Most common 2001 Lexus RX300 problems
Share of the 169 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus RX300 complaints by model year
Best RX300 years: 2003, 2002. Years to avoid: 2000, 1999. Compare all years →
What 2001 Lexus RX300 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 123 →
While driving the car on city streets I attempted a u turn with the vehicle as I was completing the u turn the transmission made a weird noise and then there was nothing. No forward or reverse and when I put the vehicle in park it acted like it was in neutral. I had to put the emergency brake on to keep the car from rolling. Had to have the vehicle towed to my house 115 miles away. He car only has 145,000 miles on it. Car starts up and runs great but will not engage the transmission. The vehicle is still financed so I need to get it fixed however the cheapest rebuild I can find is $5,000.00. I called Toyota and asked if I could trade it in on a new car and they said not with the transmission fixed because they would lose money on it. I feel Toyota should fix this due to the fact there are numerous complaints about this issue with other Lexus owners. …
Vehicle has 133,890 miles on it, vehicle has been serviced every 5000 miles, according to the vehicle history and owners manual. We had transmission failure 100 miles from home. Pulled over to the side of the I-90 , had to wait 2 hours for a flatbed on the side of the highway. Mass state police were not happy having to wait that long nor safety of being on the side of the road for 2 hours. We tried moving vehicle after it was off for an hour, moved gear selector had only park and natural , was at " full hot " mark on the dip stick, fluid is clean, doesn't smell burnt at all.towed to service department and needs a new transmission. Vehicle was on the highway at 70mph , and then had no forward movement at 70mph. Google " RX300 transmission problems" and you'll find thousands of links to people having same issue. …
Speed control & acceleration all 20 →
When parking the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly accelerated while the driver was not pressing the accelerator. Despite the driver's efforts to stop the vehicle, the vehicle jumped over a curb and headed toward a head-on collision with traffic. In an attempt to avoid a possibly fatal collision, the driver swerved hard to the left intending to hit a pole to stop the vehicle. The vehicle missed the pole and hit a starbucks with the vehicle ending up completely inside the starbucks. Six people who were inside the starbucks were injured. The driver never pressed the accelerator during the entire incident.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Lexus RX300. While driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The brakes failed when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was shifted into neutral and merged to the side of the road where the vehicle was turned off. The failure recurred once. The vehicle was towed to the contact's resident. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Lexus RX300. While driving 65 MPH, the engine stalled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
I have just sat and read probably 50 complaints; safety and defective, concerning the transmission for the 2001 Lexus RX300. From what im reading, I guess I should consider myself lucky, I currently have 142,000 miles on my vehicle and although I've experienced non-periodic shifting abnormalities, I haven't experienced any of the horrific problems I've been reading in the NHTSA complaint section of this site. It is obvious there is a manufacturing defect that needs to be addressed before someone (if not already) is mangled or worst, killed. It astonishes me that a company that survives by there reputation for quality would not address what is obviously a serious and costly burden to there loyal customers. We are talking about a 35,000 dollar vehicle in 2001. …
2001 Lexus RX300 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 21 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Lexus RX300 a good car?
Based on 169 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 RX300 rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the RX300 at the same age. 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 2001 Lexus RX300?
The transmission & drivetrain — 123 complaints, 73% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the speed control & acceleration (20) and engine & cooling (17).
How many recalls does the 2001 Lexus RX300 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2001 Lexus RX300. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus RX300?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000 and 1999. See the full Lexus RX300 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Lexus RX300 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 108,000 miles; 5% 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.