Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
625–50K
1550–75K
3875–100K
75100–150K
17150K+
152 reports with mileage · 17 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 123 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
169 reports
115,000 miles · Jan 13, 2009
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR JUST STOPPED DANGEROUSLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A 4 LANE HIGHWAY AND WAS UNABLE TO BE PUSHED TO SIDE OF ROAD ,EVEN WHEN PUT IN NEUTRAL POSITION ON THE GEAR SELECTOR. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP INTERNALLY AND VEHICLE IMPEDED TRAFFIC FOR QUITE SOME TIME CAUSING A SEVERE SAFETY DANGER FOR US AND ANY CARS TRAVELING …
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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR JUST STOPPED DANGEROUSLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A 4 LANE HIGHWAY AND WAS UNABLE TO BE PUSHED TO SIDE OF ROAD ,EVEN WHEN PUT IN NEUTRAL POSITION ON THE GEAR SELECTOR. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP INTERNALLY AND VEHICLE IMPEDED TRAFFIC FOR QUITE SOME TIME CAUSING A SEVERE SAFETY DANGER FOR US AND ANY CARS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ENCOUNTERING AN UNEXPECTED SLOWING OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE OF THE BLOCKED ROADWAY . *TR
OUR TRANSMISSION FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY CAUSING OUR WHEELS TO LOCK. I SPENT NEARLY $4000 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED LIKE THE MANY LEXUS RX300 OWNERS HAVE HAD TO DO. THIS HAS NOT ONLY SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED OUR WALLETS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY COULD HAVE KILLED MY WIFE AND I. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10253307
98,000 miles · Dec 23, 2008
Power Train
AT ONLY 98K MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY 2001 LEXUS RX300. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WERE NEARLY HOME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. WE HAD SOME MINOR PROBLEMS WITH IT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT THEY SEEMED TO GO AWAY ONCE THE ENGINE WARMED UP. THIS TIME, HOWEVER, IT WENT FROM D…
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AT ONLY 98K MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY 2001 LEXUS RX300. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WERE NEARLY HOME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. WE HAD SOME MINOR PROBLEMS WITH IT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT THEY SEEMED TO GO AWAY ONCE THE ENGINE WARMED UP. THIS TIME, HOWEVER, IT WENT FROM DRIVING TO JUST REVVING, AS IF IN NEUTRAL, IN ABOUT A MINUTE OR LESS. WE HAD TO COAST DOWN AN OFF-RAMP AND PUSH TO A PARKING SPOT BEFORE HAVING IT TOWED. OUR MECHANIC SAYS IT WILL BE BETWEEN $2-3K TO FIX IT. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A LUXURY VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 100K MILES ON IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10252645
95,000 miles · Dec 7, 2008
Power Train
MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT .. IT WILL NOT SHIFT RIGHT OR DRIVE CORRECTLY AND LEXUS WILL NOT FIX IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10250984
110,000 miles · Dec 3, 2008
Power Train
I HAVE A 2001 RX300, AS I AM READING I HAVE NOT BEEN THE ONLY ONE TO EXPERIENCE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE! I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE OVERHAULED, AS I WAS DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY THE CAR GOT TO ABOUT 30 MPH AND STARTED REVVING UP REALLY HARD AND THEN JERKED, IN A 65MPH ZONE, WHERE I…
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I HAVE A 2001 RX300, AS I AM READING I HAVE NOT BEEN THE ONLY ONE TO EXPERIENCE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE! I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE OVERHAULED, AS I WAS DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY THE CAR GOT TO ABOUT 30 MPH AND STARTED REVVING UP REALLY HARD AND THEN JERKED, IN A 65MPH ZONE, WHERE I WAS NEARLY REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRYING TO GET OFF THE INTERSTATE! THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, I CANNOT LEXUS TO HELP AND WILL BE PAYING $3500 TO REPLACE! I WORK IN TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AND I MUST SAY THIS IS A HUGE HAZARD AND THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING SOMEONE CAN DO TO MAKE LEXUS FIX THIS PROBLEM BEING THEY ARE NOT GOING TO CARE ABOUT FIXING IT ON THEIR OWN! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10250681
111,244 miles · Nov 25, 2008
Power Train
FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION IN 2001 LEXUS RX 300. THERE IS A KNOWN, WELL-DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSAXLES IN THIS VEHICLE. LEXUS HAS NOT RECALLED THE VEHICLE AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10249858
120,000 miles · Aug 29, 2008
Power Train
2001 LEXUS RX300. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 120,000 MILES. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 30-40 MPH ON HIGHWAY THE WOULD COME TO COMPLETE STOP. WILL HAVE TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION OR REBUILD OLD ONE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH 99-02 LEXUS 300. WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10240289
96,000 miles · Aug 19, 2008
Power Train
TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AND NEARLY CAUSED SEVERE CRASH ON A LUXURY SUV WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10238908
115,000 miles · Aug 4, 2008
Power Train
COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10236840
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2001 Lexus RX300 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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