I was wondering how many people on this forum have had transmission problems with their RX300 and have had their transmission replaced or fixed. At what mileage did you start having problems and how much did you pay to have the transmission replaced or fixed. I saw a TSB issued for the transmission on the RX300 on edmunds.com and was wondering why they haven't issued a recall if this problem is so prevalent among RX300's? Is it because no one has reported this problem to the NHTSA (National Highway and Transportation Association) Any thoughts on this issue would be appreciated. Thanks

 

The trans on our 99 RX was replaced at around 45k miles; no warning of any problems, just one day would not go into any gear, forward or reverse. Was replaced w/o question and under warranty. That said, I know of no other RX owners locally (and it happens that I know quite a few since we bought one of the earliest 99s here, leading to a number of other RX sales for my sales rep) who have had tranny problems.

As far as why there has been no recall: recalls are issued when a problem is quite prevalent or a defect in either materials or the manufacturing process has been identified. You have to remember that these situations are like television news reporting. You only hear about the bad stuff, which in turn makes a problem seem commonplace, when in actuality it may be quite rare.
So the real incidence of any given problem is often difficult to ascertain.

 

No tranny problem here (2002 RX,) but I do pull the fuse from time to time to make it shift smoothly.

Recalls are issued only when safety is a concern.

 

Remember, Lexus is not perfect. They are pursuing it. There are some Lexus with more imperfections than others and some with the occasional major failure. Sorry to hear about your tranny but it is a very rare problem or we would be flooded with issues. I think the RX 330 hesitating tranny problem is more prevalent, since there are more posts of that occuring.

 

Finally, if there was really a problem, Lexus would do the recall. They would not wait for some beaurocracy to tell them what to do. Case in point, just recently, the LS 430 was recalled by Lexus for a tranny failure. THing is, only 14 or so LS 430s had the issue. It was minor too, something about the tranny shifting funny after being parked on a hill. Lexus wanted to take no chances and recalled them all just incase, and all owners got extra perks for the potential mishap.

If you want recalled trannies, check out the Acura forums.

 

Don't hold your breath waiting for Lexus to do a recall on their own. Ain't gonna happen.

GCrim21

 

Worried about how long the reman unit will hold up

 

My 99 RX300 transmission went out at 71000 miles.....warrenty was good for 70000........a rebuilt cost me $4500. My c\\Chevy has 160,000 and the trans is still going strong. I've had the RX in for service every 5K since new.......what did I do wrong? What did Edmunds sat was the problem ? Greg

 

I'm looking into purchasing a 99 RX300, which had its transmission replaced at around 50k miles. The previous owners seem to be very concerned about maintenance and upkeep of their cars and it was infact serviced frequently and seems to have been driven with care, yet the transmission failed.

I did some quick research and checked several consumer review websites and the transmission failure seems to be a common problem.


I'm dissappointed that something like this can happen on a Lexus. I always gave Toyota a lot of credit for reliability, but this is unacceptable.

 

My tranny went at 55K and about 5 years. I have an early model (5/98). Replaced under warranty, it started slipping and a light bucking sensation. Been 20K miles, new (rebuilt) transmission doesn't seem as good as the original, it feels a little off. Dealer said it is fine.

 

Recall only happens when safety is at stake AND enough owners have filed complaints to NHTSA for them to investigate. So chewing Lexus customer service's ears off won't do. Contact NHTSA if you think there's a safety issue associated with the malfunction.

 

I recently read some recommendations from RX300 owners on the edmunds.com forum to replace the transmission fluid every 15K miles. Some people said that the transmission fluid should be changed at 30K miles while other owners said that the transmission fluid should last the life of the car. Does anyone know what the real truth behind changing transmission fluid is? I'm confused and not really sure what to believe. thanks

 

I doubt there is any "real truth". This has been discussed in the past and there are a lot of different opinions. Lexus says the fluid shouldn't need replacement, but to check the color on the dipstick every 15K-mi or so (and change fluid if no longer cherry-red). Many Lexus dealers say drain-and-refill every 15K or 30K. I don't think any owner or dealer is in a position to do definitive testing; they have to rely on their experiences and feelings. On the most extreme side, some owners have their transmission fluid flushed (as oposed to the drain-and-refill) at regular intervals.

 

My '99 had been driven carefully, serviced regularly at Lexus and made a high pitch humming noise when coasting at 45 mph. That started at about 64,000 miles. I was determined to have it remedied before the warranty expired at 70,000 miles. They test drove it and decided upon several repairs including bearings, but the noise reappeared when the engine was cold at 25-35 mph. The dealer decided it was the transmission. At 68,000 miles it was replaced free of charge and a loaner was provided. The car has been fine ever since. It is out of warranty but still serviced regularly there. I hold no ill will against Lexus. No manufacturer can be perfect and I've never had to pay for repairs, just maintenance work.

 

are you sure ODO didnt say 70,001?