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2002 Lexus RX300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Lexus RX300 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 88.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

74 reports with mileage · 14 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 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 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 reports1 fire reports8 injury reports

Power Train complaints

38 reports
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135,000 miles · Jan 30, 2012
Power Train

COMPLETE FAILURE/BREAKDOWN OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION POWERTRAIN. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10445897

110,000 miles · Dec 24, 2011
Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION TOTALLY FAILED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. RPMS PEGGED OUT AT 6K. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO NORTHTOWN LEXUS IN AMHERST, NY. THEY AGREED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS TOTALLY SHOT AND WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $5,500 TO REPLACE, JUST FOR THE PART. I SUBSEQUENTLY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO CONTINENTAL TRANSM…

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THE TRANSMISSION TOTALLY FAILED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. RPMS PEGGED OUT AT 6K. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO NORTHTOWN LEXUS IN AMHERST, NY. THEY AGREED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS TOTALLY SHOT AND WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $5,500 TO REPLACE, JUST FOR THE PART. I SUBSEQUENTLY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO CONTINENTAL TRANSMISSION IN BUFFALO, NY, WHERE IT WAS REBUILT FOR $3,100. I UNDERSTAND FROM POSTS AT THE LEXUS OWNERS CLUB OF USA THAT RX300 TRANSMISSIONS ARE PRONE TO FAILURE AS THEY WERE NOT DESIGNED FOR THE ADDED STRESSES IMPOSED BY AND SUV. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10441160

107,085 miles · Nov 27, 2011
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH. FORTUNATELY, WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO MY DRIVEWAY. HAD CAR TOWED INTO SHOP AND THEY ADVISED ME OF A TOTAL "TRANSMISSION FAILURE". ALL SERVICES PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, NO UNUSUAL OR HARSH DRIVING CONDITION ON VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10437370

169,000 miles · Sep 7, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

WHEN I WAS DRIVING THREE LIGHT TURNED ON AT THE SAME TIME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC AND TRAC OFF LIGHT. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND HE STATED THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SOLENOID. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC TO CHECK THE OIL PAN AND THE STOLENOIS IS GETTING CLOGGED BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10424181

133,000 miles · Sep 5, 2011
Power Train

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY WITH A MAX SPEED OF 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I ENDED UP CALLING A TOW TRUCK TO TOW ME TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE IT SIT. I AM NOW READING ABOUT THE MANY WHO HAS SUFFERED AND IS SUFFERING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WHY ISN'T THE GOVERNMENT ACTING ON FORC…

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TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY WITH A MAX SPEED OF 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I ENDED UP CALLING A TOW TRUCK TO TOW ME TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE IT SIT. I AM NOW READING ABOUT THE MANY WHO HAS SUFFERED AND IS SUFFERING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WHY ISN'T THE GOVERNMENT ACTING ON FORCING LEXUS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE? THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. FIRST AND LAST LEXUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10423809

100,000 miles · Aug 31, 2011
Power TrainCrash

EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON EARLY MODEL LEXUS RX300 FROM 1997 TO 2003. I OWN A 2002 RX300 AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES. IT HAPPENED WITH NO NOTICE CAUSING MY ENGINE TO SLOW ON THE ROAD AND THEN WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I SEEM TO BE A LUCKY ONE AS I READ THOUSANDS OF LEXUS RX300 OWNERS TRANSMI…

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EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON EARLY MODEL LEXUS RX300 FROM 1997 TO 2003. I OWN A 2002 RX300 AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES. IT HAPPENED WITH NO NOTICE CAUSING MY ENGINE TO SLOW ON THE ROAD AND THEN WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I SEEM TO BE A LUCKY ONE AS I READ THOUSANDS OF LEXUS RX300 OWNERS TRANSMISSIONS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BETWEEN 70,000 AND 90,000 MILES. LEXUS/TOYOTA HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADMIT THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS CAR AND IN FACT DENIED ANY PROBLEMS TO MYSELF. IT IS COSTING OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO OUTLAY BETWEEN $3,000 TO $6,000 FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS GO ON THE CLUB LEXUS FORUM FOR LEXUS OWNERS AND TYPE IN TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR RX300 AND YOU WILL SEE THOUSANDS OF OWNERS COMPLAINING. PLEASE DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO MAKE LEXUS/TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL AND REIMBURSEMENT TO THOSE OWNERS OF THESE CARS. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10422828

104,000 miles · Aug 22, 2011
Power Train

2002 LEXUS RX300 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ISSUE. HAVE BEEN READING ON THE INTERNET AS WELL AS THIS SITE (16 TOTAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRANSMISSION/POWER TRAIN FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE). JUST THIS MORNING, MY WIFE (PRINCIPAL DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE) TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE (LOCATED INSIDE OUR HOME GARAGE). THE VEHICLE…

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2002 LEXUS RX300 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ISSUE. HAVE BEEN READING ON THE INTERNET AS WELL AS THIS SITE (16 TOTAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRANSMISSION/POWER TRAIN FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE). JUST THIS MORNING, MY WIFE (PRINCIPAL DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE) TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE (LOCATED INSIDE OUR HOME GARAGE). THE VEHICLE WILL NOT REVERSE. FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS NOW A MORE COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL OF LEXUS THAN EVER BEFORE? THE DANGER INVOLVED IN HAVING TO PLAY WITH A GEAR SHIFT; SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH FROM PARK TO REVERSE, OR REVERSE TO DRIVE, JUST TO MOVE INTO GEAR IS A HAZARD AND DANGER FOR A VEHICLE PARTICULARLY HOUSED IN A GARAGE. I'M ALSO LEARNING THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS MODEL OF LEXUS SUV JUMPING OUT OF GEAR AND LOCKING UP THE AXLES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. LEXUS IS NOT AN INEXPENSIVE VEHICLE, AND OWNERS SHOULD EXPECT MORE FROM A VEHICLE OF THIS PRICE RANGE AND OVERALL QUALITY OTHERWISE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10421016

120,000 miles · May 6, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONSUMED OIL EXCESSIVELY. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND BEGAN TO SPUTTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO BECAME STUC…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONSUMED OIL EXCESSIVELY. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND BEGAN TO SPUTTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO BECAME STUCK AND TOOK AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH THE TRANSMISSION AND MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #10399310

85,000 miles · Feb 14, 2011
Power Train

STARTED TO NOTICE OIL ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE. UPON INSPECTION FOUND TO BE TRANSMISSION OIL. TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES GOING TO TRANSMISSION COOLER HAD RUSTED THROUGH WITH PIN HOLES. SEEMS THEY ARE LOW ENOUGH TO RECEIVE ROAD SPRAY. HAD TO REPLACE STEEL COOLER LINES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10382611

83,360 miles · Dec 29, 2010
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE FOLLOWED THE GUIDELINES…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE FOLLOWED THE GUIDELINES ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT; THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD GET BACK WITH HIM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 83,360.

NHTSA ODI #10373277

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.