENCE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS ON TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. REPORTS ARE NUMEROUS. *KB

2001 LEXUS RX300 FAILED TRANSMISSION WITH NO PRIOR SYMPTOMS @ 106K MILES. ESTIMATED $3,800 - $4,800 TO REPLACE WITH REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *TR

2001 LEXUS RX300 SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WHILE GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 60MPH (REDLINING THE ENGINE) AND ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT FROM BEHIND. APPARENTLY THIS CAR HAS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WHILE IN THE DRIVE POSITION SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW HAVING TO BE REBUILT FOR $3000 THAT WE DON'T HAVE. THE CAR SHIFTING INTO REVERSE WHILE IN THE DRIVE LOCATION SCARED THE HECK OUT OF US. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS BEHIND US!!! *TR

2001 LEXUS RX300 AT 113K MI. SUDDENLY THE GEARS ARE SLIPPING OR LOOSE IN REVERSE OR DRIVE WHEN STARTING FROM STOP - TAKES A SECOND TO CLICK INTO GEAR AND MOVE THE SUV- RANDOM IN NATURE AND OCCURRENCE. ABOUT A FEW MONTHS LATER THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON VSC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. LEXUS DEALER SAYS WARNING LIGHTS ARE FOR SOLENOID E. THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING FULL TRANSMISSION AS THEY CANNOT BE SURE REPLACING THE SOLENOID WILL NOT DAMAGE THE TRANSMISSION - $4,500 IS THE DAMAGE - OUCH! I AM READING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR LEXUS RX300'S - WHY ISN'T LEXUS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS- LARGE HIT TO THE FAMILY BUDGET!!!! *TR

I DROVE THIS CAR FROM SCHOOL TO HOME AS USUAL. THE TRANSMISSION IS GONE SUDDENLY THAT I HAD NO TIME TO PREPARE, THE CAR WAS LOSING CONTROL AND DRIVING INTO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE CAR ALMOST HIT AN OLD LADY WITH A SMALL GIRL. FORTUNATELY, I FINALLY GOT CONTROL OF THIS CAR AND WE WERE ALL SAFE. THIS GENERATION OF LEXUS RX300 HAS SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, MANY CASES CAN BE FOUND ONLINE. I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST THE MANUFACTURER RECALL THOSE CARS AND CAREFULLY EXAMINE THE PROBLEM, IN ORDER TO AVOID SUCH INCIDENT HAPPEN AGAIN. THOSE CARS ARE BECOMING OLDER, MANY MORE PROBLEMS WILL BE MANIFEST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE ENGINE WOULD EXHIBIT AN INCREASE IN RPMS BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A SLUDGE BUILDUP IN THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED A VALVE COVER AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE MECHANIC MADE THE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS LOOSING OIL EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2001 LEXUS RX 300. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC WHEN ATTEMPTING TO GET ON INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE HAS 120,000 MILES ON DRIVE TRAIN AND VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOOKED AT MONTHS EARLIER TO FIX POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT DISCOVER ANYTHING UNUSUAL AND SAID VEHICLE WAS OKAY TO DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION JUST QUIT AND LEFT MY CHILDREN AND ME STRANDED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. REAL DANGEROUS!!! I THINK VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. SHE THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMALLY LOUD THUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.

NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS APPLIED. TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT WHILE GOING HOME FROM WORK. WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MOVE FROM LIGHT INTO NEARBY PARKING LOT. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK FROM THERE. TOLD BY DEALER THAT THIS WAS RARE OCCASION AND THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. HAVE LEARNED SINCE THAT IT HAS HAPPENED QUITE FREQUENTLY. THIS HAPPENED AROUND 97,800 MILES. A COST OF AROUND $3957 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. *TR