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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

88 reports
142,128 miles · Oct 31, 2018
Exterior LightingPower TrainUnknown Or Other

SUDDENLY MY GEARS BEGAN SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, PARK, REVERSE AND INTO !ST AND 2ND GEAR WITHOUT LOCKING INTO ANY OF THEM. NO MATTER WHAT THE SHIFTER MOVES FREELY. MY CAR ONLY MOVES FORWARD NO MATTER WHICH GEAR IT'S IN, INCLUDING REVERSE. I PUT IT INTO PARK AND IT STILL KEEPS MOVING FORWARD. IN ORDER TO PARK AND STOP, I HAVE TO…

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SUDDENLY MY GEARS BEGAN SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, PARK, REVERSE AND INTO !ST AND 2ND GEAR WITHOUT LOCKING INTO ANY OF THEM. NO MATTER WHAT THE SHIFTER MOVES FREELY. MY CAR ONLY MOVES FORWARD NO MATTER WHICH GEAR IT'S IN, INCLUDING REVERSE. I PUT IT INTO PARK AND IT STILL KEEPS MOVING FORWARD. IN ORDER TO PARK AND STOP, I HAVE TO USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURN THE CAR OFF. I DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE (UNKNOWN) IT JUST SUDDENLY HAPPENED ON A TOLL ROAD AT THE PAY STATION. ALSO, MY INTERNAL LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON WHEN I OPEN ANY DOOR, INCLUDING THE TRUNK LIGHTS. MY RADIO DOES NOT CHANGE STATIONS AND KNOB DOES NOTHING, RECEPTION IS POOR & COMES AND GOES. I CANNOT GET ANY AM STATIONS.

NHTSA ODI #11144280

110,000 miles · Oct 16, 2018
Air BagsSeats

LEXUS HAS NOT ASSEMBLED/SECURED THE AIRBAG WIRING PROPER UNDERNEATH OF SEAT AND PROMPTS THE B1140 RIGHT-HAND SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY B1141 LEFT-HAND SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY CODES IN 2002 RX300 MODELS. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE AND CAN BE DEADLY FOR THESE CARS CONSIDERING THE AIRBAGS WA…

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LEXUS HAS NOT ASSEMBLED/SECURED THE AIRBAG WIRING PROPER UNDERNEATH OF SEAT AND PROMPTS THE B1140 RIGHT-HAND SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY B1141 LEFT-HAND SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY CODES IN 2002 RX300 MODELS. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE AND CAN BE DEADLY FOR THESE CARS CONSIDERING THE AIRBAGS WANT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE LOSE AND NOT PROPERLY SECURED WIRING. DEALER ASKS $1800 TO GET THIS CORRECTED WHERE AS THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. NEEDS A RECALL FOR BOTH (LEFT/RIGHT) SEATS AIRBAG WIRING/ECM CIRCUITS.

NHTSA ODI #11140719

92,000 miles · May 8, 2018
Electrical System

WINDOWS AND SUNROOF OPENED ON THEIR OWN!!! THE DOORS WERE LOCKED AND NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR. CAR WAS PARKED AND LEFT OVERNIGHT LOCKED AND EMPTY.

NHTSA ODI #11092486

164,700 miles · Mar 7, 2018
Service Brakes

AT 6:30 PM GOING 45 MPH TO MALL AND THE ROAD WAS WET APPLY BRAKE AND THEN CAR START SPINNING WHILE ABS MAKING LOTS OF SOUND.

NHTSA ODI #11076732

165,000 miles · Mar 7, 2018
Power Train

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK TILL I HEARD GRINDING NOISE THEN I REALIZED CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE ANY MORE THEN IT TOWED AWAY TO MECHANIC SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME IT IS THE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11076721

87,000 miles · Jan 2, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

I HAVE FOR YEARS EXPERIENCED A CHALLENGE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING. I HAVE TRIED FOR YEARS TO GET THESE LIGHTS TO REMAIN OFF, BUT WITH EVERY REPAIR, IT COMES BACK ON. I BASICALLY RIDE WITH THESE LIGHTS ON ALMOST ALWAYS FOR YEARS. I HAVE PAID TO HAVE IT REPAIRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I FOUND A WEEK OR TWO AGO, A …

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I HAVE FOR YEARS EXPERIENCED A CHALLENGE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING. I HAVE TRIED FOR YEARS TO GET THESE LIGHTS TO REMAIN OFF, BUT WITH EVERY REPAIR, IT COMES BACK ON. I BASICALLY RIDE WITH THESE LIGHTS ON ALMOST ALWAYS FOR YEARS. I HAVE PAID TO HAVE IT REPAIRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I FOUND A WEEK OR TWO AGO, A LETTER FROM LEXUS CONCERNING THIS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND I WONDER CAN I STILL HAVE MY VEHICLE CHECKED OUT FOR THIS ABNORMALITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NHTSA ODI #11058124

197,500 miles · Nov 20, 2017
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

I ENTERED PARKING LOT AND PULLED INTO PARKING SPOT WITH MY FOOT ON BRAKE BARELY GOING. I WAS ALMOST ALL THE WAY INTO SPOT WHEN MY CAR LUNGED UP WITH EXTREMELY HIGH RPMS. I WENT INTO SMALL TREE, DROVE OVER ANOTHER CAR, CAR FLIPPED ON SIDE, THEN FLIPPED OVER ON ROOF AND INTO ANOTHER PARKED CAR. ENGINE OVERTOOK THE BRAKES. I AM OR…

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I ENTERED PARKING LOT AND PULLED INTO PARKING SPOT WITH MY FOOT ON BRAKE BARELY GOING. I WAS ALMOST ALL THE WAY INTO SPOT WHEN MY CAR LUNGED UP WITH EXTREMELY HIGH RPMS. I WENT INTO SMALL TREE, DROVE OVER ANOTHER CAR, CAR FLIPPED ON SIDE, THEN FLIPPED OVER ON ROOF AND INTO ANOTHER PARKED CAR. ENGINE OVERTOOK THE BRAKES. I AM ORIGINAL OWNER WITH CAR EXTREMELY WELL MAINTAINED BY LEXUS. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OR FELT THIS CAR LIKE THIS BEFORE.

NHTSA ODI #11047465

65,000 miles · Jul 27, 2017
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

ENGINE KNOCKS ON ACCELERATION, BURNS OIL BAD, HARD TO START, TRANSMMISION WILL NOT AUTO SHIFT INTO HIGH RANGE ON FREEWAY, CAR LURCHES WHEN GETTING UP TO FREEWAY SPEED

NHTSA ODI #11010984

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2017
Power Train

TAKATA RECALL, LEXUS TRANSMISSION IS MESSING UP NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. THERE IS A BUNCH OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION MESSING UP AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE IT COULD FAIL AT ANY GIVEN TIME. SO PLEASE I ASK YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND AT LEAST TRY TO HELP THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #11010694

92,500 miles · Jan 23, 2017
Unknown Or Other

WHEN I SWITCH OFF THE ENGINE, REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL/CREEP FORWARD OR BACKWARDS WHEN THE SHIFT LOCK SELECTOR LEVER IS LEFT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE WHEN THE SUV IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE. I STRONGLY FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IF THE SUV IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WITH THE SHIFT LOCK SELECTOR LEVER IS LEFT…

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WHEN I SWITCH OFF THE ENGINE, REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL/CREEP FORWARD OR BACKWARDS WHEN THE SHIFT LOCK SELECTOR LEVER IS LEFT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE WHEN THE SUV IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE. I STRONGLY FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IF THE SUV IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WITH THE SHIFT LOCK SELECTOR LEVER IS LEFT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE AS THE SUV WOULD ROLL/CREEP FORWARD OR BACKWARDS AND POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND RESULTING IN BODILY HARM. TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE I NOW MAKE SURE THAT THE SHIFT LOCK SELECTOR LEVER IS LEFT IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL IS PUSHED DOWN WHEN I SWITCH OFF THE ENGINE. MY MAIN CONCERN IS IF MY FAMILY MEMBERS DRIVE THE SUV AND DO NOT PUT THE SHIFT LOCK SELECTOR LEVER IN THE PARK POSITION AND HAVE THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED DOWN THE VEHICLE WILL/CREEP FORWARD OR BACKWARDS IF THE SHIFT LOCK SELECTOR LEVER IS LEFT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. I BROUGHT THIS PROBLEM TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LEXUS DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT COME UNDER A 2002 LEXUS RX 300 SUV RECALL. THE LEXUS SERVICE CONSULTANT GAVE ME A QUOTE ON 10-10-2017 FOR $739.89 PLUS THE COST TO RE-CORE A AAA LOCK AND KEY. THIS WOULD INVOLVE REPLACING THE IGNITION HOUSING, R&R, PART # LE45280-33130, DESCRIPTION: BRACKET ASSY, STEERI. I WOULD LIKE YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10947118

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.