Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Lexus RX300 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
I HAVE JUST SAT AND READ PROBABLY 50 COMPLAINTS; SAFETY AND DEFECTIVE, CONCERNING THE TRANSMISSION FOR THE 2001 LEXUS RX300. FROM WHAT IM READING, I GUESS I SHOULD CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY, I CURRENTLY HAVE 142,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND ALTHOUGH I'VE EXPERIENCED NON-PERIODIC SHIFTING ABNORMALITIES, I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE HORRIFIC PROBLEMS I'VE BEEN READING IN THE NHTSA COMPLAINT SECTION OF THIS SITE. IT IS OBVIOUS THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE (IF NOT ALREADY) IS MANGLED OR WORST, KILLED. IT ASTONISHES ME THAT A COMPANY THAT SURVIVES BY THERE REPUTATION FOR QUALITY WOULD NOT ADDRESS WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS AND COSTLY BURDEN TO THERE LOYAL CUSTOMERS. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A 35,000 DOLLAR VEHICLE IN 2001. APPARENTLY LEXUS IS NOT PLANNING ON RESOLVING THE ISSUE, SO WHAT CAN CONSUMERS DO OTHER THAN COMPLAIN WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS DOING NOTHING TO FORCE BIG BUSINESS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THERE POOR DESIGN THAT RESULTED IN UNSAFE COSTLY PRODUCTS, LEAVING THE CONSUMER POWERLESS, WITH NO OPTION BUT TO PAY THEM AGAIN TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY CREATED IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR
WHILE ENTERING A FREEWAY ONRAMP THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. I TRIED TO ACCELERATE BUT THERE WAS NO POWER THE ENGINE JUST REVVED. THE TRANSMISSION REINGAGED AS I WAS PULLING TO THE SHOULDER SO I CONTINUED MY TRIP HOME. LATER ON THE SAME DRIVE HOME, AT AN INTERCHANGE BETWEEN FREEWAYS IT HAPPENED AGAIN BUT THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T RE-ENGAGE AND THERE WAS ALMOST A DEADLY MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT. IT WAS TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. SOON AFTER REPLACEMENT I WAS ON ANOTHER TRIP AND I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO PASS A CAR, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND I BARELY AVOIDED BEING IN A DEADLY AUTO ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY WITH A BIG RIG. ON THIS SAME TRIP I ALMOST LOST MY LIFE THREE TIMES DUE TO THIS IDENTICAL OCCURRENCE. IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE AND UNFORGIVABLE THAT TOYOTA HASN'T TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS MANUFACTURING ERROR AND ANNOUNCED A COMPLETE RECALL AND REPLACEMENT OF ALL TRANSMISSIONS FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. IF, I KEEP THIS CAR AND I HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THEIR MANUFACTURING NEGLIGENCE ACTION MAY BE TAKEN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE FAILURE FOR AN ENGINE OIL LEAK. THEY FOUND THE LEAKAGE IN THE NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER INTAKE VALVES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THEY WOULD ONLY COVER $2500 OF THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. ....UPDATED 10/11/12 *BF THE CONSUMER THE ENGINE OIL INDICATOR IS ALSO DEFECTIVE. IT DOES NOT WARN THE DRIVER WHEN THE HAS DEPLETED. UPDATED 10/15/2012 *JS
I PURCHASED A 2001 LEXUS RX 300 FROM A PRIVATE PARTY IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR. WITHIN DAYS OF THE PURCHASE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THAT WAS REPLACED, BUT I HAD ALSO NOTICED SOME BLUE SMOKE WHEN I STARTED IT. I TOOK IT INTO MY AUTO MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS BURNING OIL, AND ACTUALLY THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT FILED AGAINST TOYOTA RELATED TO THE PROBLEMS, I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THIS CONDITION WILL LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE IF THE ENGINE IS NOT REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO FILE A COMPLAINT IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE TO SEE IF I QUALIFY TO BE PART OF THE LAWSUIT AND FILE A CLAIM. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A SLUDGE BUILDUP IN THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED A VALVE COVER AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE MECHANIC MADE THE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS LOOSING OIL EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
2001 LEXUS 300RX WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SLUDGE IN THE MOTOR FROM OIL. ALSO CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BATTERY WILL DIE IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT USED FOR A WEEK OR MORE. *KB
LEXUS 2001 LX300 SENSORS ARE DEFECTIVE. *TR
ENGINE STALLED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING ON ROADS. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART UNDER ANY CONDITIONS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. MECHANICS LOOKING AT CAR INDICATED NO ENGINE OIL WAS FOUND IN ENGINE DESPITE RECENT OIL CHANGE. MECHANICS ALSO FOUND NO POINTS OF ANY LEAKAGE OF OIL BY THE ENGINE. OIL WAS PUT PROPERLY AND WAS BURNING INAPPROPRIATELY AND GELLING IN ENGINE. LEXUS REFUSE TO COVER REPAIR UNDER GUISE OF ITS OWN INSPECTION. *TR
OIL SLUDGE CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE IN LEXUS RX300. NEED TO REPLACE SHORT BLOCK, OVERHEAD GASKET SET, VALVE COVERS,HEADS AND CAMS FOR AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF $14K. CAR ONLY HAS 95K MILES ON IT AND I CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 4-5K MILES BY A TOYOTA/LEXUS AUTO-MECHANIC. *TR
I OWN A 2001 LEXUS RX300 AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BUT LEXUS REFUSED TO COVER IT WITH MY 100.000 WARRANTY.THEY WERE VERY RACIST AND WRONG. THEY ALSO REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF THE ENGINE REPAIRS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE IN MY LIFE FROM SUCH RACIST PIGS!! *TR
I HAD SERVICE AT LEXUS AND MY TRANSMISSION STILL WENT OUT. THEY WERE RACIST AND BIASED AND WOULD NOT FIX IT. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET. AFTER THAT HAPPENED, A CYLINDER WENT OUT SO NOW I NEED THAT FIXED. I THOUGHT THAT LEXUS WAS A SUPERIOR CAR. (THEY DO NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY AS THEY SHOULD, AT LEAST NOT IN HOUSTON WEST LEXUS). THIS ONE CERTAINLY IS NOT WORTH WHAT I PAID AND IS NOT WHAT I EXPECT FROM LEXUS. *TR
MY 2001 LEXUS RX300 DIED ON THE FREEWAY. I AM TOLD MY TRANSMISSION IS RUINED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I REGULARLY SERVICED MY CAR AND THERE IS NO WAY IT SHOULD HAVE A BLOWN TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 84,000 MILES. AFTER SEEING ALL THE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST LEXUS. *TR
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REFERENCING 2001 LEXUS RX 300. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD DEVELOPED SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER SHE WILL HAVE TO PAY $13000 TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE INSTALLED. THE CONSUMER HAS FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS WEBSITE IN REFERENCE TO THIS PROBLEM. *NM
CONSUMER REQUESTING INFORMATION REGARDING OXYGEN SENSORS ON LEXUS RX300.*MR THE OXYGEN SENOR WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE FRONT CALIPERS, ROTORS AND WASHER PUMP WERE REPLACED. *JB
ENGINE OIL SLUDGE. *AK
OIL SLUDGE IN 3.0L ENGINE CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .