Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Lexus RX300 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
The vehicle was started and in park in a flat lot. When I shifted to reverse, it did not engage/roll back. As I applied pressure to the accelerator nothing happened until a it suddenly clunked and lurched back. I put it back in park and then it repeated the same synptom. The transmission has now begun to whine and there is rumbling and jerkily between rough shifts on the streets and highway. After hearing and reading numerous horror stories of these transmission problems, and how they have suddenly gone out or locked up at highway speeds, I'm sure this is a problem Lexus has known about and is defective, especially since it represents more than 70% of the nthsas published complaints on this vehicle. There should be an investigation into this. The sudden unreliability of this transmission and it's potential to cause harm is not a coincidence among these many reports. …
Vehicle has been well maintained with regular oil changes and transmission flush. However, on 06/22/2015, under normal driving conditions in my 7 miles commute, the vehicle failed to accelerate after coming to a stop. The RPM/engine revved up, but vehicle did not move much (could not shift gears). Pulled to the sideway and called for help. Took it to local mechanic, and diagnosed with code p0770 (solenoid shifter e failure). Mechanic says new transmission is needed ($5K plus). Checking online, this seems to be a very common occurrence for this vehicle and probably model year. Toyota has to be aware of this major defect, and has probably intentionally said silent. I wish Toyota could be taken to task on this problem as it is wrecking family finances!
Purchased from my mother in 2013 at 115K after she had purchased new from dealership. Babied, dealer serviced, my transmission gave out at 130K at a cost of $3800!!! Then in less than a year it went again, and it was under aamco warranty. Then transmission went again in 2018, and just out of warranty. Why is there not a class action lawsuit!!!!!! Car died 3 separate times without warning in very dangerous situations. $3800 was my entire savings, and now my Lexus was the only thing I had of value, and it is worth $250 as a junker!
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Lexus RX300. While driving 40 MPH, the transmission seized and the gear could not be shifted into park. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000. Updated 3/13/15 the vehicle was taken to a repair shop, where the transmission was replaced. Updated 01/25/16.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Lexus RX300. The contact stated that the reverse gear was no longer operable in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 147,651. Updated 06/02/2016
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Lexus RX300. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into reverse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 162,000.
Transmission failure: started to make noise couple of days ago and finally failed while on the road. Engine is running good, but no gear engagement. All drive train position seems like the car is in natural. Excessive transmission failures was reported by other RX300 owners. Cost to service re-build transmission is $3,551.00
Transmission went out ,the vehicle jus stopped in the middle of the road thank god it was not the highway. There seems to be a problem with the transmission in these vehicle ,a very serious life threatening problem.
Transmission complaints in other RX300 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2001 Lexus RX300?
NHTSA has 123 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2001 Lexus RX300, 73% of the model year's 169 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (87 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Lexus RX300 transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2001 Lexus RX300. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Lexus RX300 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 113,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.