2001 Lexus RX300

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY 2001 LEXUS RX300 FWD WENT OUT AT 142,000 MILES. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASE NEW FROM A LEXUS DEALER AND SERVICED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SERVICE MANUAL, AT THE SAME DEALER. MOST RECENTLY THE TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED AT 135,000 MILES AND ALL WAS FINE. ON JAN. 8 THE CAR WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO A LOWER GEAR FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE ENGINE REVVED CLOSE TO RED LINE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER JUST BEFORE ENTERING A TUNNEL. TRANSMISSION FLUID LOOKS FINE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND I'VE BEEN TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $5000+ FOR PARTS AND LABOR. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2001 LEXUS RX300 FAILED WITH A LITTLE OVER 108K MILES. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I HAD TROUBLE GETTING IT IN REVERSE 2 DAYS BEFORE - THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. THEN I HAD TROUBLE STARTING IT FOR 2 DAYS. ON 8/16 IT STARTED FINE, SO I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. TWICE ON THE WAY THERE, IT JERKED & HESITATED WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP - I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED. I AM THE 2ND OWNER - I BOUGHT IT IN 2003 WITH 41,462 MILES ON IT. IT WAS LEXUS CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED. THE CAR FAX REPORT NOTED THE ORIGINAL OWNER REGISTERED IT AS PRIVATE/PERSONAL USE & NO ISSUES WERE NOTED. I HAVE HAD ALL SERVICE DONE BY THE DEALER, EXCEPT THE LAST OIL CHANGE. I'VE ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT 9K MILES PER YEAR, DRIVE IT RESPONSIBLY & HAVE NEVER TOWED WITH IT. VERY FRIGHTENING THAT I HAD FEW SYMPTOMS, AND NO WARNING LIGHT TO ALERT ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM. LEXUS DEALER WANTS $4,300 TO REPLACE IT WITH A LEXUS REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NOT DECIDED WHAT TO DO. I'M SEEING LOTS OF INFORMATION ONLINE ABOUT HOW BAD THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE, AND THEY OFTEN NEED REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. SCARES ME TO KNOW I COULD REPLACE IT, HAVE IT FAIL & PERHAPS BE IN AN ACCIDENT. I AM A REALTOR & FRIGHTENING THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH CLIENTS IN MY VEHICLE. MY EXPECTATIONS OF LEXUS QUALITY & SAFETY HAVE NOT BEEN MET. *TR

1. MAY18TH, 2010 ON MY WAY TO WORK THE LEXUS RX 300, 2001, 98K STALLED AND THE GEAR DID NOT SHIFT EITHER IN D OR IN R. THE TRANSMISSION DIED. 2. NO SIGN OF FAILURE OR SYMPTOM BEFORE THAT 3. I CALLED A LOCAL SHOP SPECIALIZED IN TRANSMISSION TO TOW IT TO THE SHOP. THE COST TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION IS 2800$. I WENT TO LEXUS DEALER AND ASK FOR A REPLACEMENT (LEXUS DOES NOT REBUILD TRANSMISSION). IT COSTS 5000$ OR MORE. I BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. I'D LIKE TO COMPLAIN AND REQUEST LEXUS TO PROVIDE SUPPORTS FOR THIS DEFECT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED AS SHE ACCELERATED FROM A TRAFFIC STOP AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE SHE WAS ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95577. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95780.

2000 LEXUS RX 300 (THIS IS A TOYOTA CAMRY ENGINE IN A LEXUS BODY) CAR TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT CHANGE INTO HIGH GEARS 3 & 4 FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING, PREVENTING ACCELERATION. LEXUS OF NORWOOD, MA REPLACED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. 5,000 MILES LATER THE NEW TRANSMISSION WAS DOING THE SAME THING, AFTER A WEEK THEY FINALLY GAVE IT BACK TO AND SAID IT WAS REPAIRED BUT NOT WHAT THEY HAD TO FIX AND WERE VERY SKETCHY, IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. FINALLY THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN TOLD IN LOW TONES SO NOT TO BE HEARD THAT IT WAS COMPUTER SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND THAT;S WHY THEY WOULD NOT TELL ME. SO THEY REPLACED AN ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AT 48000 MILES INCORRECTLY WHEN ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS DO A SOFTWARE BUG FIX. I THINK THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE COMPUTER PREVENTED ACCELERATION BUT COULD PROBABLY ALSO CAUSE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THEY DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OF THEIR SOFTWARE RUNNING THESE ENGINES AND DON'T WANT TO ADMIT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. *TR