1999 Lexus RX300

I PURCHASED USED 1999 LEXUS RX300 IN 2008 AND SO FAR I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO UNEXPECTED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, BOTH AIR RATIO SENSORS, BOTH KNOCK SENSORS, OXYGEN SENSOR, FRONT STRUT MOUNTS, AND NOW POSSIBLY HAVE TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN (NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY). I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE 1999 TO 2001 RX300S WERE SO PROBLEMATIC. SINCE THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT, I AM STUCK FOOTING THE BILL FOR ALL THESE REPAIRS. WHICH FROM WHAT I HAVE RESEARCHED ARE ATTRIBUTED TO BAD ENGINEERING. I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO REPAIR A VEHICLE WHICH IS SUPPOSEDLY KNOWN FOR QUALITY. THE PROBLEMS THAT I'VE MENTIONED ARE JUST THE MAJOR REPAIRS. I HAVE OTHER MINOR ISSUES SUCH AS REAR POWER WINDOW MUST REMAIN LOCKED OR IT OPENS ON IT'S OWN, DASHBOARD LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE,AND POWER ROOF GETS STUCK OPEN INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY 1999 LEXUS RX300. I HAVE NOTICE VIA THE INTERNET THAT THESE ARE WIDE SPREAD PROBLEMS BUT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING. THESE ARE THE INCIDENCES THAT I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH: * DEBRIS CAN GET INTO THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE THAT ALLOWS AIR INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO HAVE A LOW IDLE SPEED, OR STALL WHEN IT IS COLD. (THIS OCCURRED IN THE PAST, PERHAPS 2004. LEXUS EVENTUALLY REPLACED MY ENGINE IN 2005.) * SLUDGE CAN BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. I ROUTINELY HAVE TO HAVE THE SLUDGE CLEANED OUT TO AVOID ENGINE PROBLEMS. * THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT COMES ON BECAUSE THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR SENDS INCORRECT INFORMATION TO THE ENGINE'S COMPUTER. THIS CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF POWER ON ACCELERATION. (THIS STARTED OCCURRING ON DECEMBER 11, 2008.) * THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT COMES ON BECAUSE A COMPONENT OF THE OXYGEN SENSOR STOPS WORKING, AND THE CAR IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROPER RATIO OF AIR TO FUEL FOR THE ENGINE. (THIS HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST, PERHAPS 2005. WE HAD TO PAY FOR NEW AIR FLOW SENSORS.) * LIGHT BULBS FREQUENTLY BURN OUT IN THE TAILLIGHTS. * THE FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES VERY LOUD NOISES WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS OR ROUGH ROADS. THE SUPPORT BUSHING FOR THE SUSPENSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. (THIS BEGAN HAPPENING IN DECEMBER 2007. LEXUS TOLD US WE NEED NEW STRUTS.) * A THROBBING WIND NOISE FROM THE MOONROOF. ONE CANNOT HAVE THE MOONROOF OPEN AT THE SAME TIME AS THE WINDOWS OR ONES EAR DRUMS EXPERIENCE SEVERE PAIN. (THIS HAS EXISTED FROM PURCHASE.) I BELIEVE THE 1999 LEXUS RX 300 MIGHT VERY WELL BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE LEMON LAWS, YET WE'RE NOT SEEING PROBLEMS BEING ADDRESSED WITH RECALLS. *TR

I OWN A 99 RX300 AWD. PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP CORPORATION THAT ALSO OWNED LEXUS OF SERRAMONTE IN SF BAY AREA AT 68K MILES. THE VEHICLE APPARENTLY HAD ALL SERVICES DONE ON TIME AS MY DEALER NOTED AND WAS SERVICED AT THEIR FACILITY SINCE THE VEHICLE LEFT THEIR DEALER LOT. SO THE CAR WAS LOCALLY OWNED AND REPAIRED. AT 74K MY TRANSMISSION STARTED TO ACT UP WHERE I FOUND THE CAR TO BE BELLOW 20% OF ITS TEMPERATURE THE CAR WILL EITHER NOT SHIFT INTO 4TH OR OVER DRIVE. MY DEALER TOLD ME TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT THAT ONLY WORSENED THE PROBLEM WHERE IF THE ENGINE IS BELLOW THAT TEMPERATURE IT WILL START JUMPING WHEN GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND, AND TAKES A WHILE TO SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION OF ANY CAR AT 90K MILES. NOW MY BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT MY CAR STALLS IF IT''S AT IT NORMAL TEMPERATURE AFTER STARTING IT UP, IT WILL DIE, UNLESS I KEEP THE PEDAL DEPRESSED FOR FUEL TO FLOW INTO THE ENGINE AFTER THE STARTER DISABLES. I OWNED PLENTY OF CARS WELL OVER 20 AND NEVER HAD ANY OF MY VEHICLES EVER HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM EXCEPT ONE CAR THAT HAS BEEN TOTALED TWICE IN ITS ENTIRE LIFE. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL VEHICLE BEHAVIOR NOR APPROPRIATE DEALER RESPONSE WHEN TRYING TO KEEP A GREAT CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP. THIS CREATES A LOT OF DISTRUST AND FEELING THAT YOU'RE HAVING YOUR LEG PULLED. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER AND TURNED INTO A RECALL, AS I AM FINDING OUT THAT 90% OF 99-2000 LEXUS RX300'S OUT THERE HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. *NM

FAILURE BEGAN AS A THUMPING IN RIGHT FRONT. PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE ALTHOUGH DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. CONTINUED UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT MANUFACTURER REP GOT INVOLVED AT WHICH TIME PARTS WERE FINALLY REPLACED. MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES BUT APPARENTLY DID NOT NOTIFY OWNERS.