2000 LEXUS RX300 Complaints

9/2009 - ENGINE FAILED. VEHICLE INITIALLY PERFORMED NORMALLY, BUT ENGINE SEIZED DURING INTERSTATE DRIVING. PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION DETERMINED CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS SLUDGE BUILD UP. VEHICLE OUT OF INITIAL WARRANTY. EXTENSION BASED UPON CONSUMER COMPLAINTS EXPIRED 4/2009. NEW ENGINE INSTALLED AT MY EXPENSE. 12/2009 - TRANSMISSION FAILED. VEHICLE INITIALLY PERFORMED NORMALLY, BUT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO LURCH WHEN PLACED INTO GEAR AFTER GASOLINE FILL UP. PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION DETERMINED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AT MY EXPENSE. *TR

BOUGHT MY 2002 LEXUS RX300 BRAND NEW WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE ON SCHEDULED. AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF SLOW/SLIPPAGE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND HAD IT SERVICE/REBUILT BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC. I FOUND OUT ON AN INTERNET LEXUS CLUB FORUM THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE EARLY GENERATION LEXUS RX300 (YEAR 1999-2001) AND I AM UNFORTUNATELY OVER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY SO I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC TO BE SERVICED. I PAID $3800+ TO HAVE TO REPAIRED - WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE FOR BUYING A SUPPOSED TO BE RELIABLE CAR? THANKFULLY IT WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED BUT RATHER ON THE OFF RAMP OF THE HIGHWAY. *TR

MY 2000 LEXUS RX300 TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE LEXUS DEALER COST $4,500 FIX IT. MY CAR WAS THERE COUPLE MONTH AGO FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THEY SAID EVERY THING OK, IT HAD THE OIL CHANGE LAST WEEK. THEY SAID THIS IS THE TRANSMISSION PART PROBLEM EVEN IT HAD THE TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGE REGULARLY. *TR

DEAR SIR: I AM ONE OF THOSE RX300 2000 LEXUS OWNERS. I HAVE BEEN FAITHFULLY TAKEN MY LEXUS TO THE LEXUS DEALER FOR EVERY OIL CHANGE AND PROBLEM. I RECENTLY TOOK MY 2000 LEXUS WITH 124,000 MILES TO LEXUS FOR MY REGULAR OIL CHANGE.. CHARGING ME BUT FAILURE TO TELL ME THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS HAVING PROBLEMS. I PAID FOR MY SERVICE BUT.... I AM OUT THE MONEY PLUS LEXUS WOULD LIKE ME TO PAY $4,600 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. OMG... I THINK LOOKING AT ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION LEXUS SHOULD HELP DEFRAY THE COSTS............... THANKS *TR

IGNITION STUCK IN ACC POSITION. TURNED OFF CAR NORMALLY WHEN I TRIED TO START IT I WAS UNABLE TO BECAUSE THE IGNITION WAS IN THE ACC POSITION INSTEAD OF THE OFF POSITION. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM I HAD TO TOW MY CAR HOME AND ORDER A NEW IGNITION TUMBLER, AND THEN HAVE IT REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN 2008. HE RECENTLY HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE RPMS DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO A LOW GEAR AND MOVED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 75,360.

2000 AWD LEXUS RX 300.....I LOVE MY CAR , BOUGHT IT USED AT 44,000K, 2002 AND IT HAS BEEN GOOD EXCEPT FOR THE TRANSMISSION, NOW AT 120,000 AND EVERYONE ,DEALER AND LOCAL INDEPENDENTS WANT $4200-$4500, SAYS IT IS THE 'PLANETARY GEARS' IT WASN'T THROWING A CHECKING ENGINE LIGHT,NOR A CODE JUST EVER SO OFTEN IT WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE. ONE DAY GOING DOWN THE ROAD IT JUST QUITS GOING. I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO A LOCAL TOYOTA/LEXUS REPAIR SHOP MANY TIMES SAYING IT WAS CHANGING GEARS RIGHT, AND DEALER, AND THEY HAD PUT THE TESTER ON IT SEVERAL TIMES, REPLACED 02SENSORS , BUT ALL ALONG SAID IT WASN'T THE TRANSMISSION, IT WAS! THIS CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN BUT IT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL. I FEEL IF IT IS A "LEXUS' A TOYOTA GETS 300-500,000 ON A TRANSMISSION SHOULDN'T A LEXUS DO EVEN BETTER? *TR

TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AT 101,000. COMPLETE MAINTENANCE RECORDS AVAILABLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SET IN THE FRONT PUMP SHUTS DOWN THE TRANSMISSION OF HER VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RENDERS THE VEHICLE IMMOBILE AND DOES NOT LUBRICATE THE TRANSMISSION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHO WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED BECAUSE THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

AFTER LEAVING HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION FAILED AND FRONT WHEELS LOCKED. WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. *TR