Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Lexus RX300 problems

Owners filed 221 complaints about the 1999 Lexus RX300 with NHTSA between Aug 1998 and Mar 2022. The most-cited component is power train (129).

Complaints
221
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
18
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train129
  2. Engine and engine cooling23
  3. Air bags14
  4. Seat belts10
  5. Vehicle speed control10
  6. Electrical system8
  7. Tires7
  8. Exterior lighting6
  9. Suspension6
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic6
  11. Visibility5
  12. Equipment5
  13. Service brakes4
  14. Engine4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19984
199911
200017
20019
20026
20037
200411
200510
200610
200722
200824
200928
201027
201113
20124
20131
20143
20151
20165
20173
20184
20190
20200
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

129 reports3 crashes1 fire
“ON 06/16/16 I PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY ENGAGE EMERGENCY BRAKES PLACE VEHICLE IN PARK AND GOT OFF. IMMEDIATELY I REALIZED VEHICLE WAS ROLLING FORWARD I ATTEMPTED TO START TO BRAKE AND GOT NOTHING. I NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE I ATTEMPTED TO PLACE IN PARK AND GOT NOTHING LEVER WAS FREE SLIDING NOT ENGAGING ANY GEARS. I IMMEDIATELY GOT ONLINE TO ATTEMPT TO TROUBLESHOOT ISSUE AND RAN INTO A HANDFUL OF BLOGS RELATING TO AN ISSUE IN GEAR SHIFTER CABLE WITH A PLASTIC RETAINING CLIP WHICH LEXUS USES ON CABLE. I HAD NO INDICATION OR ANY SORT OF WARNING OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT OCCURRED IT JUST HAPPEN OUT OF THE BLUE AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IF I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE READ THAT LEXUS IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS MISTAKE AND FEEL THAT IT IS HORRIBLE TO ALLOW A COMPANY THAT SELLS SUCH EXPENSIVE VEHICLES TO EMPLOY THIS PRACTICE AND ENDANGER CONSUMERS, SPECIFICALLY FOR SUCH AN INEXPENSIVE PIECE. I HAD TO GET UNDER VEHICLE TO MANUALLY ENGAGE TRASMISSION INTO NEUTRAL TO BE ABLE TO START VEHICLE AND PROPERLY PARK BY AGAIN GETTING UNDER VEHICLE AND PLACING IN REVERSE AND THE DRIVE, I WAS UNABLE TO GET BACK INTO PARK FOR SOME REASON WILL LIFT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2016Power trainODI 10874742

Engine and engine cooling

23 reports
“WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE MOUNTAIN ROAD THE ENGINE ON MY 1999 LEXUS RX 300 STARTED KNOCKING LOUDLY AND FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO SWING INTO A PULL OUT AND DID NOT GET HIT. THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO SLEDGE BUILD UP. I AM A SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE FROM TOYOTA ABOUT REPLACING A DEFECTIVE ENGINE . I PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 03 HAD IT IN FOR REPAIRS IN 07 THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO INFORM ME OF THE LAWSUIT AND CORRECT THE ENGINE AT THAT TIME. NOW THIS INCIDENT IN 2010. I COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE IF I WERE TO HAVE BEEN HIT ON THIS MOUNTAIN ROAD THAT SITS ON THE CLIFF AT 5,500 FEET. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 4, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10374695

Air bags

14 reports10 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A STOPPED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD AND LEFT KNEE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEN TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 28, 2017Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11001997

Seat belts

10 reports
“THE SEATBELTS IN MY LEXUS RX300 DO NOT RETRACT ALL THE WAY. TOYOTA MADE A FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS BY PLACING TEFLON TAPE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE BELT UP, BUT IT DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT IT AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION: IF I GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT WILL BE TOO SLACK. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 15, 2010Seat beltsODI 10310646

Vehicle speed control

10 reports5 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE RPMS SUDDENLY INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO SPEEDS ABOVE 85 MPH. DURING THE INCIDENT, FLAMES WERE SEEN COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A NECK INJURY, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INDICATED THAT THE FLAMES CREATED A HOLE IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (O'BRIEN LEXUS IN BELLEVUE WA) WERE NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,825. *TT *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 26, 2018Vehicle speed control, EngineFire reportedODI 11075008

Electrical system

8 reports5 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WITHOUT THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE READER. IF THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE READER WAS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT SEVERAL DIFFERENT FAILURE CODES APPEARED FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES FOR SEVERAL CODES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE, BUT WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER A REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 16, 2016Electrical system, EngineODI 10850076
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.