2000 LEXUS RX300 Complaints

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

OWN A LEXUS 2000 RX300, TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 56,825 MILES. CONTACTED A LEXUS DEALER AND NO HELP WAS OFFERED, SAID IT WOULD COST $6000 FOR THE REPAIRS.I MADE A FORMAL REQUEST FROM LEXUS USA FOR HELP BUT THEY DECLINED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. I WAS 1600 MILES FROM HOME SO I HAD AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP MAKE THE REPAIRS.LEXUS IS IN FACT AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE RX 300 TRANSMISSIONS, BUT REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE DESIGN TRANSMISSION. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OF ANY CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. I KNOW THEY HAVE REDESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION ON LATER MODELS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM! *TR

BOUGHT 2000 LEXUS RX300 IN JANUARY 2008. BY MAY 2009 REPLACING TRANSMISSION AROUND130,000MILES . 1ST IT STARED LIKE IT WAS HESITATING. BY MID DAY ON THE INTERSTATE DURING 65/HR, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT . HAD TO PULLOVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD 30MILE/HR AT 4000 RPM. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED .DROVE IT HOME 1 WEEK LATER SAME THING. TOOK BACK TO MR TRANSMISSION SAID IT WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH TRANSMISSION. SENSORS OXYGEN REPLACED STOP FOR A LITTLE BIT. NOTICED ON AND OFF TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP. TRANSMISSION OUT AGAIN ALONG WITH CAR IDLING HIGH AND MAKING A POPPING NOISE. I GUESS NOTHING (RECALL) WILL NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE NO ONE DIED THAT SEEMS TO BE HOW IT WORKS OR IF IT SOMETHING MINOR LIKE UMMM A LIGHT. *TR

I PURCHASED A VEHICLE AT BOND AUTO SALES ON 12/24/2010. AFTER A FEW DAYS, I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO LET THEM KNOW THAT TRUCK WAS NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY. IT WAS RUNNING IN 3RD GEAR IDLING HIGH. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, I CALLED BACK A FEW DAYS LATER, THE CAR WOULD TURN OFF , IT WAS ALSO EATING UP OIL, I WAS TOLD TO BRING IN THE TRUCK SO THAT THEIR MECHANIC COULD LOOK AT IT, AND HE TEST DROVE THE TRUCK AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE SALESMAN SAID THAT HE WOULD SPEAK TO HIS MANAGER AND NOT TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC. THEY TOOK MY PHONE NUMBER AND MY HUSBANDS PHONE NUMBER, WE NEVER GOT A CALL BACK. MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO THE MANAGER DIRECTLY. I ASKED IF THEY COULD LOOK AT THE TRUCK BECAUSE I FELT THE PROBLEM WAS GETTING WORST AND IT MAY BE THE TRANSMISSION, THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CAR. THE MANAGER CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD, IT WOULD COST $1500.00 TO REPAIR. HE WANTED ME TO BRING IN $500.00 THAT SAME DAY, AND I HAD NOT EVEN HAD THE CAR FOR 30 DAYS. I ASKED IF THEY COULD PUT ME INTO ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE I REALLY DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY. I GAVE THEM $4000.00 CASH, WHEN I INITIATED THIS DEAL, I DID NOT HAVE $500.00. THEY REFUSED TO WORK WITH ME AT ALL, I HAD MY FIRST CAR PAYMENT DUE JANUARY 29, 2011, AND HAD NO GUARANTEES THAT THE TRUCK WOULD BE ALRIGHT. THE ONLY CHOICE THAT I HAD WAS TO VOLUNTARILY GIVE THE CAR BACK, WHICH I DID, THE SAME DAY JANUARY 20, 2011. I ASKED FOR SOMETHING WITH THE COMPANY LETTER HEAD STATING THAT I HAD RETURNED THE TRUCK, AND THEY REFUSED. ALL I GOT WAS A SMALL RECEIPT WITH THEIR LOGO, MY INFO, DATE AND IT DOES SAY VOLUNTARY RETURN 01/20/2011. I KEEP GETTING BILLS SAYING THAT MY CAR PYT. IS LATE, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE TRUCK. NOW THEY ARE GOING TO REPORT TO THE CREDIT AS A REPO, AND THAT IS NOT FAIR TO ME. I GAVE THE CAR BACK 1/20/11

2000 RX300 LEXUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE REPAIR SHOP FOUND METAL IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND A REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED. *JB

I WENT INTO MY GARAGE AND GOT IN MY CAR (LEXUS RX300,2000). IT STARTED NORMALLY, BUT IT WOULD NOT SHIFT UNTIL I PRESSED THE OVERRIDE BUTTON AND PUT IT INTO REVERSE. AS SOON AS THE SHIFTER HIT (R) THE THROTTLE SEEMED TO GO WIDE OPEN AND THE CAR BOLTED OUT OF THE GARAGE. LUCKILY, SINCE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE ALMOST INSTANTLY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE IT GOT OUT OF CONTROL. THE CAR TRAVELED ABOUT 30 FT BEFORE I COULD STOP IT. I THINK I PUT IT INTO PARK AND JUST SAT THERE AND TRIED TO CALM DOWN. I WAS TERRIFIED BECAUSE OF THE HORRIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF BLASTING OUT INTO THE STREET ETC. AFTER, CALMING DOWN I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ON WITH A GREAT DEAL OF TREPIDATION. AS I DROVE I WAS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO PLAN WHAT TO DO IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, IF THE CAR HAD GONE INTO DRIVE IT WOULD HAVE BLASTED INTO THE GARAGE WALL, OR WORSE. ADDENDUM: [XXX], I INSPECTED THE CAR AFTER THE INCIDENT AND COULD NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER, I AM A CONTROLS SYSTEM ENGINEER AND IT CERTAINLY SOUNDED LIKE A CLASSIC BOUNDING/ BOUNDARY PROBLEM IN THE CONTROL SOFTWARE. BY THIS I MEAN THAT THE INPUTS TO THE CONTROL LOOP EXCEED THE ALLOWED VALUES. OR DUE TO SOME UNUSUAL SET OF INPUTS THERE IS AN OVERFLOW PROBLEM , WHERE THE LOOP DOES A CALCULATION THAT CAUSES THE VALUE TO CROSSOVER FROM ALL ONES TO ALL ZEROS, THIS OVERFLOW ISSUE CAN HAVE VERY UNEXPECTED RESULTS, LIKE RAILING THE CONTROLLED PARAMETER. IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS MODEL LEXUS ENGINE SEEMS TO HAVE A MECHANICAL THROTTLE LINKAGE, SO THE ONLY SOFTWARE CONTROLLED THROTTLE COMMANDS HAVE TO COME FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL BOX, SINCE IT ALSO HAS AN INDEPENDENT CABLE LINKAGE TO THE THROTTLE PLATE. I DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE TO BE CERTAIN THIS COULD NOT RECUR. THIS IMPLIES THAT ANY TOYOTA WITH CRUISE CONTROL IS AT RISK, BUT IT SHOULD ALLOW A QUICK SAFETY FIX, JUST DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CABLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY SON (2.5-YEAR-OLD, 32LBS) WAS SITTING IN HIS CHILD SEAT WHICH WAS ON RIGHT REAR SEAT. THE CHILD SEAT WAS SECURED WITH LAP&SHOULDER SEAT BELT. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CURVY FREEWAY ON-RAMP AT ABOUT 25MPH, THE SEAT BELT UNBUCKLED ITSELF AND MY SON FELL WITH HIS CHILD SEAT ONTO THE FLOOR. HIS HEAD HIT THE SEAT BACK OF THE DRIVER SEAT. THE SPEED POST ON THAT RAMP IS 25MPH. ACTUALLY, THIS IS THE 2ND OCCURRENCE OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON 11/20/2010 ON ANOTHER CURVY FREEWAY ON-RAMP. MY KIDS HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THAT CHILD SEAT ON THE SAME SEAT FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS. THERE WAS NO ISSUE UNTIL 11/20/2010. ALSO, MY SON WAS VERY TIGHTLY SECURED IN HIS CHILD SEAT. HIS HAND WAS AT LEAST 10-15" FROM THAT BUCKLE. SO THERE WAS NO WAY HE COULD UNBUCKLE HIMSELF. I CALLED LEXUS, BUT WAS TOLD TO VISIT A LOCAL DEALER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A LOCAL DEALER. THE SERVICE GUY DID SOME SIMPLE TESTS OF THAT SEAT BELT, BUT COULD SEE NOTHING WRONG. HE THEN SUGGESTED THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO GET A NEW CAR.

ERRATIC SHIFTING, TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE, JERKING VEHICLE, JUST MISSED A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS OCCURRED ONE TIME WITHOUT ANY NOTICE OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT INDICATION. COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION IS BEING REBUILT BY AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. PLANETARY GEARS, SOLENOID, CLUTCHES, AND OTHER NUMEROUS PARTS. *TR

LEXUS RX300 4-W-DRIVE [XXX] WITH 109,715 MILES EXPERIENCED A TRANSAXLE FAILURE. TRANSAXLE HAD BEEN FLUSHED AT 30,000, 60,000 AND 90,000 MILES. REPAIR BILL WAS $5233.16 AND THE REMAN PART WAS 3552.23 OF THE TOTAL PRICE. THIS PREMATURE FAILURE IS ACCOMPANIED BY MANY PREMATURE FAILURES AS REVEALED IN THE INTERNET TALK FORUMS AND APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM. LEXUS OFFERED $750 COMPENSATION. I QUESTION THE ALUMINUM GEARS AND REVOLUTIONS ALLOWED DURING SHIFT AS POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAWS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED @ 125,000 MILES & STILL DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY... AAMCO SANTA CRUZ CALIFORNIA WILL NOT WARRANTY IT STATING THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE TRANSMISSION IT IS THE COMPUTER WHICH HAS TO BE REPLACED EVEN THOUGH TOYOTA OF SC DID DIAGNOSTIC AND STATED NOTHING WRONG W/ COMPUTER IN VEHICLE - AAMCO HAS HAD VEHICLE APROX 2 MONTHS. *TR