2001 Lexus RX300 Problems

THE TRANSMISSION OF MY 2001 LEXUS RX300 WITH ONLY 83,000 MILES, JUST FAILED. THIS CAR WAS FULLY AND TIMELY SERVICED BY LEXUS AND IS OTHERWISE IN PRISTINE DRIVING CONDITION. WE NOTICED THE PROBLEM MONTHS AGO WHEN WE EXPERIENCED ENGINE HESITATION AND TRANSMISSION RELATED SYMPTOMS, BUT OUR LEXUS DEALER CHECKED THE CAR AND ASSURED US IT WAS FINE. MY WIFE AND SON CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND WERE EXPOSED TO DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATIONS DUE TO ENGINE HESITATION AND FAILURE TO ACCELERATE. DESPITE TRANSMISSION RELATED SYMPTOMS AND FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WIDESPREAD TRANSMISSION FAILURES THE LEXUS DEALER DID NOT RAISE ANY WARNINGS WITH US AND ASSURED US THE CAR WAS FINE AND SAFE TO DRIVE. WHEN LEXUS FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION ALL ALONG, I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN HOW WIDESPREAD, PERVASIVE AND WELL DOCUMENTED THIS PROBLEM IS AND HOW UNSAFE THIS CAR IS TO DRIVE GIVEN THE DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. AS AN ATTORNEY I WILL NOT LET THIS REST AND WANT TO KNOW WHY NHTSA IS NOT TAKING ACTION ON THIS, AND WHY LEXUS IS NOT RECALLING THIS VEHICLE. *KB

TRANSMISSION FAILURE-2001 LEXUS RX 300, 88,000 MILES, PURCHASED NEW, CAR WAS BABIED, SERVICES REGULARLY WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED AT 30,000 MILE INTERVALS. NEVER TOWED ANYTHING, DROVE ABOUT 9,000 MILES PER YEAR. YOU DON'T EXPECT A CAR YOU BUY FOR RELIABILITY TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FAIL AT 88,000 MILES WITH A $5,000 PRICE TAG TO REPAIR. RESEARCH SHOW THIS IS A GENETIC PROBLEM FOR AN UNDER ENGINEERED TRANSMISSION FOR A AWD AUTO. 100'S UPON 100'S HAVE THE COMPLAINT ON THIS MODEL FROM 1999-2002 WITH FAILURES AT 85,000- 95,000 MILES. DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING AS TO QUALITY, RELIABILITY AND PURSUIT OF PERFECTION WITH THE MANUFACTURER NOT WILLING TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. JUST READ THE LEXUS AND EDMUND BOARDS ON RX 300 AWD TRANSMISSION FAILURE. MANUFACTURER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM IN 2003 OR 2004 TRANSMISSIONS BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT PURCHASED BEFORE WE HAVE TO PAY THE CONSEQUENCE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS ON TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. REPORTS ARE NUMEROUS. *KB

PURCHASED FROM MY MOTHER IN 2013 AT 115K AFTER SHE HAD PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALERSHIP. BABIED, DEALER SERVICED, MY TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT AT 130K AT A COST OF $3800!!! THEN IN LESS THAN A YEAR IT WENT AGAIN, AND IT WAS UNDER AAMCO WARRANTY. THEN TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN IN 2018, AND JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. WHY IS THERE NOT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!!!!! CAR DIED 3 SEPARATE TIMES WITHOUT WARNING IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. $3800 WAS MY ENTIRE SAVINGS, AND NOW MY LEXUS WAS THE ONLY THING I HAD OF VALUE, AND IT IS WORTH $250 AS A JUNKER!

THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND IN PARK IN A FLAT LOT. WHEN I SHIFTED TO REVERSE, IT DID NOT ENGAGE/ROLL BACK. AS I APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR NOTHING HAPPENED UNTIL A IT SUDDENLY CLUNKED AND LURCHED BACK. I PUT IT BACK IN PARK AND THEN IT REPEATED THE SAME SYNPTOM. THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOW BEGUN TO WHINE AND THERE IS RUMBLING AND JERKILY BETWEEN ROUGH SHIFTS ON THE STREETS AND HIGHWAY. AFTER HEARING AND READING NUMEROUS HORROR STORIES OF THESE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND HOW THEY HAVE SUDDENLY GONE OUT OR LOCKED UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, I'M SURE THIS IS A PROBLEM LEXUS HAS KNOWN ABOUT AND IS DEFECTIVE, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT REPRESENTS MORE THAN 70% OF THE NTHSAS PUBLISHED COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS. THE SUDDEN UNRELIABILITY OF THIS TRANSMISSION AND IT'S POTENTIAL TO CAUSE HARM IS NOT A COINCIDENCE AMONG THESE MANY REPORTS. IF THIS WERE A BOEING MAX 8 PLANE IT'D BE OUT OF COMMISSION FOR A FAILURE LIKE THIS!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED 40, I NOTICED LAG IN GEAR SHIFT WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO 60 MPH. I NOTICED NO PICK IN SPEED RATHER 40 MPH BECAME 20 MPH, THE MORE I PRESS ON THE GAS PETAL THE ONLY ACCELERATION WAS NOTICE ON THE RPM. I HAD TO PUT ON THE HAZARDS AND PULL OVER TO LET OTHER CARS PASS.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN BREAST BONE (STERNUM) AND HEAD INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED NECK AND KNEE INJURIES, AND BRUISES FROM THE SEAT BELT THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH AND IS FLASHING BACK & FORTH 100% OF THE TIME. *TR

PURCHASED FROM MY MOTHER IN 2013 AT 115K AFTER SHE HAD PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALERSHIP. BABIED, DEALER SERVICED, MY TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT AT 130K AT A COST OF $3800!!! THEN IN LESS THAN A YEAR IT WENT AGAIN, AND IT WAS UNDER AAMCO WARRANTY. THEN TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN IN 2018, AND JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. WHY IS THERE NOT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!!!!! CAR DIED 3 SEPARATE TIMES WITHOUT WARNING IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. $3800 WAS MY ENTIRE SAVINGS, AND NOW MY LEXUS WAS THE ONLY THING I HAD OF VALUE, AND IT IS WORTH $250 AS A JUNKER!

LEXUS RX300 ABS ENGAGES EVERY TIME BRAKES. *JS

I WAS DRIVING A LEXUS RX 300 AND HAD EXITED THE FREEWAY. I PRESSED THE BRAKE LIGHTLY TO DECREASE MY SPEED BUT INSTEAD, THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED. I THEN STEPPED ON THE BRAKE FULLY BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE BY ITSELF. I TRIED TO SLOW THE CAR BY SHIFTING THE GEARS...TRIED NEUTRAL, L1, L2, AND EVEN REVERSE BUT FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. I WAS GOING AT HIGH SPEEDS, UNABLE TO STOP, AND VERY SCARED AS I WAS ON A STREET WITH MANY LIGHTS. AFTER PASSING THROUGH A RED LIGHT, I TURNED THE CAR INTO THE CURB AND DRAGGED THE WHEELS AGAINST THE CURB UNTIL THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE NOT TO HIT ANOTHER CAR OR PEOPLE THROUGH TWO INTERSECTIONS. THIS OCCURRENCE HAPPENED AT 3:55PM, MAY 12, 2010. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND AT THIS TIME, IT IS STILL UNDER EVALUATION. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS CAR HAS DEMONSTRATED ANY UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OR FAILURE OF BRAKES TO STOP ACCELERATION. *TR

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

I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LEXUS DEALER WHEN PURCHASE. I TOLD THE REPAIR PERSON THAT THERE WAS A NOISE/ROARING COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE SUSPENSION NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. FOR THIS INSPECTION I PAID OVER $300.00. NOW THE NOISE IS BACK AND IT IS MUCH LOUDER AND IT IS CONSTANT.FROM 45MPH AND HIGHER.THE NOISE OCCURS WHEN I AM DRIVING STRAIGHT AND WHEN I TURN TO THE RIGHT.WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT THE NOISE STOPS. I SOUND LIKE THE NOISE IS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN MECHANISM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED.PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MY COMPLAINT. *TR

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

WAS DRIVING HOME FROM MINNESOTA TO PENNSYLVANIA IN MY 2001 LEXUS RX300 ON JUNE 28TH, 2008; AND MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON ME. I WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AT NIGHT TIME IN THE POURING RAIN AND IT FELL DOWN TO 5 MPH. I FOUND THE NEAREST EXIT AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST GARAGE WHERE I REBUILT LEXUS TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED, AT A COST OF $,4600.00. I RECEIVED A TWELVE MONTH UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION FROM LEXUS. MY SUV HAD APPROXIMATELY, 112.000 MILES ON IT AT THIS POINT. NOW, LESS THAT 10 MONTHS LATER, I HAVE METAL CHIPS IN MY FLUID AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEED YET ANOTHER TRANSMISSION, AT A COST OF OVER $4,000; AS THE DEALER HERE IN MY STATE WON'T HONOR THE LEXUS WARRANTY. I HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH ON THE PHONE WITH THE DEALER HERE AND THE DEALER IN OHIO AND WAS TREATED VERY RUDELY BY THE DEALER HERE. I WAS INFORMED THAT EVEN THOUGH LEXUS ISSUED THE WARRANTY, THEY CAN NOT FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT, EVEN THOUGH THE DEALER IN OHIO SAID THAT THEY HAVE TO. I AM COMPLETELY AT MY WITS END. I CALLED THE 1-800 NUMBER FOR LEXUS AND HAVE ALSO CONTACTED MY ATTORNEY. SOMEONE NEEDS TO ADMIT THAT THERE ARE SEVERE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THESE VEHICLES, AND QUIT TRYING TO PASS OVER US; THE PEOPLE THAT PAID FOR THEM. IF THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN THE MAKING, I ANT TO BECOME A PART OF IT. THE WHOLE IDEA OF "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION" FLEW OUT THE WINDOW AND LEXUS DEALERS NEED TO BE REMINDED WHERE THEIR PAYCHECKS COME FROM. I WAS TREATED RUDELY TODAY , WITHOUT REASON; AND HERE I SIT WITH A WARRANTY THAT I CAN'T USE TO GET MY VEHICLE FIXED. *TR

WHILE CHANGING A FLAT TIRE: AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING RAISED, THE SREW ROD (PUSHES THE VEHICLE UP AND DOWN), ON THE JACK BEGAN TO BEND. THE OPERATOR OF THE JACK QUICKLY LOWERED THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT CRASH DOWN.*AK

WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE THE DRIVER WAS NOT PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. DESPITE THE DRIVER'S EFFORTS TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE JUMPED OVER A CURB AND HEADED TOWARD A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH TRAFFIC. IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A POSSIBLY FATAL COLLISION, THE DRIVER SWERVED HARD TO THE LEFT INTENDING TO HIT A POLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE MISSED THE POLE AND HIT A STARBUCKS WITH THE VEHICLE ENDING UP COMPLETELY INSIDE THE STARBUCKS. SIX PEOPLE WHO WERE INSIDE THE STARBUCKS WERE INJURED. THE DRIVER NEVER PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR DURING THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HIT A PIECE OF RUBBER TIRE THAT HAD FLEW OFF A TRUCK, MINUTES LATER THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GAS, CONSUMER THEN PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED A HOLE APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER ON THE SIDE OF THE GAS TANK, CONSUMER STATED THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURED JUST FROM HITTING A PIECE OF RUBBER.*JB

I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LEXUS DEALER WHEN PURCHASE. I TOLD THE REPAIR PERSON THAT THERE WAS A NOISE/ROARING COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE SUSPENSION NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. FOR THIS INSPECTION I PAID OVER $300.00. NOW THE NOISE IS BACK AND IT IS MUCH LOUDER AND IT IS CONSTANT.FROM 45MPH AND HIGHER.THE NOISE OCCURS WHEN I AM DRIVING STRAIGHT AND WHEN I TURN TO THE RIGHT.WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT THE NOISE STOPS. I SOUND LIKE THE NOISE IS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN MECHANISM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED.PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MY COMPLAINT. *TR

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