Considering Rx300

[SW03ES]

SW03ES,

I've noticed that you've become more open-minded concerning the RX300 AWD transmission issues during 2005, and I'm glad to see that you've taken the time to do the research on your own and admit that your conclusion also points to a problem.  I believe that most folks who spend enough time studying the early failure history will eventually reach a similar conclusion.

...

In the meantime, you and I have had our come-to-blows differences in the past but we've apparently worked through them.  So I'll raise a glass to you right now with my beverage of choice (which this morning happens to be orange juice)....

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I'm always more than willing ti admit when I'm wrong, and since doing research on the issue and talking with people that know, transmission mechanics and Lexus service techs its immediately apparent that there is a problem with this transmission.

My initial issues with it come from being around these forums for so long and seeing how people on them are ALWAYS quick to dismiss their issues as poor product quality across the board instead of either something they're doing or an isolated problem. This isn't the case here though like I originally thought

I shall raise my glass to you too sir, except I have to start every morning with a stiff tequila LOL

You and VGR can drone on and on about routine maintenance neglect until you're blue in the face, but quite a few of us who DO take meticulous care of our vehicles and keep the fluids fresh have still been forced to deal with dying transmissions at relatively low mileages (in our particular case it was at about 48,000 miles).

I've mentioned it a couple times but Monarch and VGR are the same person. Why he feels the need to post as two individual people is beyond me but we've chosen to ignore it basically because he doesn't support himself in discussions with his other account, until now.

Monarch/VGR- Its come to the point where you need to pick ONE account to post with or we're going to ban them both.

[monarch]

monarch, A number of RX300 AWD owners who change their fluids regularly, including their Type T-IV transmission fluid, continue to suffer from premature transmission failure.  There is simply no denying this fact.

I'm not sure why you continue to categorize every Toyota/Lexus component failure as "neglected maintenance". 

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RX in NC, to my knowledge, no AWD RX300 member of the LOC or Club Lexus forums has ever stated they have inspected / changed the transmission / differential fluid every 15,000 miles since the day the vehicle was new. And to my knowledge, no forum member / transmission shop / Lexus mechanic has ever told us about a particular part in the tranmssion that is prone to wear rapdily / fail even if the transmission is always fed clean, undeteriorated fluid.

Thus, unless new information is forthcoming, I believe it is reasonable to assume the AWD RX300 transmission is capable of lasting over 250,000 miles just like all other Toyota / Lexus automatics if always fed clean, undeteriorated fluid and if not driven in a abusive, frequent lead foot type manner.

[lenore]

monarch, A number of RX300 AWD owners who change their fluids regularly, including their Type T-IV transmission fluid, continue to suffer from premature transmission failure.  There is simply no denying this fact.

I'm not sure why you continue to categorize every Toyota/Lexus component failure as "neglected maintenance". 

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RX in NC, to my knowledge, no AWD RX300 member of the LOC or Club Lexus forums has ever stated they have inspected / changed the transmission / differential fluid every 15,000 miles since the day the vehicle was new. And to my knowledge, no forum member / transmission shop / Lexus mechanic has ever told us about a particular part in the tranmssion that is prone to wear rapdily / fail even if the transmission is always fed clean, undeteriorated fluid.

Thus, unless new information is forthcoming, I believe it is reasonable to assume the AWD RX300 transmission is capable of lasting over 250,000 miles just like all other Toyota / Lexus automatics if always fed clean, undeteriorated fluid and if not driven in a abusive, frequent lead foot type manner.

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Well I have no doubt about the weak design in the AWD transmission on the RX300. I am on my third transmission, and since I have joined this discusion last Fall the complaints and failures keep climbing. 250K on this transmission, you are living a pipe dream... no way. Transmission oil should not be black, burnt, and smell bad after 10k. And my system is new and has been power flushed on the third tranny. I changed the fluid at 10k and guess what, It is black and burnt. My wife drives on level ground, and admittly in rush hour traffic, but Any good car would not have burnt fluid after 10k miles. The Lexus RX300 AWD has a major problem, and the bums in Lexus land are not willing to step up to the plate and admit it. The RX300 is a dead product and they hope you all will buy their RX330 or RX400 to solve their miserable problem. I will never give a inch on this and the sooner everybody realizes the expensive failure and the stupid 15k oil change on the transmission is rediculous, the better. I only hope any potential buyers beware. the car is very nice when it runs, but if you have a 4600 dollar failure on a luxuary car at 50-120K you tend to feel real burned ( pardon the pun) I told Lexus of America that I would stop any potential buyers of their product, and I am proud to say many have listened to me, One bad burn, can loose ten potential customers. Thank goodness I have no investments in Lexus. Signed Lenore from Sacramento CA.

[LexKid630]

monarch, A number of RX300 AWD owners who change their fluids regularly, including their Type T-IV transmission fluid, continue to suffer from premature transmission failure.  There is simply no denying this fact.

I'm not sure why you continue to categorize every Toyota/Lexus component failure as "neglected maintenance". 

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RX in NC, to my knowledge, no AWD RX300 member of the LOC or Club Lexus forums has ever stated they have inspected / changed the transmission / differential fluid every 15,000 miles since the day the vehicle was new. And to my knowledge, no forum member / transmission shop / Lexus mechanic has ever told us about a particular part in the tranmssion that is prone to wear rapdily / fail even if the transmission is always fed clean, undeteriorated fluid.

Thus, unless new information is forthcoming, I believe it is reasonable to assume the AWD RX300 transmission is capable of lasting over 250,000 miles just like all other Toyota / Lexus automatics if always fed clean, undeteriorated fluid and if not driven in a abusive, frequent lead foot type manner.

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Well I have no doubt about the weak design in the AWD transmission on the RX300. I am on my third transmission, and since I have joined this discusion last Fall the complaints and failures keep climbing. 250K on this transmission, you are living a pipe dream... no way. Transmission oil should not be black, burnt, and smell bad after 10k. And my system is new and has been power flushed on the third tranny. I changed the fluid at 10k and guess what, It is black and burnt. My wife drives on level ground, and admittly in rush hour traffic, but Any good car would not have burnt fluid after 10k miles. The Lexus RX300 AWD has a major problem, and the bums in Lexus land are not willing to step up to the plate and admit it. The RX300 is a dead product and they hope you all will buy their RX330 or RX400 to solve their miserable problem. I will never give a inch on this and the sooner everybody realizes the expensive failure and the stupid 15k oil change on the transmission is rediculous, the better. I only hope any potential buyers beware. the car is very nice when it runs, but if you have a 4600 dollar failure on a luxuary car at 50-120K you tend to feel real burned ( pardon the pun) I told Lexus of America that I would stop any potential buyers of their product, and I am proud to say many have listened to me, One bad burn, can loose ten potential customers. Thank goodness I have no investments in Lexus. Signed Lenore from Sacramento CA.

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just to let everyone know, everyone who tells about their bad experiences here is only trying to help..we don't want to see you have to go through the same problems we had to go through. That's why we're here ;)

[RX in NC]

Monarch can believe whatever the hell he wants, but for those of you considering the purchase of an all-wheel-drive RX300, consider yourself thoroughly warned by a number of us who already own the vehicle and have kept them meticulously maintained. Also notice that monarch's signature on this forum indicates that he owns the LS series, not the RX series. Anyone can spout opinions, but when you don't own the vehicle in question, you come to the party with greatly reduced credibility. He's dead wrong, folks. Bottom line, it's a clear-cut case of buyer beware out there when dealing with any AWD RX300. Live and learn.

[LexKid630]

Monarch can believe whatever the hell he wants, but for those of you considering the purchase of an all-wheel-drive RX300, consider yourself thoroughly warned by a number of us who already own the vehicle and have kept them meticulously maintained.  Also notice that monarch's signature on this forum indicates that he owns the LS series, not the RX series.  Anyone can spout opinions, but when you don't own the vehicle in question, you come to the party with greatly reduced credibility.  He's dead wrong, folks.  Bottom line, it's a clear-cut case of buyer beware out there when dealing with any AWD RX300.  Live and learn.

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you're 100% right. The AWD transmission on the rx300 is faulty and is just a bomb waiting to go off. I really can't see an origional lasting over 200,000 miles. NEVER.

you really need to witness and own an rx300 that had serious tranny problems before you can say whether or not itis good or not.

[croasdale]

Monarch can believe whatever the hell he wants, but for those of you considering the purchase of an all-wheel-drive RX300, consider yourself thoroughly warned by a number of us who already own the vehicle and have kept them meticulously maintained.  Also notice that monarch's signature on this forum indicates that he owns the LS series, not the RX series.  Anyone can spout opinions, but when you don't own the vehicle in question, you come to the party with greatly reduced credibility.  He's dead wrong, folks.  Bottom line, it's a clear-cut case of buyer beware out there when dealing with any AWD RX300.  Live and learn.

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you're 100% right. The AWD transmission on the rx300 is faulty and is just a bomb waiting to go off. I really can't see an origional lasting over 200,000 miles. NEVER.

you really need to witness and own an rx300 that had serious tranny problems before you can say whether or not itis good or not.

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Huh? That's a ridiculous statement. I have a '99 that we've done routine maintenance on since new. It has 177,000 miles now with no sign of transmission failure. I even tow a boat that slightly exceeds the 3500 lb tow rating. It has pulled that heavy boat out of the water and down the road countless times over the years.

NEVER say Never - I'll report back when I pass the trouble-free 200k mile mark.

[LexKid630]

Monarch can believe whatever the hell he wants, but for those of you considering the purchase of an all-wheel-drive RX300, consider yourself thoroughly warned by a number of us who already own the vehicle and have kept them meticulously maintained.  Also notice that monarch's signature on this forum indicates that he owns the LS series, not the RX series.  Anyone can spout opinions, but when you don't own the vehicle in question, you come to the party with greatly reduced credibility.  He's dead wrong, folks.  Bottom line, it's a clear-cut case of buyer beware out there when dealing with any AWD RX300.  Live and learn.

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you're 100% right. The AWD transmission on the rx300 is faulty and is just a bomb waiting to go off. I really can't see an origional lasting over 200,000 miles. NEVER.

you really need to witness and own an rx300 that had serious tranny problems before you can say whether or not itis good or not.

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Huh? That's a ridiculous statement. I have a '99 that we've done routine maintenance on since new. It has 177,000 miles now with no sign of transmission failure. I even tow a boat that slightly exceeds the 3500 lb tow rating. It has pulled that heavy boat out of the water and down the road countless times over the years.

NEVER say Never - I'll report back when I pass the trouble-free 200k mile mark.

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I guess it all comes from personal past experiences. I witnessed my 99's tranny go and my other 03 rx300 started to go...both at low mileage. So far on mine now at 35,000 miles the fluid is fresh and it working fine.

[trout]

wife has a 2000 rx300 non-awd. 80k miles and no signs of trouble, hoping to tons of miles out of it. I had the tranny fluiod serviced at the 60k service at the dealer, other than that it gets new oil every 3-5k and keeps on humming. I know her next car will be another lexus, hopefully not for a long time though, she wants to keep this rx for a long time.

[lenore]

wife has a 2000 rx300 non-awd. 80k miles and no signs of trouble, hoping to tons of miles out of it. I had the tranny fluiod serviced at the 60k service at the dealer, other than that it gets new oil every 3-5k and keeps on humming. I know her next car will be another lexus, hopefully not for a long time though, she wants to keep this rx for a long time.

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Well Some will have good luck, but statistics still show a high failure rate of the AWD transmission in comparison to other vehicles. So be it.

[trout]

wife has a 2000 rx300 non-awd. 80k miles and no signs of trouble, hoping to tons of miles out of it. I had the tranny fluiod serviced at the 60k service at the dealer, other than that it gets new oil every 3-5k and keeps on humming. I know her next car will be another lexus, hopefully not for a long time though, she wants to keep this rx for a long time.

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Well Some will have good luck, but statistics still show a high failure rate of the AWD transmission in comparison to other vehicles. So be it.

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Yes, we are glad NOT to have the awd.

[bluestu]

Obviously the AWD transmission issue will never be resolved on this forum due to differing opinions and speculations. I really love my RXs and have not had any problems so far (90k) except for having to replace a couple of emission control sensors. The only issues I don't care for are the extra large turning radius and the idle vibration when stopped in gear with the engine running. After comparing it to the Mercedes, BMW, and Acura SUVs, I definitely prefer the ride, comfort, and styling of the RXs. It's not a performance car, but it is great for carting kids, puttering around town, and cruising down the highway. I would definitely buy another.

[RX in NC]

What most of us who own an all-wheel-drive RX300 CAN agree on is that you are probably much better off if you change your transmission fluid at some interval of your choice rather than placing your faith in your owners manual which says that your factory fill of transmission fluid is good for the life of the vehicle under most driving conditions.

I also believe that you should stay with Toyota Type T-IV fluid through your warranty period and until you are absolutely convinced that you are no longer interested in pursuing a claim with Lexus in the event that your transmission fails. I don't believe that Type T-IV fluid is any better than Dexron, Amsoil, generic equivalents mixed at transmission repair shops, or even extra-virgin olive oil for that matter. I just think that financially it's the smart thing to stay with in case you happen to be one of the unlucky owners whose transmission decides to check out early. If this happens and you're running something other than Type T-IV, I guarantee you that Lexus will turn you down before you even get a chance to argue your case.

[bluestu]

I guess there are always going to be lemons in every batch no matter what make of car you purchase. Like you say, extended warrantys are great if you are persistent with the dealerships. I agree with you 100% concerning the type of transmission fluid that must be used. You should always insist that the service tech. use the Toyota type T-IV fluid. It's probably a good idea to supervise the service, even at the dealership.

[steve100]

I am considering buying a 2001-2002 RX300 and am curious if my fellow LOC members would recommend and buy again if you were in the market. I have finally decided to sell my 94 LS400 and am seriously considering the RX; however, would like to hear from the experts!

Thanks for any advice.

Lexusonthelake

NOT Without an extended Warrenty. Don't get cought up in the Toyota myth.

I've replaced my starter motor ($500.00), and Both front struts need replacing (noisey as can be in cold weather) (Over $1000.00)

And this car has only 70,000miles.

My ford explorer didn't have a hickup until the exhaust went at 110,000.

Sorry, I'm pretty disapointed in it and would never touch another with out a 100,000 mile full extended warranty.

Good luck,

s

[GaVin]

I had always believed that Lexus is synoymous with quality. I am no longer a Lexus fan, thanks to the unfortunate experiences I had with RX 300 and the customer service.

Problems with my RX :

My RX transmission blew at 71K (#1 reason to question RX 's reliability),

problems with exhaust in the 6th year,

bad wind noise at 45 mph,

Bad turning radius

Issues with key remotes ( both broken within 5 years)

Would I buy another RX300? A resounding NO.

[tmhtmh]

Well, I researched this vehicle a lot and was lucky to find out all the potential problems before buying - then I bought one anyhow. I think you can reduce your chances of any major problem now that you know them. Here's what I wound up doing based on the reported issues:

1. FWd instead of AWD. AWD is mostly for marketing anyhow. FWD seems to not have the major tranny issue. Also, FWD allows me to turn off Traction Control if I want AND I could get an all-leather steering wheel which I prefer to the ice-cold wood in the winter (but most prefer the look of the wood - I don't).

2. 2002 rather than 99-01. Again, seems to have been SOME changes that helped the major problem. not sure though.

3. Excellent maintenance from previous owner. Oil change especially. Toyota or Lexus shop so you know the proper tranny fluid was used.

These things made me very comfortable with a FWD 2002 RX300 w/ 54k miles for $19k. It drives GREAT and we love it. I hope the steps above will prevent me from regretting the purchse in a few years. I am confident they will, but not 100% certain.

Good luck.

[wwest]

Okay, I've made "my" decision.

I'll be buying a new RX400h, but probably wait until late fall, 2007 model, in hopes it gets the DFI engine.

The RX350 was very tempting since it has the VC and can therefore be easily converted to rear biased AWD. The killer for that purchase was also due to the lack of the DFI engine.