TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TR
1999 Lexus Rx
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Lexus Rx do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Rx years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30 reports with mileage · 5 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
29 reportsWHILE 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 POSITIO…
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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 …
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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
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
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
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 ADDI…
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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
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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