1999 Lexus RX300 Powertrain (other) Problems

ON 06/16/16 I PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY ENGAGE EMERGENCY BRAKES PLACE VEHICLE IN PARK AND GOT OFF. IMMEDIATELY I REALIZED VEHICLE WAS ROLLING FORWARD I ATTEMPTED TO START TO BRAKE AND GOT NOTHING. I NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE I ATTEMPTED TO PLACE IN PARK AND GOT NOTHING LEVER WAS FREE SLIDING NOT ENGAGING ANY GEARS. I IMMEDIATELY GOT ONLINE TO ATTEMPT TO TROUBLESHOOT ISSUE AND RAN INTO A HANDFUL OF BLOGS RELATING TO AN ISSUE IN GEAR SHIFTER CABLE WITH A PLASTIC RETAINING CLIP WHICH LEXUS USES ON CABLE. I HAD NO INDICATION OR ANY SORT OF WARNING OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT OCCURRED IT JUST HAPPEN OUT OF THE BLUE AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IF I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE READ THAT LEXUS IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS MISTAKE AND FEEL THAT IT IS HORRIBLE TO ALLOW A COMPANY THAT SELLS SUCH EXPENSIVE VEHICLES TO EMPLOY THIS PRACTICE AND ENDANGER CONSUMERS, SPECIFICALLY FOR SUCH AN INEXPENSIVE PIECE. I HAD TO GET UNDER VEHICLE TO MANUALLY ENGAGE TRASMISSION INTO NEUTRAL TO BE ABLE TO START VEHICLE AND PROPERLY PARK BY AGAIN GETTING UNDER VEHICLE AND PLACING IN REVERSE AND THE DRIVE, I WAS UNABLE TO GET BACK INTO PARK FOR SOME REASON WILL LIFT VEHICLE IN THE MORNING AND ATTEMPT TO SEE WHY WILL ALSO BE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR AND WILL THEN HAVE MORE OF AN IDEA OF THE ISSUE AND PICTURES RELATING TO THIS MATTER

NHTSA ID

10874742

Incident

Jun 16, 2016

Mileage

111,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET DOING ABOUT 40 OR SO AND ALL FOUR WHEELS LOCKED UP AT ONCE SUDDENLY. IT CAUSING THE CAR TO A COME PLEAT STOP IN THE ROAD. THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD TO LOCK UP ALL MOST CAUSING A ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

10864264

Incident

May 10, 2016

Mileage

14,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.

NHTSA ID

10671427

Incident

Jan 8, 2015

Mileage

300,000 mi

AT APPROX 195,000 THE TRANSMISSION HAS COMPLETELY FAILED. I RECOGNIZE MILEAGE MIGHT BE HIGH BUT I BELIEVE THAT AS ENGINE IS GOOD FOR 250,000 TO 300,000 THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD ALSO BE RATED THAT HIGH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10660710

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

195,000 mi

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10611413

Incident

Jul 17, 2014

THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE 2013- THE CAR GOES UP TO 35 MPHS AND THEN LOSES POWER AND THEN SHUTS OFF. I HAVE TO FORCEFULLY PULL IT OVER TO THE SIDE. FIRST TIME IT WAS WORKED ON REPLACED BATTERY AND THOUGHT IT WAS THE COMPUTER. A YEAR LATER AT 136,000 MILES THE CAR MAKES ELECTRICAL NOISES AND HAS DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING AND SHIFTING ABOVE 3000 RPMS. WHEN BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND SOLENOID. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10569371

Incident

Mar 14, 2013

Mileage

120,000 mi

ON APRIL 25, 2012, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING TO MY BROTHERS HOME, A DISTANCE OF 50 MILES. ABOUT TWO MILES FROM OUR DESTINATION, WE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I ACCELERATED AND THE CAR WENT FORWARD ABOUT TEN FEET AND LURCHED TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. WE WERE THROWN FORWARD, AND THE DRIVER BEHIND US HAD TO JAM HIS BRAKES. WE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE THE INTERSECTION ONLY BY PUTTING THE CAR IN LOW GEAR AND SLOWLY MOVING THROUGH THE TRAFFIC TO THE FAR RIGHT LANE AND INTO A BANK PARKING LOT. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A NEARBY MECHANIC. THE FOLLOWING DAY I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE MECHANIC WHO QUOTED $3,766 FOR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. I AUTHORIZED THE WORK TO BE DONE. ON APRIL 27, I TOLD A FRIEND WHO WAS VISITING OUR AREA FROM CANADA OF THE INCIDENT. THAT DAY, HE SPOKE WITH AN ACQUAINTANCE WHO IS A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FOR A CANADIAN LEXUS DEALER. HE SAID THAT FAILURE AT AROUND 100,000 MILES IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 1999 LEXUS RX300 AND THAT LEXUS HAD BEEN WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS ON THIS ISSUE .I WENT TO THE INTERNET TO SEE WHAT I COULD LEARN. THERE WAS NO RECALL, BUT THERE WERE SITES REFERENCING THE PERVASIVENESS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN THE RX300. FROM WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED , WE BELIEVE THAT TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THE 1999 LEXUS RX300 OCCURS FREQUENTLY AT AROUND 100,000 MILES AND IS CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT MODEL YEAR. THAT BEING THE CASE, IT SEEMS TO US THAT LEXUS OUGHT TO HAVE TAKEN PREEMPTIVE ACTION SO THAT OWNERS SUCH AS MY WIFE AND I WOULD NOT HAVE TO SUFFER A NEAR COLLISION, NOT TO MENTION UNNECESSARY COSTS AND INCONVENIENCE. LEXUS OFFERED A TOKEN SERVICE CREDIT BUT WAS UNWILLING TO ADMIT TO ANY INHERENT PROBLEM IN THE RX300 TRANSMISSIONS AND OFFERED NO COMMENT REGARDING OUR SUGGESTION THAT THE OWNERS SHOULD BE FOREWARNED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT AROUND 100,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10462643

Incident

Apr 25, 2012

Mileage

106,857 mi

MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON THIS CAR ON THE FREEWAY LEAVING ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH MY 8 MONTH OLD CHILD. THIS TRANSMISSION WAS JUST REBUILT A YEAR AGO. YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE THAT THIS ISSUE IS BEYOND PREVALENT. STORIES AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE ARE ALL OVER THE INTERNET. YOU ARE PROBABLY ALREADY AWARE. SO IS LEXUS AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WILL SOMEONE HAVE TO GET KILLED BEFORE YOU DEMAND A RECALL? ME AND MY BABY COULD HAVE VERY EASILY HAVE BEEN KILLED YESTERDAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10446923

Incident

Feb 5, 2012

Mileage

116,000 mi

1. ON 08/17/11 AROUND 9PM, OUR 1999 LEXUS RX300 WAS SUDDENLY FAILED IN HIGHWAY OF THE YOSEMITE MOUNTAIN. 2. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO LEXUS DEALER SAN JOSE, CA. THE TECHNICIAN IDENTIFIED THAT IT CAUSED BY TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WE NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WHICH IS CAUSED US $5000. I TOLD THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON TO KEEP THE REPLACED PART TILL NEXT TUESDAY WHICH IS 08/23/11. WE GOGGLED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS THE KNOWN ISSUE OF RX300 BETWEEN 1999 THROUGH 2002 MODEL YEARS. THE TRANSAXLE (LEXUS TRANSMISSION) WOULD FAIL AFTER 80,000 MILES OF DRIVING ACCORDING TO OWNERS WHO REPORTED THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. OUR CAR IS JUST OVER 80,000 MILES. WE DON'T DRIVE THAT MUCH ALTHOUGH IT IS 1999 MODEL. ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE ON THE EHOW WEBSITE, THERE IS NO FACTORY RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED TO ADDRESS THE TRANSMISSION PREMATURE FAILURE ISSUE. THERE ARE MANY MOMS INCLUDING MYSELF WHO DRIVE THIS CAR EVERYDAY WITH YOUNG KID ON BOARD. MY SON IS 7 YEARS OLD. I PERSONAL KNOW AT LEAST 3 MOMS WITH 4 KIDS (5-7 YEARS OLD) WHO DRIVE SAME MODEL YEAR CAR. PLEASE WORK ON THIS CASE ASAP. AT LEASE PLEASE RELEASE THE WARNING TO THE CUSTOMER TO CHECK THEIR TRANSMISSION. WE HOPE THAT WE ARE THE LAST PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE THIS TRAGEDY INCIDENT. THANKS GOD WE WERE SAFE. THIS YOSEMITE TRIP WE PLANNED TO GO DURING THE WINTER TIME. THANKS GOD WE DIDN'T MAKE IT AT THAT TIME. THE CAR FAILED AREA, OUR ATT CELL EVEN COULDN'T DIAL OUT 911. THANKS GOD THERE IS NICE PERSON STOPPED HIS CAR AND SAVED US. THANKS GOD THE CAR DIDN'T FAILED AT MOUNTAIN FIRE AREA, MY SON HAD ASTHMA REACTION TO THE SMOCK. THANKS GOD THAT THERE WAS NO CAR BEHIND US AND THERE IS A HIGHWAY TURN OVER RIGHT AHEAD OF US. THANK GOD WE ARE SAFE ALTHOUGH WE WERE SCARED TO DEATH AND COULDN'T SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10420123

Incident

Aug 17, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

ACCELERATOR ENTRAPMENT IN AFTERMARKET FLOOR PAD OF A LEXUS RX 300 LAST SEPTEMBER. (I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF FLOOR PAD, I BOUGHT IT IN 1999 AND INSTALLED IT THEN, IT IS ONE OF THE THICK ONES THAT IS GOOD A HOLDING SNOW AND WATER.) I FIGURED OUT THAT THE FLOOR PAD WAS THE PROBLEM WHILE THE ENGINE WAS REVVING TO 90 MPH AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR. LEXUS COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG BUT SAID NOTHING TO ME ABOUT THIS BEING A PROBLEM IN TOYOTA PRODUCTS. NO CRASH AND NO INJURY SINCE I FIGURED IT OUT; THE FLOOR MAT FELT THICK TO MY FOOT SO I YANKED IT OUT FROM UNDER THE PEDALS. JUST REALLY SCARY.... SPECIFICALLY, I CAME OUT OF A SIDE STREET ON TO A MAIN ROAD AND NEEDED TO GET AHEAD OF TRAFFIC SO I STOMPED IN THE ACCELERATOR PRETTY HARD- NOT MY TYPICAL DRIVING STYLE- AND THEN THE ACCELERATOR STUCK, THE CAR REVVING AND GOING TO 90- 100 MPH. I STOOD ON THE BRAKES BUT IT WOULD NOT STOP. I TRIED TO THROW IT INTO PARK ( BUT THANKFULLY THE CAR WOULDN'T LET ME- I WAS THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP IT, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE A HAND BRAKE SO THAT'S WHY I WAS SO STUPID AND TRIED TO THROW IT IN PARK. THE NOISE FROM THAT WAS SO HORRIFYING I DID NOT PUT IT IN NEUTRAL). THEN I FELT THE LUMPY FLOOR MAT AND YANKED IT OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE PEDALS. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND THERE WERE NO CARS ON THE ROAD SO I HAD A MILE OF CLEAR ROAD TO WORK THIS OUT. CAR HAD ABOUT 275,000 MILES ON IT. BUILT IN JULY 1998, JT6H10U7X0032830 IS SERIAL I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT DATE BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND THE SERVICE RECEIPT- SORRY!

NHTSA ID

10307384

Incident

Sep 15, 2009

Mileage

275,000 mi

ON OR ABOUT 12/5/09 MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON 55 WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE SAID THE CAR SEEMED TO LOSE TRACTION AND SHE SAID BEFORE SHE KNEW IT SHE WAS INCHES AWAY FROM GOING INTO A DITCH AND JUST MISSED HITTING ANOTHER CAR,THANK GOD THE TRAFFIC BEHIND HER DID NOT CRASH INTO HER. A GUY SHE MISSED HITTING GOT OUT OF HIS CAR AND ASKED IF SHE WAS OK AND THAT SHE ALMOST HIT HIM. WE CONTACTED LEXUS THAT MORNING AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR IN SO WE HAD IT TOWED AND WAS GIVEN A LOANER FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND WAS FINALLY TOLD WHAT WAS WRONG,THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WAS LOCKING UP &FLUID INSIDE WAS COMPLETELY BLACK FROM METAL SHAVINGS TO THE TUNE OF $5000.00 WE AT THAT TIME ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS ON THE CAR BECAUSE EVERYBODY WE TALKED TO SAID THE CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT,WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE GUY THERE WERE NO RECALLS,WE WENT LOOKING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT DIFFERENTIALS AND HAPPENED UPON LEXUS WEBSITE AND THERE WE FOUND RECALL ON MY CAR 1999 RX300 RECALL #72421 DESCRIBING EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO US.CONTACTED LEXUS WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT MY CAR,NOT MY VIN #,DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER. AFTER NUMEROUS CALLS TO TRY AND RESOLVE THIS GETTING THE RUNAROUND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER HE WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THE LABOR FOR FREE AND BUT DID NOT FEEL LIKE HE SHOULD ASSUME ALL RESPONSIBILITY AND TO CALL CORPORATE WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL THAT IT WAS A "TECHNICAL BULLETIN".AND FINALLY THEY WOULD ALLOW 25% OFF OF PARTS AND THAT WAS A FINAL OFFER,ALSO I RECEIVED A $500.00 GIFT CARD TOWARD PARTS,THERE IS A RECALL # .I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR,SPENT $2000.00 IN 11/08 FOR WORK ON THE CAR.BESIDES THE FACT NO ONE WAS HURT LEXUS IS GIVING ME THE RUNAROUND THEY FLATLY SAID NO RECALLS EVEN THOUGH THEIR WEBSITE HAS RECALL WITH RECALL #. I THINK THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE BECAUSE WE ARE WOMEN AND SUPPOSEDLY WAS NOT GOING TO PURSUE THIS. IF THE SERVICE GUY SAID TO CONTACT CORPORATE WHICH WE DID AS WELL AS THE BBB,AND MR. FIX IT FROM THE SOMETIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10303830

Incident

Dec 6, 2009

Mileage

99,376 mi

I HAVE A 1999 LEXUS RX300...TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 150K MILES NO WARNING JUST STRANDED ME WHILE OUT RUNNING ERRANDS. THE COST TO FIX THIS WAS 3K AND NO CAR DOOR OVER A WEEK. THIS CAR ALSO HAD AN ENGINE THAT LEXUS REPLACED DUE TO OIL SLUDGING. REALLY WANTED TO KEPT HE CAR UNTIL 200K BUT NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10237671

Incident

May 28, 2008

Mileage

150,000 mi

COMPLETE TRANSAXLE FAILURE - AT 91000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 1999 AWT LEXUS RACKS FAILED AT 50 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING NORMALLY, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS AND THE CAR COASTED TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED ON A NARROW COUNTRY ROAD WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ONLY LUCK THAT AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAD BEEN ROUTINELY SERVICED AS REQUIRED BY LEXUS AND HAD BEEN IN FOR A ROUTINE SERVICE THE DAY PRIOR. REVIEW OF THE NHTSA COMPLAINT DATABASE SUGGESTS THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND, IF SO, IT REPRESENTED A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR OF CAR, IN GENERAL. IT WAS VERY TROUBLING THAT ANY VEHICLE WOULD HAVE THE TYPE OF DEFECT THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UNANNOUNCED SUDDEN MAJOR FAILURE AT LESS THAN 100000 MILES. THE REPAIR REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. LEXUS WAS CONTACTED FOR MORE INFORMATION, BUT WAS OF NO HELP BEYOND NOTING THAT THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. LEXUS REQUIRED THAT THE REMOVED TRANSAXLE BE RETURNED TO THEM, UNOPENED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10196185

Incident

Jun 20, 2007

Mileage

91,039 mi

THE MANIFOLD SYSTEM ON MY 1999 LEXUS RX300 HAD TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 68,320 MILES WHICH COST WELL OVER $1,000. USUALLY THE MANIFOLD SYSTEM ON A CAR IS NOT REPLACED. LEXUS SHOULD BE REPSONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM FOR US. I ALSO HAD THE JELLYING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. YES, I DO ALL THE REQUIRED ONLY CHANGES AND ETC.

NHTSA ID

10127321

Incident

May 24, 2005

Mileage

68,320 mi

THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AXLE SHEARED IN TWO, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. THE VEHICLE BECAME VIOLENT, THEN COMPLETELY ROLLED OVER. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WE WOULD LIKE A COMPLETE INVESTIGATION.

NHTSA ID

739841

Incident

Dec 7, 2000