1999 Lexus RX300

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO COAST TO A STOP WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER, ALLOWED TO COOL DOWN, THEN PROCEEDED 100 MILES. THIS CYCLE RECURRED UNTIL ARRIVING AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHICH DETERMINED THE PLANET PINION GEAR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE TO TRANSMISSION REPLACED.

FIRST FAILURE HAPPENED DURING A LEFT TURN AT A BUSY MULTI-LANE INTERSECTION. TRANSMISSION DROPPED OUT OF GEAR INSTEAD OF SHIFTING LEAVING ME POWERLESS AT A VERY VULNERABLE TIME. THE VEHICLE HAD SUFFICIENT MOMENTUM THAT I MANAGED TO DRIFT UP AND OVER AN ADJACENT CURB. I WAS AT THE MERCY OF ALERT DRIVERS IN THE INTERSECTION AT THE TIME. A LEXUS REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED BY A TOYOTA MECHANIC. AFTER 12 MONTHS AND MANY ATTEMPTS AT GETTING THE ENGINE LIGHT TO REMAIN EXTINGUISHED I WAS ADVISED TODAY BY LEXUS OF CALGARY THAT THE SECOND TRANSMISSION IS NOW FAILING. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION AND NOW THIS ONE ARE FAILING TO SHIFT WHEN REQUIRED MOST, RECENTLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE DURING A LANE CHANGE. IT IS DANGEROUS TO NOT HAVE POWER WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST. *NM

WHEN STARTING MY 1999 LEXUS RX 300 AFTER WORK, I NOTICED A "WHINING" SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. MY COMMUTE HOME IS ABOUT 15 MILES. I NOTICED WHEN DRIVING THAT IT WOULD "JERK" WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE GEARS. IT MADE ME THINK BACK TO A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK WHEN I WAS IN A PARKING SPACE AND PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE AND STARTED TO EASE OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE WHEN IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE HAS HIT ME OR I HAD HIT SOMETHING. I GOT OUT, BUT NOTHING? I THEN GOT BACK INTO THE CAR AND STARTED TO LEAVE AND THE CAR WOULD GO INTO REVERSE, BUT WHEN APPLYING THE GAS THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I TRIED AGAIN AND THE CAR FINALLY "CAUGHT" INTO GEAR AND MADE A TERRIBLE SOUND. I NOTICED IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE DAY OF FAILURE THAT THE CAR WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME CHANGING INTO SECOND GEAR. IT WOULD "WIND OUT" BEFORE CATCHING. NOW, THE DAY OF THE FAILURE, I WAS LEAVING WORK AND I NOTICED A "WHINING" SOUND IN THE ENGINE AND IN MY COMMUTE HOME IT GOT WORSE. THE CAR STARTED JUMPING BACK AND FORTH AND THE RPMS WERE RANDOMLY JUMPING. EVEN WHILE COASTING DOWN A HILL THE RMPS WOULD JUMP AND ACCELERATE AND SLOW DOWN THE CAR MAKING IT JERK. AT TIMES IT WOULD ACT AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL AND I WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MILES PER HOUR. WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN, THE RMPS WOULDN'T MOVE? MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 78K MILES ON IT. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD MY HUSBAND, WE CALLED LEXUS AND TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THEM. I HAD TO GET A RENTAL CAR. I GOT A CALL THE NEXT DAY TO TELL ME THAT THE PUMP FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BLACK AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. IT'S GOING TO COST $4,600.00 TO REPAIR. THERE ARE MANY OTHER CASES EXACTLY LIKE MINE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL! *NM

THE CAR WAS WORKING PERFECTLY. ONE DAY WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION BLEW, AND I COULD NOT MOVE. HAD TO PAY $4000+ OUT OF POCKET, THE WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED 2 MONTHS BEFORE AND LEXUS WOULD NOT STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, IT TURNS OUT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE RX300 1999 AND 2000 AWD. HOW CAN LEXUS NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A RECALL. THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY FAULT, BUT I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

LEXUS 1999 RX 300 AWD TRANSMISSION FAILED - MARKED DROP OF ACCELERATION POWER ON FREEWAY. SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF NEW VEHICLE, IT HAS RECEIVED REGULAR SERVICE MAINTENANCE THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. LAST SERVICE INCLUDED A FLUSH OF THE TRANSMISSION. PROBLEM EXPERIENCED AT 74,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT LEXUS NO LONGER OFFERS A TRANSMISSION REBUILD AND THAT I NEEDED TO TAKE IT TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP (FOUND OUT LATER THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE). TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT INCLUDING SOLENOIDS, PLANETARIES, TORQUE CONVERTER, SUN GEAR) AT COST OF OVER $4,200. I'VE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL '99 RX300 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION FAILURE OR ISSUES AT RELATIVELY LOW ODOMETER MILEAGES, AND LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS WELL. *NM

MY 1999 LEXUS RX 300 TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER AGREES MY SERVICE RECORD WAS IN "TIPTOP" SHAPE AND YET I LOST ALL GEARS WITH 66,000 MILES ON THE CAR. SEARCHING THE INTERNET REVEALS THAT THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. OF COURSE, MY WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED 4 MONTHS AGO. LEXUS OFFERED TO SPLIT THE $5000 REPLACEMENT COST IN HALF. IT SEEMS TO ME THEY SHOULD COVER 100% OF THE COST. *NM

THE MANIFOLD SYSTEM ON MY 1999 LEXUS RX300 HAD TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 68,320 MILES WHICH COST WELL OVER $1,000. USUALLY THE MANIFOLD SYSTEM ON A CAR IS NOT REPLACED. LEXUS SHOULD BE REPSONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM FOR US. I ALSO HAD THE JELLYING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. YES, I DO ALL THE REQUIRED ONLY CHANGES AND ETC.