Most common 1999 Lexus RX problems
Share of the 35 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus RX complaints by model year
Best RX years: 2012, 2013, 2014. Years to avoid: 2023, 2024, 2021, 2022, 2025. Compare all years →
What 1999 Lexus RX owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 29 →
While driving down the interstate returning from a family trip from mississippi at approximately 150 miles from my home the rx300 stopped on the highway and would not pull forward in any drive position. It was about 10 pm and most businesses were closed. After pulling off the road, I tried putting the car in various drive positions and it would never gain any momentum. I slowly pulled back onto the highway using my emergency blinkers while the car would pull slowly at times and not at all at others. Finally I was able to coast off the highway to a gas station at the exit. I allowed the vehicle to cool down for about an hour and tried to move it again and it moved about twenty feet and stopped again. Fortunately I had not gotten on the road and was able to coast back to a parking area. …
In August 2005 I purchased a 1999 Lexus AWD RX-300 with 60,000 miles from northside Lexus in houston. On 12/4/06 the transmission failed at 73,882 miles '' the vehicle would not shift into any gear. Lexus dealers had replaced the transmission fluid at 31,385 miles and 59,134 miles. An independent transmission shop rebuilt the transmission for $3896 with the following parts: torque converter, overhaul kit, all steels, front planetary, sun gear, ring gear, rear planetary, bushing kit, and bearing kit. According to the shop, this failure has nothing to do with improper maintenance or driving, but is related to a poor transmission design. He reported common transmission problems with Lexus RX-300 vehicles. Lexus has not issued a recall or service notice for these transmissions, nor would northside Lexus agree to reimburse any part of my repair. …
Seat belts
While on vacation this past weekend my 7 1/2 year old daughter was unable to fasten her seat beat! I had to move her booster seat to the left side of the rear of the car. I took the car to Lexus to have them repair this safety feature. I was informed it would cost me $250 to repair. The front driver's seat belt stopped working in 2003 after a car accident and Lexus claimed is was fine. It still doesn't work.
Seat belts will not retract without manually feeding them back into the retractor. If seat belts are not manually fed back into the retractor the buckle and slack seat belt are caught when the door closes.
Engine & cooling
When driving my Lexus RX 300 1999 it feels very forced and when on the express way the RPM goes up to 5 when im driving 60mph and when I come to a complete stop and its time to go my car stalls as if it was in neutral very scary when I have my newborn and a 7 year old in the car. I have maintained my car to the upmost standards from the best gas synthetic oil changes constantly checking everything is in good conditions . For a Lexus I am very upset because my mechanic has said its the transmission and that I will have to replace it which costs 4-5,000 dollars and I mean is a 15 year old car worth putting 5 grand into it? I expected this car to last me a little bit longer I mean from what I was told this car should go to almost 300,000 but its obviously not. I am very disappointed that a Lexus would have this common problem from what I've seen and read.
The transmission on my 1999 Lexus RX 300 needed to be replaced with only 70,000 miles on the car. I have also had to replace the struts, the radio antenna motor and have a major oil leak repaired.
1999 Lexus RX engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 20 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Lexus RX a good car?
Based on 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 RX rates avoid: 2.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the RX at the same age. It is one of the RX years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Lexus RX?
The transmission & drivetrain — 29 complaints, 83% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the seat belts (3) and engine & cooling (3).
How many recalls does the 1999 Lexus RX have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1999 Lexus RX. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus RX?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2013 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2024, 2021, 2022 and 2025. See the full Lexus RX years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Lexus RX problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 110,000 miles; 3% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.