2001 Lexus RX300 Transmission 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

NHTSA ID

10441812

Incident

Oct 1, 2011

Mileage

83,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10413795

Incident

Jul 19, 2011

Mileage

88,000 mi

2001 LEXUS RX300 FAILED TRANSMISSION WITH NO PRIOR SYMPTOMS @ 106K MILES. ESTIMATED $3,800 - $4,800 TO REPLACE WITH REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10409037

Incident

Jun 24, 2011

Mileage

106,000 mi

2001 LEXUS RX300 SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WHILE GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 60MPH (REDLINING THE ENGINE) AND ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT FROM BEHIND. APPARENTLY THIS CAR HAS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WHILE IN THE DRIVE POSITION SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW HAVING TO BE REBUILT FOR $3000 THAT WE DON'T HAVE. THE CAR SHIFTING INTO REVERSE WHILE IN THE DRIVE LOCATION SCARED THE HECK OUT OF US. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS BEHIND US!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10402238

Incident

May 17, 2011

Mileage

151,000 mi

2001 LEXUS RX300 AT 113K MI. SUDDENLY THE GEARS ARE SLIPPING OR LOOSE IN REVERSE OR DRIVE WHEN STARTING FROM STOP - TAKES A SECOND TO CLICK INTO GEAR AND MOVE THE SUV- RANDOM IN NATURE AND OCCURRENCE. ABOUT A FEW MONTHS LATER THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON VSC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. LEXUS DEALER SAYS WARNING LIGHTS ARE FOR SOLENOID E. THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING FULL TRANSMISSION AS THEY CANNOT BE SURE REPLACING THE SOLENOID WILL NOT DAMAGE THE TRANSMISSION - $4,500 IS THE DAMAGE - OUCH! I AM READING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR LEXUS RX300'S - WHY ISN'T LEXUS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS- LARGE HIT TO THE FAMILY BUDGET!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10399283

Incident

Feb 16, 2011

Mileage

113,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE ENGINE WOULD EXHIBIT AN INCREASE IN RPMS BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10397387

Incident

Apr 25, 2011

Mileage

104,000 mi

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2001 LEXUS RX 300. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC WHEN ATTEMPTING TO GET ON INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE HAS 120,000 MILES ON DRIVE TRAIN AND VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOOKED AT MONTHS EARLIER TO FIX POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT DISCOVER ANYTHING UNUSUAL AND SAID VEHICLE WAS OKAY TO DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION JUST QUIT AND LEFT MY CHILDREN AND ME STRANDED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. REAL DANGEROUS!!! I THINK VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10392770

Incident

Feb 14, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. SHE THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMALLY LOUD THUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.

NHTSA ID

10386457

Incident

Mar 2, 2011

Mileage

105,000 mi

NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS APPLIED. TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT WHILE GOING HOME FROM WORK. WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MOVE FROM LIGHT INTO NEARBY PARKING LOT. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK FROM THERE. TOLD BY DEALER THAT THIS WAS RARE OCCASION AND THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. HAVE LEARNED SINCE THAT IT HAS HAPPENED QUITE FREQUENTLY. THIS HAPPENED AROUND 97,800 MILES. A COST OF AROUND $3957 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384655

Incident

Aug 1, 2006

Mileage

97,822 mi

MY VEHICLE WAS STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND SHIFTER IN "DRIVE". WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN I APPLIES GAS AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE WITH THE SHIFTER STILL IN THE DRIVE POSITION. TRANSMISSION WILL NEED REPLACING. REPAIRING DEALER ADVISED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384438

Incident

Feb 23, 2011

Mileage

140,000 mi

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY 2001 LEXUS RX300 FWD WENT OUT AT 142,000 MILES. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASE NEW FROM A LEXUS DEALER AND SERVICED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SERVICE MANUAL, AT THE SAME DEALER. MOST RECENTLY THE TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED AT 135,000 MILES AND ALL WAS FINE. ON JAN. 8 THE CAR WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO A LOWER GEAR FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE ENGINE REVVED CLOSE TO RED LINE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER JUST BEFORE ENTERING A TUNNEL. TRANSMISSION FLUID LOOKS FINE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND I'VE BEEN TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $5000+ FOR PARTS AND LABOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10376248

Incident

Jan 8, 2011

Mileage

142,000 mi

2001 RX3000 TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 178,000 MILES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT OFF-RAMP OF HIGHWAY STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF RAMP AND ALMOST CAUSING CRASH AND WAS REPLACED TO THEN FAIL AGAIN AT 192,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10373804

Incident

Dec 26, 2010

Mileage

178,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS MOVING ABOUT 40 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10359921

Incident

Oct 7, 2010

Mileage

119,000 mi

FAULTY LEXUS TRANSMISSION FAILURE BY MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN HAS CAUSED AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO THE CAR AND I CANNOT GET ANY HELP FROM LEXUS. WHY HASN'T NHTSA INVESTIGATED LEXUS FOR PUTTING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION IN THE CAR....DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE FIRST? *TR

NHTSA ID

10359224

Incident

Oct 4, 2010

Mileage

108,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2001 LEXUS RX300 FAILED WITH A LITTLE OVER 108K MILES. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I HAD TROUBLE GETTING IT IN REVERSE 2 DAYS BEFORE - THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. THEN I HAD TROUBLE STARTING IT FOR 2 DAYS. ON 8/16 IT STARTED FINE, SO I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. TWICE ON THE WAY THERE, IT JERKED & HESITATED WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP - I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED. I AM THE 2ND OWNER - I BOUGHT IT IN 2003 WITH 41,462 MILES ON IT. IT WAS LEXUS CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED. THE CAR FAX REPORT NOTED THE ORIGINAL OWNER REGISTERED IT AS PRIVATE/PERSONAL USE & NO ISSUES WERE NOTED. I HAVE HAD ALL SERVICE DONE BY THE DEALER, EXCEPT THE LAST OIL CHANGE. I'VE ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT 9K MILES PER YEAR, DRIVE IT RESPONSIBLY & HAVE NEVER TOWED WITH IT. VERY FRIGHTENING THAT I HAD FEW SYMPTOMS, AND NO WARNING LIGHT TO ALERT ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM. LEXUS DEALER WANTS $4,300 TO REPLACE IT WITH A LEXUS REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NOT DECIDED WHAT TO DO. I'M SEEING LOTS OF INFORMATION ONLINE ABOUT HOW BAD THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE, AND THEY OFTEN NEED REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. SCARES ME TO KNOW I COULD REPLACE IT, HAVE IT FAIL & PERHAPS BE IN AN ACCIDENT. I AM A REALTOR & FRIGHTENING THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH CLIENTS IN MY VEHICLE. MY EXPECTATIONS OF LEXUS QUALITY & SAFETY HAVE NOT BEEN MET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10350455

Incident

Aug 16, 2009

Mileage

108,200 mi

2001 LEXUS RX 300 - TRANSMISSION FAILURE APPEARS TO BE COMMON. MINE WENT OUT ABOUT 1 YR AGO. CAR WOULDN'T MOVE AT ALL. HAD TO HAVE IT REBUILT WITH MORE DEPENDABLE PARTS. I DON'T HAVE THE OLD PARTS. THE SHOP I WENT TO SAID THEY FREQUENTLY HAVE THEM IN WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10346446

Incident

Jul 15, 2009

Mileage

143,000 mi

2001 LEXUS RX300 WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CAR TOTALLY WENT OUT OF GEAR AT 50MPH WITH NO WARNING. TOWED AND FOUND OUT THAT WOULD NEED A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION AS ONE OF THE PLANETARY GEARS LOST BEARINGS AND CHEWED UP THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. DESIGN FLAW THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT LEXUS ACTING AT ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10341573

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

127,323 mi

1. MAY18TH, 2010 ON MY WAY TO WORK THE LEXUS RX 300, 2001, 98K STALLED AND THE GEAR DID NOT SHIFT EITHER IN D OR IN R. THE TRANSMISSION DIED. 2. NO SIGN OF FAILURE OR SYMPTOM BEFORE THAT 3. I CALLED A LOCAL SHOP SPECIALIZED IN TRANSMISSION TO TOW IT TO THE SHOP. THE COST TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION IS 2800$. I WENT TO LEXUS DEALER AND ASK FOR A REPLACEMENT (LEXUS DOES NOT REBUILD TRANSMISSION). IT COSTS 5000$ OR MORE. I BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. I'D LIKE TO COMPLAIN AND REQUEST LEXUS TO PROVIDE SUPPORTS FOR THIS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10331523

Incident

May 17, 2010

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED AS SHE ACCELERATED FROM A TRAFFIC STOP AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE SHE WAS ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95577. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95780.

NHTSA ID

10325682

Incident

Apr 1, 2010

Mileage

95,577 mi

DURING NORMAL DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT AT A COST OF OVER $4000. THE LEXUS DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AGREES THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW, BUT THE TOYOTA/LEXUS CORPORATION IS UNWILLING TO DO MORE THAN CONTRIBUTE $1000 TOWARDS REPAIR, AND ONLY IF IT IS REPAIRED AT A DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10303116

Incident

Nov 10, 2009

Mileage

81,406 mi

2001 LEXUS RX-300 1ST TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 142,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10295702

Incident

May 20, 2005

Mileage

142,000 mi

2001 LEXUS RX-300 TRANSMISSION FAILURE (AFTER 142,000 MILES) 2ND FAILURE (1ST AFTER 142,000 MILES) CONSUMER PAID FOR BOTH FAILURES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10295698

Incident

Nov 7, 2009

Mileage

142,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10295596

Incident

Apr 4, 2007

Mileage

98,564 mi

MY TRANSMISSION DIED ON MY 2001 LEXUS RX300 AT 110K MILES. THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD DURING MORNING RUSH HOURS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294593

Incident

Dec 3, 2009

Mileage

110,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILED AND HAS TO BE REBUILT/REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292734

Incident

Nov 18, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi