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
What owners actually said
221 reports
130,000 miles · Jun 27, 2007
Power Train
IN NOVEMBER 2006, THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1999 RX300 UNEXPECTEDLY FAILED. WHILE TRAVELING HOME, THE CAR STARTED TO REV UP, BUT WOULD NOT MOVE - AS IF IN NEUTRAL. I HAD THE RX TOWED TO LOCAL LEXUS DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND I COULD PROBABLY SAVE MONEY BY GOING TO A TRANSMISSION REBUILDER. I HAD THE WO…
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IN NOVEMBER 2006, THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1999 RX300 UNEXPECTEDLY FAILED. WHILE TRAVELING HOME, THE CAR STARTED TO REV UP, BUT WOULD NOT MOVE - AS IF IN NEUTRAL. I HAD THE RX TOWED TO LOCAL LEXUS DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND I COULD PROBABLY SAVE MONEY BY GOING TO A TRANSMISSION REBUILDER. I HAD THE WORK DONE - AROUND $5000. MY RX HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AND HAD 130K MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT. NOW, I'M HEARING THAT THIS MAY BE A COMMON PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #10194821
97,000 miles · Jun 22, 2007
Power Train
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MY 1999 LEXUS RX300 WITH NO WARNING AT ONLY 97,000 MILES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10194024
Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 2007
Power Train
THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 1999 RX 300 WA S SERVICED EXCLUSIVELY BY PERFORMANCE LEXUS, STARTED TO SLIP, AND BY THE TIME I GOT IT HOME IT HAD NO GEARING. I HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT ONE YEAR AGO, AND TOOK IT TO MY DEALER, WHO SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10193541
123,000 miles · Jun 7, 2007
Power Train
MY TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN ON ME AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ON MY 1999 LEXUS RX 300, WITH LESS THAN 124,000 MILES. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING BAD.
NHTSA ODI #10192688
127,000 miles · Jun 1, 2007
Power Train
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY LEAVING ME STRANDED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10192241
105,000 miles · May 24, 2007
Power Train
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND BEGAN HEARING A GRINDING SOUND. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND WAS TOWED T…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND BEGAN HEARING A GRINDING SOUND. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NO GOOD. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.
NHTSA ODI #10191675
123,000 miles · May 13, 2007
Power Train
THE LEXUS RX300 HAD 123000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHEN TRAFFIC WAS AT ITS PEAK. I HAVE LEARNT AFTER THE FACT THAT THE RX300 TRANSMISSION PRONE TO FAILURE AND LEXUS HAD NOT POSTED ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10190612
169 miles · May 3, 2007
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 169K WITH NO WARNING, CAR HAS BEEN FULLY SERVICED ACCORDING TO LEXUS GUIDELINES. DEALER WANTS $5K TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10189609
103,000 miles · Mar 19, 2007
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH CLEAR ROAD CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY SHIFTED GEARS. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK FOLLOWED BY A LOSS IN POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURREN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH CLEAR ROAD CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY SHIFTED GEARS. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK FOLLOWED BY A LOSS IN POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE VEHICLE MILEAGE WERE 103000. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10185572
67,000 miles · Mar 7, 2007
Power Train
AT 67,000, MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. FORTUNATELY, THIS OCCURRED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE ROAD. NO WARNING, JUST NO TRANSMISSION. AFTER REPLACING TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STUCK ON. REPLACED A BROKEN SENSOR. I AM OUT $4,000.00 FOR A DEFECT THAT I BELIEVE LEXUS IS VERY AWARE OF. *JB
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.
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.
1999 Lexus RX300 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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