THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR MODEL THEY ARE BUILT WITH A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION... I HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING HAPPEN TO ME PERSONALLY BUT I AM TERRIFIED IT WILL. THERE ARE PLENTY OF VERIFIED SITUATIONS REPORTED ONLINE WHERE THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR YEAR MODEL HAVE BEEN DRIVING AND SERIOUS EVENTS HAVE OCCURRED HAVING TO DO WITH THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. THAT LEXUS IS AWARE OF. THIS SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMERS PROBLEN IT IS LEXUS'FAULTBAND THEY SHOULD REPAIR IT.!
1999 Lexus RX
Owners filed 35 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. No safety recall has been issued.
30 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 105,000–120,000 miles.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train › Automatic Transmission | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Power Train | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Seat Belts › Rear/Other | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Seat Belts › Front › Retractor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Power Train › Transfer Case (4-wheel Drive) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Power Train › Manual Transmission | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsTL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 LEXUS RX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT STAND STILL ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE GARAGE AND ALLOWED THE FRONT PASSENGER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH BOTH FEET BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE WALL, A TABLE SAW, A LARGE WOODEN TWO LAYERED WORK BEN, A CONCRETE WALL, INTO A DEN DOWNSTAIRS OF THE HOME, A POOL TABLE, AND A BAR SECTION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE SUSTAINED BACK, KNEE AND SHOULDER INJURIES AND WAS CURRENTLY ATTENDING PHYSICAL THERAPY. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO IMPOUND LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND A VOICEMAIL WAS LEFT. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE RETURNING FROM A FAMILY TRIP FROM MISSISSIPPI AT APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES FROM MY HOME THE RX300 STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT PULL FORWARD IN ANY DRIVE POSITION. IT WAS ABOUT 10PM AND MOST BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED. AFTER PULLING OFF THE ROAD, I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR IN VARIOUS DRIVE POSITIONS AND IT WOULD NEVER GAIN ANY MOMENTUM. I SLOWLY PULLED BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY USING MY EMERGENCY BLINKERS WHILE THE CAR WOULD PULL SLOWLY AT TIMES AND NOT AT ALL AT OTHERS. FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A GAS STATION AT THE EXIT. I ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND TRIED TO MOVE IT AGAIN AND IT MOVED ABOUT TWENTY FEET AND STOPPED AGAIN. FORTUNATELY I HAD NOT GOTTEN ON THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO COAST BACK TO A PARKING AREA. I THEN HAD TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK PICK UP MY CAR AND TOW IT THE 150 MILES BACK TO MY CITY TO MY MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND PREVIOUSLY HAD NO PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS THOROUGHLY CHECKED OUT BY A MECHANIC ONLY THREE MONTHS BEFORE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHEN DRIVING MY LEXUS RX 300 1999 IT FEELS VERY FORCED AND WHEN ON THE EXPRESS WAY THE RPM GOES UP TO 5 WHEN IM DRIVING 60MPH AND WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND ITS TIME TO GO MY CAR STALLS AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL VERY SCARY WHEN I HAVE MY NEWBORN AND A 7 YEAR OLD IN THE CAR. I HAVE MAINTAINED MY CAR TO THE UPMOST STANDARDS FROM THE BEST GAS SYNTHETIC OIL CHANGES CONSTANTLY CHECKING EVERYTHING IS IN GOOD CONDITIONS . FOR A LEXUS I AM VERY UPSET BECAUSE MY MECHANIC HAS SAID ITS THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT WHICH COSTS 4-5,000 DOLLARS AND I MEAN IS A 15 YEAR OLD CAR WORTH PUTTING 5 GRAND INTO IT? I EXPECTED THIS CAR TO LAST ME A LITTLE BIT LONGER I MEAN FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD THIS CAR SHOULD GO TO ALMOST 300,000 BUT ITS OBVIOUSLY NOT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT A LEXUS WOULD HAVE THIS COMMON PROBLEM FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN AND READ. *JS
TRANSMISSION. *TR
1999 LEXUS RX300 TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
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
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
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
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
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
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
TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR 1999 LEXUS RX300. OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED ON INTERSTATE. 110K MILES WITH RECOMMENDED SERVICE. *TR
THE TRANSMISSION ON MY RX 300 YEAR 1999 WENT OUT. *TR
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.
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
REAR SEAT BELT PASSENGER SIDE IS LOCKED UP AND WILL NOT EXTEND. WE ARE UNABLE TO PROPERLY PLACE SEATBELT - A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN. AT THIS MOMENT, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING IT LOOKED AT BY A LEXUS DEALER. *JB
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
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB
20 of 35 complaints, reproduced as filed.
Across model years
Worst on record: 2010| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Deaths | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2025 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2024 | 55 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2023 | 61 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2022 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2021 | 69 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2020 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2019 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2018 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2017 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2016 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2015 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2014 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Fatalities reported |
| 2013 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2012 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2011 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 2010 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2009 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2008 | 70 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 2007 | 58 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2006 | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 2005 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2004 | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2003 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2002 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2001 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2000 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1999 — this page | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
Reading this record
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.