2000 Lexus RX problems
NHTSA has received 30 complaints about the 2000 Lexus RX, and 67% of them involve transmission. After that come drivetrain & axles (17%) and air bags (3%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 30 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Transmission 67% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 93,000 miles 26 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 0 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 1 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 7 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 8 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 5 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 1 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 26 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 92,000 miles. For transmission specifically, the median reported mileage is about 86,000 miles (18 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 1 injury reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2000 ranks 22nd most-complained-about out of 23 model years of the Lexus RX with enough data (0 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
On 7/26/2022 approx 8:00 am I was driving on brighton clopton rd when this flat bed wrecker was backing out on highway and I was looking down to make sure my speedometer was at 30 MPH all of a sudden I crashed into this bed of the wrecker, (not one) airbag deployed my knees, shins, chest bones , hurt like crazy , head, I was taken to hospital for evaluation, I attach some pictures from my crash , the officer had me to move out of drivers seat just in case the airbags did finally go off.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving the vehicle 35 MPH the transmission failed. The vehicle acted as if it was in neutral. The vehicle restarted after a few minutes and was driven to a dealership. The vehicle continued to shift very hard and felt as if were going to stall. The dealership determined the transmission needed to be replaced. Prior to this incident there was a whining sound coming from under the hood.
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to place the vehicle into the drive gear the automatic transmission control module failed. Neither the drive nor reverse gear could be engaged. The vehicle was unable to move and was towed to the dealership. Upon inspection, the dealership discovered metal particles in the transmission oil. The diagnosis indentified that the transmission was lubricated with metal shavings and other contaminants therefore the entire transmission system would need to be replaced.
After $3000+ in repairs for the main seals leaking, the rear seals leaking, timing belt replacement, and all other belts replaced, my check engine light appeared, and I brought it to the dealership. They later informed me that my engine is being replaced. They made no mention of the class action lawsuit, due to engine sludge build-up, that prompted the replacement, but I soon received a letter regarding it, and all the lexus and toyota models affected.
My 2000 lexus rx300 transmission failed at 96,000 miles. I was in heavy traffic and was able to use gravity to drift off to the side of the road. I waited 2.5 hours for a tow truck.