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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Steering complaints

5 reports
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Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2014
Steering

STEERING LOCKED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. TURNING RIGHT, MY VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE IN MOTION AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO STRAIGHTEN OUT. THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD, BUT THANKFULLY SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES, I STOPPED BEFORE DOING SO. UPON READING REVIEWS, OTHER LEXUS RX-300 DRIVERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME …

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STEERING LOCKED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. TURNING RIGHT, MY VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE IN MOTION AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO STRAIGHTEN OUT. THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD, BUT THANKFULLY SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES, I STOPPED BEFORE DOING SO. UPON READING REVIEWS, OTHER LEXUS RX-300 DRIVERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME OCCURRENCE. THIS MALFUNCTION COULD CAUSE MAJOR INJURY OR DEATH. I AM REQUESTING THE NHTSA IMMEDIATELY CONDUCT A REVIEW OF THESE VEHICLES AND FORCE LEXUS TO PERFORM A MANDATORY RECALL BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10652460

125,000 miles · Jul 15, 2014
Power TrainSteeringVehicle Speed Control

WITH LITTLE/NO WARNING, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (2WD) FAILED. ALL GEARS (P,R,N,D,2,1) WORKED LIKE NEUTRAL GEAR. IF THIS WOULD'VE OCCURRED A FEW MINUTES EARLIER, MY CHILDREN AND I (LOCATED AT A SHARP TURN OVER A STEEP HILL) COULD'VE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN LEXUS RX300'S FROM YEA…

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WITH LITTLE/NO WARNING, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (2WD) FAILED. ALL GEARS (P,R,N,D,2,1) WORKED LIKE NEUTRAL GEAR. IF THIS WOULD'VE OCCURRED A FEW MINUTES EARLIER, MY CHILDREN AND I (LOCATED AT A SHARP TURN OVER A STEEP HILL) COULD'VE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN LEXUS RX300'S FROM YEAR 1999-2002. HOW MANY EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURES DOES IT TAKE TO HAVE A RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10610819

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2000
EquipmentSteeringStructureCrash

WHEN CHANGING LANES STEERING WHEEL WENT INTO OPPOSITE DIRECTION, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THROTTLE WAS STICKING. SPEAKER FAILED. CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE IN RIGHT FRONT DASH AREA, DEALER REPLACED…

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WHEN CHANGING LANES STEERING WHEEL WENT INTO OPPOSITE DIRECTION, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THROTTLE WAS STICKING. SPEAKER FAILED. CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE IN RIGHT FRONT DASH AREA, DEALER REPLACED THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #875553

Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 1999
SteeringStructureVisibility

IF THE WIRELESS REMOTE IS USED TO LOCK THE VEHICLE AND A PERSON IN IT, THEN AFTER 30 SECONDS THE SECURITY SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND THE PERSON IN THE VEHICLE IS TRAPPED. NONE OF THE DOOR HANDLES OR WINDOWS WILL OPERATE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #715081

Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 1999
Latches/locks/linkagesSteering

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

NHTSA ODI #851392

Official recalls

0

No 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

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.