2000 LEXUS RX300 Complaints

PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. PURCHASED USED WITH 85,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED AT SUGGESTED INTERVALS. CAR WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY TRANSMISSION SELECTOR POSITION. AFTER RESEARCH, FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL LEXUS. *KB

WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE (LEXUS RX300 4WD) ON 11/29/2002 WITH 27,080 MILES ON IT FROM LOCAL LEXUS DEALER. IT IS MY WIFE'S PRIMARY VEHICLE AND SHE DRIVES IT TO WORK DAILY (ABOUT 20 MILES PER DAY). AT 111,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING ERRATICALLY IE. DOWN SHIFTING SUDDENLY WHEN IT SHOULDN'T AND SLIPPING GEARS. IT ALSO MAKES A STRANGE CONSTANT NOISE. IT HAD BEEN MORE AND MORE SHIFTING THIS WAY OFF AND ON FOR 2 OR 3 MONTHS. I TOOK IT TO LEXUS DEALER ON 8/24/2011 BECAUSE OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE SERVICE CONSULTANT STATED IT NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION (THIS WAS SAID IN THE SAME TONE OF "YOU NEED A NEW AIR FILTER") AND THEY WOULD REPLACE IT FOR $5,208.80. WHEN I ASKED SERVICE CONSULTANT IF THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM HE STATED THAT IT WAS NOT. HE SAID MY TRANSMISSION COULD TOTALLY FAIL AT ANY TIME EVEN WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. THE OPERATORS MANUAL STATES "IT IS NECESSARY TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID ONLY IF YOUR VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNDER SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS" WHICH WE DON'T. I CHECKED EDMUNDS AND BLOGS ON LINE AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OVER THIS ISSUE AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY WIFE TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE AND SO IT JUST SETS IN MY GARAGE. *KB

2008 TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 100,600, REPLACED AND AGAIN FAILED IN 2011 AT 131,000, FAILED AT 134,000, NOW BEING TOLD THE ECM COMPUTER IS CAUSING THE HARD SHIFTING AT 2ND TO 3RD UPSHIFT. WAS TOLD THE SAME TRANNY IS IN THE RECALLED RAV4. *TR

WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE (LEXUS RX300 4WD) ON 11/29/2002 WITH 27,080 MILES ON IT FROM LOCAL LEXUS DEALER. IT IS MY WIFE'S PRIMARY VEHICLE AND SHE DRIVES IT TO WORK DAILY (ABOUT 20 MILES PER DAY). AT 111,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING ERRATICALLY IE. DOWN SHIFTING SUDDENLY WHEN IT SHOULDN'T AND SLIPPING GEARS. IT ALSO MAKES A STRANGE CONSTANT NOISE. IT HAD BEEN MORE AND MORE SHIFTING THIS WAY OFF AND ON FOR 2 OR 3 MONTHS. I TOOK IT TO LEXUS DEALER ON 8/24/2011 BECAUSE OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE SERVICE CONSULTANT STATED IT NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION (THIS WAS SAID IN THE SAME TONE OF "YOU NEED A NEW AIR FILTER") AND THEY WOULD REPLACE IT FOR $5,208.80. WHEN I ASKED SERVICE CONSULTANT IF THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM HE STATED THAT IT WAS NOT. HE SAID MY TRANSMISSION COULD TOTALLY FAIL ANT ANY TIME EVEN WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. THE OPERATORS MANUAL STATES "IT IS NECESSARY TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID ONLY IF YOUR VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNDER SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS" WHICH WE DON'T. I CHECKED EDMUNDS AND BLOGS ON LINE AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OVER THIS ISSUE AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY WIFE TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE AND SO IT JUST SETS IN MY GARAGE.

FULL TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT ANY ADVANCE SYMPTOMS AT 103,500 MILES. VEHICLE REGULARLY SERVICED, INCLUDING 90K COMPLETE SERVICE AT DEALER. *TR

VEHICLE STARTED LOSING POWER WHILE GOING 35-45 MPH AND EVENTUALLY STALLED. WAS ABLE TO START VEHICLE BUT WON'T GO PASS 25 MPH. WHEN STOPPED, AND SHIFTED ON DRIVE, VEHICLE WON'T MOVE FORWARD. WON'T GO INTO REVERSE EITHER WHEN ENGAGED IN REVERSE. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LEXUS RX300. THE TIMING BELT AND ENGINE WERE REPLACED DECEMBER OF 2010 BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE TIMING BELT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILES WERE 175,000.

WITH NO WARNING SIGNS AT ALL THE TRANSMISSION ON MY LEXUS RX300 HAS FAILED. THE CAR NEVER PREVIOUSLY FAILED TO ENGAGE IN ANY GEAR, HOWEVER, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR DECREASED IN SPEED AND WOULD NOT SWITCH GEARS TO ACCELERATE. WE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AND THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER MOVE. LUCKILY WE HAD MADE THE RARE CHOICE OF NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD BEEN CHECKED 3 WEEKS EARLIER, AND THE CAR HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I AM FINDING HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF LEXUS, AND EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THIS TRANSMISSION SET UP. FOR THE PRICE OF THESE CARS I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. THERE IS NO REASON WHY A TRANSMISSON SHOULD FAIL AT 126,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE REPAIR COST COULD BE BETWEEN $3500-$5000. THIS IS NOT THE QUALITY THAT I EXPECTED WITH THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSORS, THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS THE VVT VALVES AND OIL PAN, AND NOW WE ARE FACED WITH THE GREAT EXPENSE OF REPLACING A VERY EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION THAT SHOULD STILL WORK. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED, AND WHILE I HAVE PROMOTED THE PURCHASE OF LEXUS CARS TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS, AND VOWED TO PURCHASE AGAIN, I AM NOT CERTAIN THAT I WANT TO SPEND VERY HARD EARNED MONEY ON THE DREAM OF QUALITY THAT DOESN'T EXIST.

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING-LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM REGARDING HER LETTER TO TOYOTA THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF TOYOTAS. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR GENTLY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD, JUMPING THE CURB, KNOCKING DOWN AND RUNNING OVER A STEEL POST ON THE SIDEWALK THAT WAS ANCHORED IN CONCRETE ALL THE WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS FRANTICALLY STOMPING ON THE BRAKE TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED ABOUT SIX FEET FROM THE WALL OF A DEPARTMENT STORE. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED ON JAN 31, 2011. AS THE CONSUMER PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD, OVER THE CURB AND HIT THE POST IN FRONT OF THE CURB. THE IMPACT KNOCKED THE VEHICLE BACK ABOUT THREE FEET AND BASHED IN THE FRONT FENDER AND GRILL. *JB UPDATED 05/19/11

THE MOON ROOF MOTOR HAS TWO FUNCTIONS, TILTING OPEN AND SLIDING THE ENTIRE GLASS PANEL OPEN. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO USE THE SLIDE PANEL OPEN FUNCTION, THE PANEL DID SLIDE OPEN, HOWEVER IT WAS MUCH SLOWER THAN NORMAL OPERATION AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A GRINDING/CLICKING NOISE WHICH NEVER ACCOMPANIED PREVIOUS OPERATION. AN ATTEMPT TO CLOSE THE ROOF PANEL YIELDED AN IDENTICAL RESULT. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO OPERATE THE TILT FEATURE OF THE ROOF, WHICH WAS ALSO SLOW AND ACCOMPANIED BY THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED NOISES. ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE ROOF RESULTED IN NO MOVEMENT OF THE ROOF PANEL AND A GRATING SOUND FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTOR. ACTIVATING THE SWITCH WHILE SUBSEQUENTLY PUSHING DOWN ON THE ROOF PANEL CAUSED IT TO RETURN TO THE CLOSED POSITION. I AM NOW UNABLE TO OPEN THE ROOF DUE TO FEAR OF IT BEING STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION AND A SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE WILL BOW AND CAUSE SEVERE INJURY TO PASSENGERS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS POSTED WARNINGS IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF ITS HIGHER PROPENSITY TO ROLLOVER IN ACCIDENTS OR HIGH SPEED MANEUVERS THAN AVERAGE VEHICLES.