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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 →
221Owner complaints

Model-year median: 88

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
0
19973
1998221
1999216
2000169
200188
2002
Compare all RX300 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
129Engine And Engine Cooling
24Air Bags
14Vehicle Speed Control
11Seat Belts
10
All reported categories
Electrical System
8Tires
7Exterior Lighting
6Service Brakes, Hydraulic
6Suspension
6Visibility
5Engine
4Service Brakes
4Structure
4Equipment
3Steering
3Fuel System, Gasoline
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Traction Control System
2Unknown Or Other
2Wheels
2Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1Fuel System, Other
1Seats
1Service Brakes, Electric
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Seat Belts complaints

10 reports
Clear category filter
2,000,030 miles · Oct 26, 2018
Air BagsSeat BeltsWheels

TENGO. UN. PROBLEMA. CON. LOS. SINTURONES.BOLSAS. DE. AIRE. Y. ELECTROCO

NHTSA ODI #11142781

60,000 miles · Oct 7, 2017
Seat Belts

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT

NHTSA ODI #11032188

Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 2011
Seat Belts

THE PASSENGER SIDE, REAR SEATBELT IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. IT KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN THE TRACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10437395

124,126 miles · Jul 19, 2011
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. I CHANGED BACK SEATS, BUT DRIVER'S ONE IS NOT WORKING EITHER. HELP! *KB

NHTSA ODI #10413647

1,000 miles · Feb 15, 2010
Seat Belts

THE SEATBELTS IN MY LEXUS RX300 DO NOT RETRACT ALL THE WAY. TOYOTA MADE A FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS BY PLACING TEFLON TAPE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE BELT UP, BUT IT DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT IT AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATIO…

Read full complaint

THE SEATBELTS IN MY LEXUS RX300 DO NOT RETRACT ALL THE WAY. TOYOTA MADE A FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS BY PLACING TEFLON TAPE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE BELT UP, BUT IT DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT IT AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION: IF I GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT WILL BE TOO SLACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10310646

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2010
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT PROPERLY RETRACT AFTER BEING EXTENDED. WAS REPLACED ONCE BY THE LOCAL DEALER ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. BELT HAS GRADUALLY DEVELOPED THE SAME PROBLEM OVER THE RECENT YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10310335

55,000 miles · Jan 14, 2004
EquipmentSeat Belts

BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RETRACT PROPERLY AFTER THEY'VE BEEN TAKEN OFF, OR DURING SUDDEN BRAKING. DEALER REPLACED BOTH UNITS, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10053229

Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsVehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE DID NOT START FOUR TIMES IN SIX WEEK PERIOD. BATTERY REPLACED TWICE. PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *TT

NHTSA ODI #566047

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2000
Exterior LightingPower TrainSeat Belts

THIS CAR IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. HEADLIGHTS DIM TO DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AT NIGHT, TRANSMISSION LURCHES BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR AND SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #726232

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2000
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT PROPERLY & HAS COME LOOSE FROM THE CAR FRAME.

NHTSA ODI #717476

Official recalls

2

99V011000 · 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

1

DP02004 · Engine Seizure

Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.