1999 Lexus RX Transmission Problems

TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214381

Incident

Aug 9, 2007

Mileage

116,000 mi

1999 LEXUS RX300 TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10213978

Incident

Dec 31, 2007

Mileage

145,642 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 110,000 MILES ON 1999 LEXUS RX300. TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED (25 MPH) TRANSMISSION "LURCHED" LOST POWER AND WE DRIFTED TO A STOP ON A NARROW TWO LANE ROAD - ON A BLIND CURVE OF COURSE - AT NIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212066

Incident

Dec 5, 2007

Mileage

116,000 mi

AT 80,000 OUR 1999 LEXUS RX 300 TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $3,500. NOW AT 144,000 THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN FOR $4,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10210458

Incident

Nov 26, 2007

Mileage

80,000 mi

TRANSMISSION IN MY 1999 LEXUS RX300 FAILED PREMATURELY AT 110,000. I HAVE READ THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH THIS MODEL'S TRANSMISSION AND FEEL THAT LEXUS SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE $4000+ REPAIR CHARGES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10210448

Incident

Nov 28, 2007

Mileage

110,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP WITHOUT INPUT NOR INCREASE IN SPEED. TRANSMISSION FAILURE REQUIRED TOW TO SHOP FOR REPAIR. INSPECTION BY SHOP SHOWED COMPLETE FAILURE OF PLANETARY GEAR AND RESULTANT DAMAGE TO OTHER GEARS. REQUIRED COMPLETE REBUILD OF TRANSMISSION IN EXCESS OF $4600 WITH AN ADDITIONAL $1300 IN SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS DUE TO POOR REBUILD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10206510

Incident

Oct 28, 2006

Mileage

118,626 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND LEXUS STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 10/09/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10203470

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

Mileage

135,000 mi

1999 LEXUS RX300 AWD, TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED LIMIT OF 75 MPH. TRANSMISSION WENT IN TO NEUTRAL, AND CREATED A SERIOUS DRIVING HAZARD THAT REQUIRED MANEUVERING THROUGH TRAFFIC WITH NO CONTROL TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO BACK IN TO GEAR AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO CONTROL THE SPEED OF THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10199567

Incident

Aug 7, 2007

Mileage

64,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR 1999 LEXUS RX300. OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED ON INTERSTATE. 110K MILES WITH RECOMMENDED SERVICE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10195115

Incident

Jul 2, 2007

Mileage

110,500 mi

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY RX 300 YEAR 1999 WENT OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10192492

Incident

Jun 5, 2007

Mileage

91,462 mi

I PURCHASED MY 99 RX 300 IN FEBRUARY OF 2006 AT 51,800 MILES WITH RECORDS OF ALL SERVICE DONE WHEN NEEDED WITH A LEXUS DEALER. I BELIEVED I HAD PURCHASED A BEAUTIFUL CAR WITH VERY LOW MILES FOR THE YEAR THAT WOULD LAST ME FOR A FEW YEARS. AT 60,800 MILES THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT IN TO NEUTRAL ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THIS WAS A 3,600 JOB. ALSO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 STRUTS AT ANOTHER $1,000. I INFORMED LEXUS OF MY FRUSTRATION. HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY SUPPORT OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. NOT HAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER BUY ANOTHER LEXUS AS I DON'T FEEL THEY ARE STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.

NHTSA ID

10191629

Incident

Oct 6, 2006

Mileage

60,899 mi

AS I ENTERED THE INTERSTATE IN THE 1999 RX300, IT WOULDN'T CHANGE GEARS. I BARELY AVOIDED A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE. AS I TRIED TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO PULL OVER THE RPMS CLIMBED HIGHER AND HIGHER , AND I WASN'T ABLE TO TRAVEL OVER 20 MPH. ONCE I PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO PARK THE CAR I DISCOVERED THAT THE CAR WOULDN'T REVERSE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, HE SAID THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. I HAD TO PAY $3,000 FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CAR HAD 157,000 MILES. ONE SHOULD GET MORE MILES OUT OF A LEXUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN PAYING AS MUCH AS YOU DID FOR THE CAR. I WAS STILL NOT SURE WHY THIS ISN'T A RECALL. I NOTICED THERE WERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE TRANSMISSION. MANY OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURES HAPPENED EXACTLY THE SAME WAY MINE DID. HAD LEXUS LOOKED AT THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURES CONTINUOUSLY HAPPEN TO PEOPLE WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND INTERSTATE? THAT WAS A HUGE RISK FOR LEXUS TO TAKE. THIS SHOULD SERIOUSLY BRING ME A RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10190901

Incident

May 9, 2007

Mileage

157,000 mi

TL*- WHILE DRIVING A 1999 LEXUS RX300 AT THE SPEED OF 70 MPH THE ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON, AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE ENGINE SEEMED AS THOUGH IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. SHE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A WHINING NOISE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. SHE STATED THAT WHEN THE WEATHER WAS COLD THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO STAY IN FIRST GEAR A LITTLE LONGER THAN NORMAL BEFORE IT SHIFTED. SHE INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP OF THE FAILURE ON 01/2006. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL REACTION OF THE VEHICLE WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS THE FIRST INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,972.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187563

Incident

Mar 24, 2007

Mileage

124,972 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10186669

Incident

Mar 24, 2007

Mileage

57,000 mi

TRANSMISSION IN 1999 LEXUS RX300 FAILED ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. MANAGED TO PULL OFF INTO A GAS STATION AND AWAIT A TOW TRUCK. CAR COMPLETELY STALLED. WOULD NOT GO BACK OR FORWARD. HAD TO PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $4,016.22. THE CAR HAD 87,387 MILES. IN SPEAKING WITH THE PERSON DOING THE REPAIR, THIS WAS THE 4TH TIME THAT MONTH THAT A TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED ON A '99 RX 300 LEXUS THAT HAD LOW MILEAGE. CAR HAD BEEN PROPERLY SERVICED. DIFFERENT WEBSITES STATE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE RX 300 MODEL. IN SPEAKING WITH LEXUS CUSTOMER SUPPORT, THEY CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE IN THE WAY OF HELPING TO COVER THE COST. COINCIDENTALLY, A MEMBER OF MY FAMILY HAD THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN 2005 TO A RX 300 WITH MILEAGE AT 75,000 AND LEXUS COVERED THE TRANSMISSION PART. *JB

NHTSA ID

10182805

Incident

Nov 27, 2006

Mileage

87,387 mi

RECENTLY TOOK MY CAR IN AND FOUND OUT THAT MY TRANSMISSION HAD GONE OUT AFTER 108,000 MILES AND WOULD BE $4200 TO REPLACE REBUILD. AFTER RESEARCHING ABOUT THE LEXUS RX300 1999 MODEL I AM FINDING OUT THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLES TRANSMISSION . *NM

NHTSA ID

10182504

Incident

Feb 8, 2007

Mileage

10,800 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 1999 LEXUS RX 300, HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 01/27/07. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH GOOD THE ROAD CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT TURNED ON EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HIM IT WAS AN INTERNAL FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A SEALANT PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HIM HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PURCHASE OF A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE ONLY 71,000 MILES ON VEHICLE, AND THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10180989

Incident

Jan 27, 2007

TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASING A 2007 LEXUS RX350, I GAVE MY 1999 LEXUS RX 300 WHICH HAS 103,000 MILES ON IT TO MY DAUGHTER. SHE DROVE THE CAR 300 MILES HOME TO DALLAS ONLY TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION BEGIN TO BALK AT GOING INTO REVERSE THE NEXT DAY. THE TRANSMISSION PLACE WANTS $4000 TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION, AND THERE IS ALSO A BAD RATTLE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE THAT I FEAR TO FIND OUT WHAT IT MAY BE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR PARTLY FOR LEXUS'S REPUTATION FOR RELIABILITY. I HAVE HAD MINOR THINGS GO WRONG WITH IT, AMONG THOSE AN OIL GASKET THAT COST $1500 TO REPLACE IN THE OIL PAN AND MULTIPLE BOUTS OF O2 SENSORS AND AIR FLOW METERS GOING OUT OR NEEDING TO BE CLEANED. STILL I EXPECTED TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR 250,000 MILES BECAUSE OF THE REPUTATION. NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY DAUGHTER LOVES THE CAR, BUT CAN'T AFFORD THESE COSTLY REPAIRS. I WOULDN'T FEEL RIGHT SELLING THE CAR TO AN UNSUSPECTING STRANGER EITHER. I THINK LEXUS SHOULD STAND BEHIND THIS CAR AND REIMBURSE MY COSTS FOR ITEMS LIKE TRANSMISSION AND FRONT END REPAIRS THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT GO OUT AT THIS MILEAGE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10177952

Incident

Jan 5, 2007

Mileage

104,000 mi

MY TRANSMISSION ON MY 1999 RX300 COMPLETELY GAVE OUT ON ME AFTER MY CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAD TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIRS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I'VE FOUND TONS OF CUSTOMERS WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE WITH THE RX300. IT IS CRIMINAL THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS SOONER. CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE CUSTOMERS' EXPERIENCES: HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_54694_1.HTML. *NM

NHTSA ID

10177807

Incident

Apr 16, 2005

WHILE DRIVING MY 1999 RX300 ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON ME. I FELT I WAS LOSING POWER AND DECIDED TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER. I THEN TRY TO TURN OFF MY ENGINE TO SEE IF RESTARTING IT BACK UP WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE. WHEN I START THE CAR BACK UP AND PUT IT ON DRIVE, THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAD TO CALL A TOW TO TOW MY CAR BACK HOME. *NM

NHTSA ID

10177401

Incident

Dec 28, 2006

Mileage

80,228 mi

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1999 LEXUS RX 300 NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 70,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE STRUTS, THE RADIO ANTENNA MOTOR AND HAVE A MAJOR OIL LEAK REPAIRED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10177085

Incident

Apr 16, 2006

Mileage

70,000 mi

IN AUGUST 2005 I PURCHASED A 1999 LEXUS AWD RX-300 WITH 60,000 MILES FROM NORTHSIDE LEXUS IN HOUSTON. ON 12/4/06 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 73,882 MILES '' THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. LEXUS DEALERS HAD REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AT 31,385 MILES AND 59,134 MILES. AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION FOR $3896 WITH THE FOLLOWING PARTS: TORQUE CONVERTER, OVERHAUL KIT, ALL STEELS, FRONT PLANETARY, SUN GEAR, RING GEAR, REAR PLANETARY, BUSHING KIT, AND BEARING KIT. ACCORDING TO THE SHOP, THIS FAILURE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OR DRIVING, BUT IS RELATED TO A POOR TRANSMISSION DESIGN. HE REPORTED COMMON TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH LEXUS RX-300 VEHICLES. LEXUS HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR SERVICE NOTICE FOR THESE TRANSMISSIONS, NOR WOULD NORTHSIDE LEXUS AGREE TO REIMBURSE ANY PART OF MY REPAIR. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 19 PAGES OF TRANSMISSION ISSUES REPORTED AT HTTP://US.LEXUSOWNERSCLUB.COM/FORUMS. MANY REPORTS LINK THE PROBLEM TO LOW CAPACITY ON THE ATF OIL PRESSURE PUMP. THESE TRANSMISSIONS MUST BE RECALLED AND LEXUS MUST REIMBURSE CONSUMERS FOR THESE VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10175977

Incident

Dec 4, 2006

Mileage

73,882 mi

MY 1999 RX300 AWD (U140F) TRANSMISSION GAVE 2 SHUDDERS WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND THEN QUIT PULLING EXCEPT FOR 1 BLK OR SO AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE. TOOK IT TO TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. HE SAID PLANETARY GEARS WIPED OUT. OBTAINED NEW ONES AND REPAIRED OK. 1 MONTH LATER I PARKED AND WHEN RESTARTED, IT WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR NEUTRAL. HAD TO DRAG OUT OF SPACE. FWD OK. DROVE 200 MILES BACK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP. PLANETARIES AGAIN. REPLACED. OK 1 WK. REPLACED WHOLE TRANSMISSION WITH ONE FROM HIGHLANDER. STILL SHIFTS OCCASIONALLY POOR AT 10-30 MPH 2-3 SHIFT SHUDDER. SEEMS IT HAS A MAF SENSOR ERROR NOW THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSING THE SHUDDER / HARD SHIFTS/FAILURE. CAR HAS 140 K MILES. I THINK TOYOTA IS HIDING THIS SIMPLE FAILURE CAUSING MAJOR ($8K) FAILURES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10166759

Incident

May 10, 2006

Mileage

139,000 mi

EARLY FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION AFTER FOLLOWING MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND CHANGING FLUID EVERY 30K MILES. TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVE IN THE DESERT 75 MILES WEST OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT ROSEVILLE LEXUS, THE REPLACEMENT WOULD FAIL TO GO INTO DRIVE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS PUSH AFTER STOPPING CAUSING MANY NEAR COLLISIONS FROM THE REAR DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC, SECOND TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED FINALLY, BUT THE STABILIZER BAR MOUNTS WERE LEFT DISCONNECTED AND RUBBING ON THE BRAKE LINES AND DRIVE SHAFT. INCIDENTALLY THE FIRST REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WAS MISSING THREE BOLTS WHICH ATTACHED IT TO THE ENGINE. THE QUALITY OF WORK BY THIS DEALERSHIP WAS VERY POOR AND UNSAFE TO THE OWNER. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WAS POORLY DONE AND THE DRIVE SHAFT CAME OUT ON THE RIGHT SIDE TEARING THE SEAL AND LEAVING FLUID EVERYWHERE. THIS DEALERSHIP CAUSED MORE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND LEFT IT IN UNSAFE CONDITION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY TO THE OCCUPANTS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10154146

Incident

Jul 6, 2004

Mileage

101,000 mi