IllustrationENGINE DESIGN FAULT IN THE COOLING CHANNELS TO THE CYLINDER HEAD OF THE VEHICLE WERE MADE TOO SMALL RESULTING IN EXCESSIVES ENGINE OPERATING TEMPERATURES CAUSING FRYING OF THE ENGINE OIL TURNING IT TO SLUDGE, THE SLUDGE CLOGS THE ENGINE PORTS EVENTUALLY CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. NLM
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
What owners actually said
221 reportsWHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS ON THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DROPPING MELTING, BURNING DEBRIS ONTO THE ROADWAY. THE CAR HAD 16,000 MILES AT THE TIME. A PLASTIC "UNDER ENGINE COVER" AND TWO VACUUM HOSES WERE DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THERE WAS NO RESPONSIBILITY ON …
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WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS ON THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DROPPING MELTING, BURNING DEBRIS ONTO THE ROADWAY. THE CAR HAD 16,000 MILES AT THE TIME. A PLASTIC "UNDER ENGINE COVER" AND TWO VACUUM HOSES WERE DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THERE WAS NO RESPONSIBILITY ON THEIR PART FOR THE FIRE OR DAMAGE. THEY SUGGESTED A PLASTIC BAG OR SIMILAR OBJECT BLEW UP FROM THE ROADWAY SETTING THE VEHICLE COMPONENTS ON FIRE. ANOTHER SUGGESTION WAS THAT A SERVICE PERSON LEFT SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE HADN'T BEEN SERVICED FOR ALMOST 4 MONTHS AND HAD BEEN DRIVEN OVER 1000 MILES SINCE THE LAST SERVICE. NO SIGNS OF BURNING WERE FOUND ON OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE DEALER'S EXPLANATION OF A PIECE OF TRASH BLOWN UNDERNEATH THE CAR SHOULD SET VEHICLE COMPONENTS ON FIRE AND SUSPECT A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM UNDER THE HOOD, HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP. HAD NO PRIOR WARNING OF PROBLEM. VEHICLE DESTROYED. INSURANCE ADJUSTOR INDICATED PROBLEM WAS A FAN MOTOR. *AK
I THOUGHT THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY FILLED OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE WITH NHTSA, SO THIS MAY BE A DUPLICATE, BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE IT SO I THOUGHT TO FILE A SECOND ONE. THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR FENDER BENDER IN WHICH A PLYMOUTH VOYAGER HIT THE REAR LEFT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 10MPH. MY WIFE (SOP…
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I THOUGHT THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY FILLED OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE WITH NHTSA, SO THIS MAY BE A DUPLICATE, BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE IT SO I THOUGHT TO FILE A SECOND ONE. THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR FENDER BENDER IN WHICH A PLYMOUTH VOYAGER HIT THE REAR LEFT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 10MPH. MY WIFE (SOPHIA ROSLIN), WHO WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND THE OTHER DRIVER, EXCHANGED INSURANCE INFORMATION BUT DID NOT INTEND TO FILE A CLAIM AS THE DAMAGE SEEMED MINOR. SOPHIA THEN PARKED THE VEHICLE AND ATTENDED A BIRTHDAY PARTY THAT MY 3 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS ATTENDING. AFTER THE PARTY, APPROXIMATELY 90 MINUTES LATER, SOPHIA AGAIN BEGAN DRIVING THE CAR AND HEADED HOME. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE, AND WITHOUT FEELING ANY PULLING, DRAGGING OR TUGGING, SOPHIA WAS ALERTED BY GOOD SAMARITAN THAT THE REAR LEFT TIRE WAS ON FIRE (UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T RECALL THE MAKE OR MANUFACTURERE OF THE TIRE, BUT IT WAS THE STANDARD TIRES THAT COME WITH THE LEXUS RX300). SOPHIA ESCAPED THE CAR ALONG WITH MY DAUGHTER. THE FIRE WOUND UP ENGULFING THE VEHICLE, MELTING THE CAR SEAT AND TOTALLING THE CAR. *AK
WHEN VEHCILE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, HITTING A TREE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG.
VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND WALKED TO GET HELP. UPON RETURNING VEHICLE WAS BURNING. VEHICLE TOTALLED. *AK
GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES (P225/70R16) WERE NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF A SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE ACCORDING TO A DEALER, THREE OF THE CONSUMER'S TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUTS OR HAVE GONE FLAT. *SLC
WE HAVE HAD 3 TIRE FAILURES WITHIN 20 MONTHS OF OWNING OUR LEXUS RX-300. GOODYEAR IS TELLING US THAT LEXUS SHOULD NOT USE THIS TIRE ON AN SUV, IT IS A CAR TIRE, AND USE OF THIS TIRE ISN'T APPROVED BY GOODYEAR. THE TIRE SIDEWALL IS MAKING CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT BECAUSE THE SUV IS HEAVIER THAN A CAR. LEXUS HAS SINCE SWITCHED…
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WE HAVE HAD 3 TIRE FAILURES WITHIN 20 MONTHS OF OWNING OUR LEXUS RX-300. GOODYEAR IS TELLING US THAT LEXUS SHOULD NOT USE THIS TIRE ON AN SUV, IT IS A CAR TIRE, AND USE OF THIS TIRE ISN'T APPROVED BY GOODYEAR. THE TIRE SIDEWALL IS MAKING CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT BECAUSE THE SUV IS HEAVIER THAN A CAR. LEXUS HAS SINCE SWITCHED TO BRIDGESTONE TRUCK TIRES ON THE RX300. WE WOULD LIKE LEXUS TO PAY FOR OUR TIRES TO BE CHANGED OUT TO SAFER, APPROPRIATE TIRES.*AK (DOT NUMBER: M65L TIRESIZE: 225/70R16)
THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AXLE SHEARED IN TWO, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. THE VEHICLE BECAME VIOLENT, THEN COMPLETELY ROLLED OVER. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WE WOULD LIKE A COMPLETE INVESTIGATION.
WAS TRAVELING 10MPH WHEN VEHICLE LOST POWER. NOTICED A GLOW UNDER HOOD. STOPPED VEHICLE & JUMPED OUT. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED & PUT FLAMES OUT. GAVE NO INDICATION OF CAUSE OF FIRE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE & MELTED.*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.