IllustrationFAILURE OF TORQUE CONVERTER IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, RESULTING IN TOTAL FAILURE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE DISABLED ON BUSY FREEWAY. NO PRIOR WARNING, NO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT, NO TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE ALARM. *TR
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
Compare all RX300 years →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
50–25K
825–50K
950–75K
1675–100K
26100–150K
10150K+
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 reportsDT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO REMAIN LATCHED. WHEN THE BELT WAS REBUCKLED, THE BUCKLE DISENGAGED AFTER 5 MINUTES. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT.
DT: LEXUS, RX 300 SUV 2002, CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF A BRAKE PROBLEM. EVERY 9,000 MILES BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. THE DRUMS WORE OUT, AND THE STEERING COLUM SHIMMIED LEFT TO RIGHT. DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THERE WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP FIXED THE PROBLEM TWICE. CONSUMER WAS AFFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY, CONSUMER HAD…
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DT: LEXUS, RX 300 SUV 2002, CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF A BRAKE PROBLEM. EVERY 9,000 MILES BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. THE DRUMS WORE OUT, AND THE STEERING COLUM SHIMMIED LEFT TO RIGHT. DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THERE WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP FIXED THE PROBLEM TWICE. CONSUMER WAS AFFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY, CONSUMER HAD NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
HAVE GONE THROUGH 4 BATTERIES -- 3 WITHIN 3 MONTHS. FLETCHER JONES DEALERSHIP IN LAS VEGAS, NV KEEPS INSISTING NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE (LEXUS RX300-2002) + SIMPLY REPLACES THE DEAD BATTERY. LEXUS REGIONAL SERVICE NEVER SEEMS ABLE TO REACH THE DEALERSHIP. NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA OR EXPLANATION WHY BATTERIES KEEP FAILING FOR NO APP…
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HAVE GONE THROUGH 4 BATTERIES -- 3 WITHIN 3 MONTHS. FLETCHER JONES DEALERSHIP IN LAS VEGAS, NV KEEPS INSISTING NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE (LEXUS RX300-2002) + SIMPLY REPLACES THE DEAD BATTERY. LEXUS REGIONAL SERVICE NEVER SEEMS ABLE TO REACH THE DEALERSHIP. NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA OR EXPLANATION WHY BATTERIES KEEP FAILING FOR NO APPARANT REASON.
DT: THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG ONLY PARTIALLY DEPLOYED AFTER IMPACT AND WHEN IT DEPLOYED IN WAS TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE. *NM
THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION OF 25 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE UPPER HARNESS OF THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD THE CONSUMER IN PLACE. THE CONSUMERS CHEST HIT UP AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE …
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THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION OF 25 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE UPPER HARNESS OF THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD THE CONSUMER IN PLACE. THE CONSUMERS CHEST HIT UP AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *JB *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THEN, VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. *AK
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN COLLISION AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS CHEST, LEFT LEG, BACK SHOULDER, ETC. THE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR CUTS BRUISES AND CONTUSIONS. *NM
THE WINDSHIELD GLARE FROM MY 2002 LEXUS RX 300 IS SO GREAT THAT I CAN NOT DRIVE THE CAR DURING THE DAY AND SAFELY SEE OTHER VEHICLES TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER PARTS MANAGER WHO TOLD ME IT WAS VERY COMMON AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. IS THAT TRUE? I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE M…
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THE WINDSHIELD GLARE FROM MY 2002 LEXUS RX 300 IS SO GREAT THAT I CAN NOT DRIVE THE CAR DURING THE DAY AND SAFELY SEE OTHER VEHICLES TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER PARTS MANAGER WHO TOLD ME IT WAS VERY COMMON AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. IS THAT TRUE? I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR. I HAVE TRIED COVERING THE DASH BUT IT DID NOT HELP. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THIS GLARE ISSUE? THE DEALER SAID LEXUS WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAD MADE CHANGES IN DESIGN BECAUSE OF IT.*AK
ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT THROUGH THE CENTER MEDIAN AND TURNED INTO THE CONSUMER'S PATH STRIKING THE LEFT FRONT BUMPER AND FENDER; YET NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *PH VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. *LA
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.