IllustrationTENGO. UN. PROBLEMA. CON. LOS. SINTURONES.BOLSAS. DE. AIRE. Y. ELECTROCO
1999 Lexus RX300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most RX300 years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Lexus RX300 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 88.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RX300 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
70–25K
225–50K
2050–75K
3775–100K
60100–150K
23150K+
149 reports with mileage · 72 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 129 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports10 fire reports11 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
14 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A STOPPED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD AND LEFT KNEE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A STOPPED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD AND LEFT KNEE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEN TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED.
THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH, YET NONE OF THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *NLM
INJURIES TO CHEST, ABDOMEN, KNEES, WRIST DUE TO AIR BAGS NON DEPLOYMENT IN COLLISION. OBVIOUS FRONT IMPACT DAMAGE TO VEHICLE IMPACT ESTIMATED @ 40 MPH. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED PULLED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO CHANCE OF AVOIDANCE. MY SEAT BELT LOCKED AND CAUSED SEVERE BRUISING TO MY STERNUM, ABDOMEN, KN…
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INJURIES TO CHEST, ABDOMEN, KNEES, WRIST DUE TO AIR BAGS NON DEPLOYMENT IN COLLISION. OBVIOUS FRONT IMPACT DAMAGE TO VEHICLE IMPACT ESTIMATED @ 40 MPH. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED PULLED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO CHANCE OF AVOIDANCE. MY SEAT BELT LOCKED AND CAUSED SEVERE BRUISING TO MY STERNUM, ABDOMEN, KNEES. I BOUGHT THIS PREMIUM PRICED VEHICLE BASED IN PART ON THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT DID NOT PERFORM. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. VEHICLE I WAS DRIVING AS OWNER IS 1999 LEXUS RX 300 EQUIPPED WITH FRONT AND SIDE SRS. *JB
THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE HIT THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE SUSTAINED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DAMAGE, HOWEVER THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB *SCC
WHEN VEHCILE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, HITTING A TREE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG.
DURING VEHICLE COLLISION THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, VEHICLE WAS HIT DIRECTLY ON THE SIDE OF THE SENSOR. *MJS
NO DEPLOYMENT OF ANY OF THE AIR BAGS DURING VEHICLE COLLISION, INCLUDING SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG. *MJS
VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING ACCIDENT. YH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
299V011000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Jan 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS MAY NOT AUTOMATICALLY ILLUMINATE IN LOW AMBIENT LIGHT WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS PLACED IN THE "AUTO" POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES FOLLOWING BEHIND MAY NOT SEE THE VEHICLE SINCE NO HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS WOULD BE ILLUMINATED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MODIFIED BODY ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT.
99V012000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:differential Proportional Valve
Jan 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. DUE TO IMPROPER DESIGN OF THE REAR BRAKE TUBE DISTRIBUTION, IF ONE OF THE DUAL BRAKE LINES FAILS WHEN THE DRIVER APPLIES THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WILL FEEL UNSTABLE COMPARED TO VEHICLES WITH PROPER REAR BRAKE TUBE DISTRIBUTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL MODIFIED BRAKE TUBES.
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
1DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.