Rx300 Transmission Problem

[Mobilgrl]

I own a 1999 LEXUS RX 300,as I have always been a dedicated Lexus purchaser until now...My vehicle has 75,000 miles on it and is very well maintained. My family has owned auto repair my entire life as well as I work in the automotive field.

Anyway, I am appalled at the blatant lack of assistance that I have recieved from Lexus corporation in California. I contacted them in referance to my Transmission, as the planetary ring gear blew apart, as this is a manufacturers defect and NOT because the vehicle wasn't maintained. The nearest Lexus dealer is an hour away from me and lexus wanted me to pay to have my vehicle towed, which is not a problem the cost would be approximately $300.00, which then there certified Lexus tech would determine the cause of the transmission failure and if it was something that they thought would be covered then they would let me know. If I didn't like what they would have to say, I could pay for the time they had involved and have my vehicle towed back to the transmission facility where my vehicle is at. I advised I could tell them what is wrong and they advised me that a certified Lexus tech needed to determine that. Yet, the tech who has my vehicle is certified and has been doing this for 37 years. Then if it is not covered then I wouldn't have to tow it. I was also advised because I don't have my vehicle maintenanced by Lexus they will not be doing anything for me. Where does it say in ANY WARRANTY that one must use a Lexus dealer for repairs, I actually thought that it was against the law for them to tell me where I have to get my vehicles serviced...I am extremely upset on principle. The reason why I purchase Lexus products is because I thought Lexus was a name synonyms with Brand,Quality and Reliability. Yet, this vehicle has left me stranded with 75k...Lexus could have taken the extra step considering that I was a dedicated customer but they showed me how they stand behind the product that they built, I will now be taking my business to MB, or BMW as I WILL NEVER WASTE MY MONEY ON ANOTHER LEXUS PRODUCT EVER AGAIN. LEXUS

[SKperformance]

If you work in the feild (did not mention a title) thenm you should know how it works.

Have you ever owned a car before that was new enough to have a warranty ? I only aks this because you say you have so much background to the field but do not know the limits which any company works in. I wouldn't take anyones word that they need anything , especially a $3000 repair on their best guess or an estimate without having legitimate technitions back it up.

You didn;t have you warr denied you were given basic facts ,so what are you making yourself an !Removed! for and saying you are being blackballed.

First wouldn't a "dedicated" owner take his/her vehicle to a lexus dealer to be service, not billy bob's lube and tire?

Did they ask you to produce the receipts to prove the work was preformed and when ?

You can have it serviced where ever you like but without proof then you are SOL'd.

[bartkat]

I own a 1999 LEXUS RX 300,as I have always been a dedicated Lexus purchaser until now...My vehicle has 75,000 miles on it and is very well maintained. My family has owned auto repair my entire life as well as I work in the automotive field.

Anyway, I am appalled at the blatant lack of  assistance that I have recieved from Lexus corporation in California. I contacted them in referance to my Transmission, as the planetary ring gear blew apart, as this is a manufacturers defect and NOT because the vehicle wasn't maintained. The nearest Lexus dealer is an hour away from me and lexus wanted me to pay to have my vehicle towed, which is not a problem the cost would be approximately $300.00, which then there certified Lexus tech would determine the cause of the transmission failure and if it was something that they thought would be covered then they would let me know. If I didn't like what they would have to say, I could pay for the time they had involved and have my vehicle towed back to the transmission facility where my vehicle is at. I advised I could tell them what is wrong and they advised me that a certified Lexus tech needed to determine that. Yet, the tech who has my vehicle is certified and has been doing this for 37 years. Then if it is not covered then I wouldn't have to tow it. I was also advised because I don't have my vehicle maintenanced by Lexus they will not be doing anything for me. Where does it say in ANY  WARRANTY that one must use a Lexus dealer for repairs, I actually thought that it was against the law for them to tell me where I have to get my vehicles serviced...I am extremely upset on principle. The reason why I purchase Lexus products is because I thought Lexus was a name synonyms with Brand,Quality and Reliability. Yet, this vehicle has left me stranded with 75k...Lexus could have taken the extra step considering that I was a dedicated customer but they showed me how they stand behind the product that they built, I will now be taking my business to MB, or BMW as I WILL NEVER WASTE MY MONEY ON ANOTHER LEXUS PRODUCT EVER AGAIN. LEXUS 

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I hope you don't expect Lexus to pay for your transmission repairs without their own verification that it's a warranty repair.

[Unlisted]

lexus got smart after the sludge issue. in a high level of the sludge cases they found the customers all had one thing in common. no service history. people went home onto there computer and started printing up phony receipts . Lexus caved in and it cost them alot of money. Try leasing a MB or BMW. You will wish the dealer was in your back yard. Nothing like having a transmission problem with a month old car, {see any MB forum } and BMW is just as customer friendly. If you return a leased BMW or M/B be prepared to pay for any services not completed at the dealer.

[VGR]

My vehicle has 75,000 miles on it and is very well maintained. I am appalled at the blatant lack of  assistance that I have recieved from Lexus corporation in California. I contacted them in referance to my Transmission, as the planetary ring gear blew apart, as this is a manufacturers defect and NOT because the vehicle wasn't maintained.

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The drivetrain warranty expired at 70,000 miles. What specifically did you do to "maintain" the transmission over the years?

Did you:

1. Buy the RX300 brand new or used? If used, the prior owner could have abused the

transmission in a way that prematurely stressed or wore the part/s that failed at 75,000 miles.

2. At what odometer mileages was the transmission fluid changed and what type of fluid was used?

3. Did you personally ever measure the transmission fluid level or did you rely solely on an outside service shop to do it?

4. What references can you cite that have documented these transmissions have a manufacturing defect that doesn't show up until around 75,000 miles?

Transmission wear is normally minimal at 75,000 in Toyota transmissions that receive periodic fluid changes using approved fluids and if the fluid level is always precisely maintained and if the driver does not ever treat the transmission abusively since the day the vehicle was new.

[wwest]

The RX300 owners manual does not require any ATF mainainance for the life of the vehicle. Lexus Corporate and Bellevue Lexus agrees but with the exception that one should check the ATF condition every 15,000 miles and react accordingly.

I changed out my 2001 AWD RX300's ATF three times due to it appearing contaminated, dark appearing, and smelled burnt. First one was at 38k miles. Second time was at 45k miles. Third time was about a week later when I checked and discovered the ATF was again dirty and smelly.

Turned out I had to drain the ATF from the diff'l, ~1qt, via a separate drain plug.

The RX300 series has some sort of transaxle wear problem.

[RX in NC]

The RX300 transmission is the weakest link in this vehicle, especially in the all-wheel-drive version. Regardless of what your owners manual says, you must change your Toyotal Type T-IV transmission fluid at least every 30,000 miles (some say 15,000 miles as mentioned above) in order to have a chance for this transmission to last for the life of the vehicle. Many of us believe that it is poorly engineered and possibly does not have enough cooling capacity.

Spend some time searching this site and others like it for threads pertaining to RX300 transmission problems (there are many, many of them). Educate yourself accordingly, and use this information in a professional but unyielding manner when dealing with your local Lexus management. This approach has always worked for me - I've required Lexus to perform over $9,000 worth of failure repairs on my wife's 2000 RX300 since October 2003, including a new (rebuilt) transmission. None of this work has cost me a penny. But I always thoroughly research and document the issue before I approach my local Lexus management. They know that I come far more prepared than the average customer, and it makes a huge difference in my ability to convince them that I should get exactly what I want at no cost to me.

Take this same approach and your results may be much more to your liking....

[LexKid630]

In 2003 my 1999 rx300's transmission blew out entirely. All there was was a sound; no movement. It costed ME $4400 to replace it. I sold it a week later. It only had 79,000 miles on it.

I was very displeased by the fact that they wouldn't fix it. They knew theyir product was faulty. Why let the customers pay.

But i bought another 03 rx300 to repace it. I sold it a few weeks ago; it only had 65k miles on it, and already a few problems.

[VGR]

In 2003 my 1999 rx300's transmission blew out entirely. All there was was a sound; no movement. It costed ME $4400 to replace it. I sold it a week later. It only had 79,000 miles on it.

I was very displeased by the fact that they wouldn't fix it. They knew theyir product was faulty. Why let the customers pay.

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No owner on this or any other Lexus forum that has regularly inspected the condition of the transmission fluid and changed it accordingly and was also careful to precisely maintain the correct transmission fluid level has reported early RX transmission failure.

Some owners seem to expect a Toyota / Lexus to be like a Timex watch - to able to take a licking (in the form of driver abuse and maintenance neglect) and keep on ticking. Some Toyota / Lexus engines / transmissions are capable of withstanding this kind of treatment and others are not. There is no way to tell ahead of time which engine / tranny combinations can withstand abuse and neglect and which ones cannot. Therefore owners have to make an individual decision as to whether or not they want to invest a little time and money into preventive maintenance or take their chances by neglecting / extending inspection and service intervals. Owners who think Toyota / Lexus or any other car maker is ever going to consistently build vehicles that can withstand abuse and neglect are living in a fantasy world.

[RX in NC]

VGR is flat-out wrong when stating that no owner who has meticulously inspected and maintained their RX300 transmission has reported early transmission failure. All of our vehicles have always been meticulously inspected and maintained, and my wife's RX transmission still failed at about 48,000 miles. Lexus agreed and replaced it under warranty.

Meticulous inspection and maintenance (along with proper operation of the vehicle at all times) will always help prolong the life of a vehicle, but it cannot overcome inherent flaws. Many owners believe that the RX300 transmission (particularly in the all-wheel-drive configuration) suffers from engineering weaknesses that cause it to fail prematurely. Based upon our own experiences, I have to agree. Vehicle neglect is not a factor in our household, therefore VGR is mistaken.

[lexus ls430]

i agree i dont think they should fix it

[sgriffith]

I have a 99 RX with 93K on it and have had my share of problems with the vehicle. I found out about the transmission issue when I had about 60K on it, and I have been changing it every 15K ever since. I do have to agree that this is some design flaw with Lexus. I do not mind changing out sensors, replacing belts/water pump, or anything else on it that is supposed to get worn out....but the transmission, rear main seal, ignition lock cylinder, catalytic converter, and many other large items shouldn't have to be replaced....they haven't been in any of my other vehicles. I have no problem changing fluids often, and usually do it myself (and keep the recipts!). RX in NC has had many of my same problems with a regularly maintained vehicle, and he can tell you first hand that he will never own another Lexus as they have had Jeep Grand Cherokee's for years without issues such as these. Additionally, before my parents bought their LX last year, they had a 1997 Expedition....and during the 250K miles they drove it, they replaced a fuel filter, tires, brakes, and then changed the oil every 3K....that was it. I still see the young couple they sold it to driving it around today. Personally, I maintain vehicles very well.....but there are lots of people who do not and never experience problems such as these. Decide for yourself whether or not this is a design issue....it seems pretty clear to me.

[Lexusfreak]

I own a 1999 LEXUS RX 300,as I have always been a dedicated Lexus purchaser until now...My vehicle has 75,000 miles on it and is very well maintained. My family has owned auto repair my entire life as well as I work in the automotive field.

Anyway, I am appalled at the blatant lack of  assistance that I have recieved from Lexus corporation in California. I contacted them in referance to my Transmission, as the planetary ring gear blew apart, as this is a manufacturers defect and NOT because the vehicle wasn't maintained. The nearest Lexus dealer is an hour away from me and lexus wanted me to pay to have my vehicle towed, which is not a problem the cost would be approximately $300.00, which then there certified Lexus tech would determine the cause of the transmission failure and if it was something that they thought would be covered then they would let me know. If I didn't like what they would have to say, I could pay for the time they had involved and have my vehicle towed back to the transmission facility where my vehicle is at. I advised I could tell them what is wrong and they advised me that a certified Lexus tech needed to determine that. Yet, the tech who has my vehicle is certified and has been doing this for 37 years. Then if it is not covered then I wouldn't have to tow it. I was also advised because I don't have my vehicle maintenanced by Lexus they will not be doing anything for me. Where does it say in ANY  WARRANTY that one must use a Lexus dealer for repairs, I actually thought that it was against the law for them to tell me where I have to get my vehicles serviced...I am extremely upset on principle. The reason why I purchase Lexus products is because I thought Lexus was a name synonyms with Brand,Quality and Reliability. Yet, this vehicle has left me stranded with 75k...Lexus could have taken the extra step considering that I was a dedicated customer but they showed me how they stand behind the product that they built, I will now be taking my business to MB, or BMW as I WILL NEVER WASTE MY MONEY ON ANOTHER LEXUS PRODUCT EVER AGAIN. LEXUS 

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How much will the parts be to fix the repair & how many hours labour is involved? The Lexus factory warranty as stated earlier is until 70,000 miles so Lexus is within their rights to deny a warranty claim based on mileage. Did you get a Lexus Extended warranty? B)

[RX in NC]

sgriffith,

Well said, my friend. I assume your new keys worked out just fine and your ignition system is back to normal with extra keys to spare.

My wife's 2000 RX300 is approaching 89,000 miles and has now gone five months without a problem, major or minor. That's the longest period of time this vehicle has served our household without some sort of failure. I'm knocking on wood right now and hoping that I haven't just jinxed it. But with a replaced transmission, exhaust manifold, mass air flow sensor, air/fuel ratio sensor, rear main oil seal, front strut mount rubber bushings and a few other components that escape my memory at this moment, I keep wondering what's next. I've had no choice but to baby this vehicle moreso than any other I've owned over the past three decades.

When this vehicle reaches 90,000 miles in June, I'm going to replace the AC/Alternator belt (looks pretty simple to do) and the Power Steering belt (if I can figure out how to get to it and get it off, which I'm still working on) as part of my 90,000 mile service. But that's just regular maintenance and I certainly can't complain with the original belts going 90,000 miles.