IllustrationI AM ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION WHEN THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF. I HAVE HAD THE CAR BEGIN ROLLING WHILE I HAVE ALREADY LEFT THE CAR AND HAVE HAD TO RUSH TO GET BACK IN AND PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. I AM WORRIED THIS WILL HAPPEN AND HURT SOMEONE OR CAUSE DAMAGE. *TR
2000 Lexus RX300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most RX300 years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
50–25K
525–50K
1750–75K
4375–100K
77100–150K
15150K+
162 reports with mileage · 54 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 138 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. 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.
16 crash reports0 fire reports12 injury reports
Latches/locks/linkages complaints
5 reports2000 LEXUS RX 300 WITH BACK DOOR LOCK PROBLEM CUSTOMER STATES THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM**CC THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS A DEFECT WITH THE REAR DOOR OF THE VEHICLE IT WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEY OR REMOTE CONTROL. THE CONSUMER STATED UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR. *TR
LIFTGATE OPENS DUE TO RUST IN BALL STUD ATTACHED TO BODY. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LIFTGATE CAN FALL OFF DUE TO RSUT IN BALL STUD AND HINGE HARDWARE FOR LIFTGATE - 2000 LEXUS RX 300
AT 40 MPH OR ABOVE, WITH THE SUN ROOF OPENED, THE AIR ENTERING THE VEHICLE MAKES THE WHOLE VEHICLE SHAKE AND CREATES A LOUD AIR NOISE WHICH WILL HURT YOUR EARS. I CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALER & THE MANUFACTURER. THEY BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON EACH & EVERY RX-300. IT ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE SUN ROOF IS CLOSED AN…
Read full complaint
AT 40 MPH OR ABOVE, WITH THE SUN ROOF OPENED, THE AIR ENTERING THE VEHICLE MAKES THE WHOLE VEHICLE SHAKE AND CREATES A LOUD AIR NOISE WHICH WILL HURT YOUR EARS. I CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALER & THE MANUFACTURER. THEY BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON EACH & EVERY RX-300. IT ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE SUN ROOF IS CLOSED AND THE REAR WINDOWS ARE DOWN. THEIR FIX IS FOR ME TO CLOSE THE SUN ROOF, CLOSE ALL THE WINDOWS AND TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. LEXUS STATED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. I DO NOT ENJOY DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, PLUS I SPENT $1,000. 00 JUST FOR THE MOON ROOF. LONGO LEXUS SUGGESTED THAT I PURCHASE AN EXTERNAL ROOF MOUNTED AIR DEFLECTOR AND RAIN/AIR DEFLECTORS AROUND THE WINDOWS. THEY WERE WILLING TO SELL ME THESE ITEMS. *AK
UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT PRESSED DOOR LOCKS AND SHUT THE DOOR. BUT DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE'S KEYS, AFTER 30 SECONDS, ALARM WENT OFF, AND THE OCCUPANT COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. HAD TO BREAK A WINDOW IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.