Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 09E012000 · 2009 · reported 04/07/2009
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
2000 Lexus RX300 Problems & Recalls
Built from official NHTSA complaint and recall data · data through 07/12/2026
High complaint levelIts most-reported problem — Power Train:automatic Transmission — runs 7.6× the fleet median for that category across the 2391 model-years tracked on this site.
216Complaints
5Recalls
16Crashes
0Fires
15Injured
0Deaths
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint & recall data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Is this problem acknowledged?
The most-reported problem — Power Train:automatic Transmission (51.9% of complaints) — recall and investigation status for this vehicle is currently unavailable.
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints here are 7.6× the median for that category across the 2391 model-years tracked on this site.
| Complaint category | Reports | Official status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train:automatic Transmission | 112 · 51.9% | not available | — |
| Power Train | 27 · 12.5% | not available | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 · 6% | not available | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 10 · 4.6% | not available | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline | 6 · 2.8% | not available | — |
| Engine | 6 · 2.8% | not available | — |
Recalled = an NHTSA safety recall covers this category, so a free repair exists. Under investigation = NHTSA has an open probe but no recall yet. Investigation closed = NHTSA examined it and closed the probe — this is not a defect finding; where a closed probe led to a recall we name the campaign. Not available = recall or investigation data could not be confirmed for this vehicle — it is not a “no”. Categories are matched by NHTSA's top-level component. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Percentages are the share of the 216 complaints citing each component; one complaint can cite several components. “Unspecified / other” is NHTSA’s own catch-all category — we show it rather than hide it.
Recalls — 5 campaigns
Visibility:glass, Side/rear
NHTSA campaign 08E020000 · 2008 · reported 03/06/2008
THE PURPOSE OF THIS STANDARD IS TO REDUCE INJURIES RESULTING FROM IMPACT TO GLAZING SURFACES. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E049000 · 2006 · reported 05/24/2006
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting:headlights
NHTSA campaign 09E025000 · 2009 · reported 05/11/2009
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E026000 · 2006 · reported 03/23/2006
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Park it Park outside Specimen badges — shown on a recall card only when NHTSA sets the flag. None of the campaigns above carries either flag. Always check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
“BOUGHT MY 2002 LEXUS RX300 BRAND NEW WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE ON SCHEDULED. AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF SLOW/SLIPPAGE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND HAD…”NHTSA complaint 10294513 — filed 12/04/2009 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
“MY 2000 LEXUS RX300 TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE LEXUS DEALER COST $4,500 FIX IT. MY CAR WAS THERE COUPLE MONTH AGO FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THEY…”NHTSA complaint 10291027 — filed 11/04/2009 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
“DEAR SIR: I AM ONE OF THOSE RX300 2000 LEXUS OWNERS. I HAVE BEEN FAITHFULLY TAKEN MY LEXUS TO THE LEXUS DEALER FOR EVERY OIL…”NHTSA complaint 10281350 — filed 08/21/2009 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Complaint trend by year filed
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Lexus RX300?
Power train:automatic transmission issues are the most-reported category, cited in 112 of 216 NHTSA complaints (51.9%), followed by power train (27), vehicle speed control (13), engine and engine cooling (10). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many complaints does the 2000 Lexus RX300 have?
216 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Of those, 16 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, and 15 reported injuries. No deaths were reported.
Does the 2000 Lexus RX300 have any recalls?
Yes — 5 NHTSA safety recall campaigns, including campaign 09E012000. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Has NHTSA acted on the 2000 Lexus RX300's reported problems?
Recall or investigation data is partly unavailable for this vehicle right now — check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the authoritative answer.
Is a complaint proof of a defect?
No. Complaints are reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints, and a complaint is not proof that a defect exists.
About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.
