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Lexus RX Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • avaradyavarady Member Posts: 5
    My 2001 Lexus RX300 with only 83,000, and Lexus serviced, recently needed a transmission replacement. I have since done a significant amount of research on this and have started to make numerous inquiries to local Lexus dealers. What I'm discovering is that the transmission problem is quite pervasive and its rare for the 1999 to 2001 RX models not to have any transmission problems. Based on my research and inquiries it seems that the overwhelming majority of 1999-2001 Lexus RX owners with faulty transmission have traded their cars in with Lexus for a new or certified Lexus and have received generous trade-in settlements. Very few of these new owners have bothered to file complaints which is what Lexus obviously prefers.
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    The transmission on my 1999 RX300 2WD had problems from the start, original owner. Lexus service does not include transmission service. I could tell the fluid was getting burned and contaminated, so I proactively had the transmission serviced, even though it was not part of the service schedule or on the Lexus service menu. I had the car in for warrantee items, and they always claimed "no problem found" with the transmission. I never experienced failure.
    But in 2004, just before the original powertrain warrantee was to expire at 70,000 miles I took it in again (different Lexus dealer) and explained I had documented "no problem found" previously, and wanted to have the transmission serviced and asked them to report their findings. They volunteered to have the transmission replaced under warrantee, and since then I have not experienced any of the problems the original transmission had. I now have more than double that mileage, and if the fluid condition can be any indicator (in this case I think it is) I expect this transmission will last a long time. So to answer your question, yes I feel my new transmission is reliable in the long run. I don't know if you can say the same for some third-party rebuilds. As a precaution, I change the fluid every year, even when I'm only driving low mileage.
    "Lexus Service" by itself absolutely does not mean they were servicing the transmission at all. And although the design of this transmission is not rugged, it is common that Lexus would rather wait for transmission failure rather than offer effective preventative maintenence which is easily done at home or a reputable transmission shop. This may account for a seemingly high number of failure complaints you see on websites, although statistically not relevant because these are only the complaints and not reports from owners who drove the RX many hundreds of thousands of miles without transmission trouble (yes, they do also exist). My advice: If you like the car and are otherwise happy with it, and it is in good shape, it's easily worth the cost of the transmission. If you have other troubles and/or don't like the car, well you know where I'm going from here. Good luck, and please share
    your experience bad or good.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    The transaxle design flaw introduced with the '99 RX300 was not successfuly fixed until the arrival of the RX330 using DBW "to protect the drive train.

    MAJOR changes were made in the overall drive train with the introduction of the '01 RX300.

    1) mechanical LSD option was dropped.

    2) VC, Viscous Clutch, fluid formulation was changed in a way to make the functionality virtually ZERO.

    3) Towing package, inclusive of external ATF cooler, became a standard factory installed "option" on the F/awd versions.

    4) In leu of VC F/awd functionality the MB320 braking system was adopted/used to apportion torque to the rear but ONLY after/upon/after the fact, detection of front wheelspin/slip.

    5) The minimum level of "real-time" ATF line pressure was raised. This one may go back to the '00 RX300 model year as it is clear that the '00 model did not have a transaxle failure rate as high as the '99.

    Number 5 is undoubtedly the reason the '01 requires ATF service at least every 35-40,000 miles. The owners manual for my '01 does not call for ATF service for the life of the vehicle. When I discovered that my ATF was dark brown and smelled burned at only ~40,000 miles I enquired of the dealer and then the factory. The dealer response was that the ATF in my '01 required service each 15,000. In disbelief I pursued this issue with the factory rep who confirmed the dealer statement.

    Some years later I became aware that the ATF service directive had been changed to "inspect the ATF condition during each engine oil/filter change and react accrdingly".
  • padannypadanny Member Posts: 1
    hay what are you doing with this car?
  • jbl85jbl85 Member Posts: 49
    Your message makes no sense. Try again.
  • poodlemanpoodleman Member Posts: 4
    the transmission failed at 230,000 miles. lexus agreed to split the difference with us, as we are good customers with another lexus and have always serviced our cars at the dealership. we want to sell the car privately. how do i word the ad? say it has all those miles or that it has a new transmission or both? the car is in great condition with only a little wear on the side of the front passenger seat.
    also when pricing it, the sites price it around $5800, but that's with a transmission with 230,000 miles on it, not a new transmission. should i price it higher because it will now have a new transmission?
    or should i just try to sell it as is without a transmission? or donate it??????
    thanks
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    You managed to drive a 2000 RX300 for 230,000 miles before the transaxle failed..?

    Even if only FWD something just short of miraculous, that.

    99-00 have such a bad reputation in this regard I doubt if any wording will make much difference.
  • poodlemanpoodleman Member Posts: 4
    so what do you think i should do with it????? it is fwd.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Be satisfied with the blue book estimate or highest offer close to.
  • jbl85jbl85 Member Posts: 49
    That's a pretty generous offer, to split the cost of a new transmission on a 12 year old car with 230k miles on it.

    Seems to me that this would be the perfect selling point for an ad should you choose to get it fixed. Either way, honesty is the best policy.
  • poodlemanpoodleman Member Posts: 4
    do you actually think i'll be able to sell it???? with all those miles and being 12 years old???
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Oops...I missed the part about not having yet installed a new transaxle.

    Lexus sharing the cost on a 230,000 mile RX more likely than not is the result of THEIR regular price being 200% of reasonable.

    I would bet that their 50% is at least $3,000.00 or more.
  • poodlemanpoodleman Member Posts: 4
    How right you were. Now they are telling me the price they quoted me is only for the transmission, not including labor. They have had my car for three weeks and still can't give me a definitive price. The service rep said he'd take it off my hands for $500 cash! Sure, he'll turn around, put a rebuilt transmission in it and sell it for $6000!
    I think I'll donate it. At least, I'll be able to deduct it off my taxes and it will, I hope, be going to a good cause.
    Unless anyone can think of anything better to do with it.
    So frustrating!!!!
  • kenb11kenb11 Member Posts: 1
    The ck engine light on my RX300 goes on for a day or so and then off for a week or two.. I had it cdiagnosed, and it was the nox sensor. when the light goes on, my transmition does not up shift from 3rd to 4th gear.. I was told that on the RX300, when the nox sensor is activated, it does not allow the car to upshift from 3rd to 4th gear. I had my transmitton rebult and the company that rebuilt the trans, also told me this after I had the job done. they claim they rebult the trans. and it is now in good condition. However, I had the trans rebult because it was not upshifting to forth gear. Can anyone varify the nox sensor causes my RX300 to no upshirt when activated?
  • ja8669ja8669 Member Posts: 2
    I had posted previously we had 70,000 miles with no issues. All good things have to come to an end. We now have 89,000 and the transmission is starting to slip. Can't afford to trade it in and can't afford a new transmission. Any suggestions? Live in San Diego, close to the border. hehe :confuse:
  • mike886mike886 Member Posts: 2
    Well it happened to me as well ... I bought this 99 RX with 80,000 miles for a good price last year ... bought it for my wife so she has something big and roomy for our newborn baby girl ... the condition was great inside and out ... car ran beautiful ... we were at a friends house tonight in Conn ... we live in NY ... Sure enough as we are coming back home at 10 pm ... Tranny starts bucking on the Merrit Highway ...lucky enough I bucked it all the way to an exit and parked it on the street ... called insurance and got it towed to the nearest Tranny repair shop ... Have to call them tomorrow and see what they say ... but after reading all the posts that this a common problem ...I pretty much know what Iam going to do since everyone gave the solutions ... 1st tell the place to put in a Jasper rebuild with the updates and call Lexus Customer Satisfaction to see if I can get some money out of them for the tranny .... guess thats about all I can do ... I wish I would have looked up these problems before buying the car .... I paid $9000 for it and thought it was a sweet deal because of the condition of the car ...and how it drove ... guess now Iam looking at over $4000 for this job ... sucks but at least if I get this rebulid in it seems like it will last .... thats what everyone is saying ... hey, at least I got free towing from gieco ... tryin to stay positive
  • igorivanitsigorivanits Member Posts: 1
    My uncle had the same problem. He got stuck in the middle of busy highway.
    It cost him a fortune to fix his RX300, but now he switched to Lincoln MKT and looks like he is happy with it.
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    edited May 2012
    Your uncle will love his brand new car. The RX is a good car, but it's not new.

    I still have my RX; I bought it new in March 1998. I'd love to replace it with something modern but that's not going to happen for a long time. In the meantime, the RX does everything nicely and reliably (especially since I don't have transmission worries) although the fuel economy isn't great by today's needs. And I miss having a car with sharper handling and a manual transmission. So my next car will probably be a step down from the RX with better fuel economy. I don't feel the need to move to progressively heavier and bigger cars, but I want to stay with small to mid size feature-rich wagon/hatch, and reliability is important.
  • asiaviajeasiaviaje Member Posts: 1
    The transmission of my 01 RX300 jerks when goes from 2nd to 1st as it slows down to stop. The jerk is quite noticeable when I brake hard, but is less noticeable if I can anticipate the slow-down and start to de-accelerate! Is this something I need to worry about? My car has about 129K miles and has had no transmission service up to now!

    Thanks,
    Asiaviaje
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    I would say "yes". The lack of service specific to the transmission is often deadly to these FWD engineered transmissions. What does the fluid look and smell like when you pull the dipstick?

    I would get it evaluated quickly while the car is driveable, so you don't get quoted the highest cost if the transmission needs to be replaced or rebuilt if it were me. I am under the impression that once there are symptoms, the damage has been done. But at least you still have the option of driving the car elsewhere if you get a high quote.
  • nashdesignguynashdesignguy Member Posts: 3
    My '99 RX300 Transmission failed at 101,000 miles last year. Had a brand new OEM transmission installed by a third party mechanic for $4900. Had I known my local dealership would have helped me out or gave me a generous trade in, I would have tried it. I plan to keep this car forever. 12 or 13 years old and only has 127k miles on it. Drives perfectly (now).
  • cudacobracudacobra Member Posts: 1
    I ran across this thread because my 2000 RX300 transmission just failed while we were on vacation visiting family. Lasted 280,000 miles, so I can't complain. It's been a wonderful vehicle with very few problems. No leaks and it doesn't burn any noticeable oil. My brother in-law is a mechanic at the local shop so I trust what he is telling me. He is replacing my transmission with a Jasper re-manufactured Transmission. 3 year/100 mile warranty and it is a much better transmission than the original. They fix the weaknesses in the original design. Total is $4600 parts & labor. It's a tough job because they have to completely remove the engine with the transmission to do the job. A lot of money, but I think my RX has good karma :-) and is worth fixing and keeping forever.

    My 2 cents worth!
  • norbyonenorbyone Member Posts: 1
    My Transmission just failed today. I was curious to see if other have had this failure too. I have roughly 120,000 miles on the car. I bought used in 2007 from a Toyota Dealer. This is not acceptable. I have my car at the AAMCO now the extended warranty ended last year. I would not expect a failure like this on what is thought to be a luxury brand.
  • lousyrx300lousyrx300 Member Posts: 1
    glad so many of you made it to over 100-200k....my 99 RX300 AWD tranny quit at 71,000 miles....on vacation...200 miles from home...with my 87 y.o. Mom with us....had to rent a car for a week...3 Lexus dealers told us they would not help or prorate a tranny as "we had not had our car serviced by them".....we had the car for under 6 months, bought at 50k miles and only to date had oil changes and tire rotates....since, certified mechanics have done regular maintence and service items....EVERY thing on this car has crapped out....timing belt at 50k miles, antenna, door locks(twice), window motors, ujoints, O2's, OCv's, Mass air flows (30k miles apart)....it never quits....have 151,000 miles on it....total piece of high-priced junk! It is almost as if we got some sort of prototype that should not have been sold!!?? Unfortunately....retired/fixed income...can't afford a new car...but, can't afford this one any more!!
  • kkinvarx330kkinvarx330 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 RX 330 and at 30,000 miles the transmission failed and had to be replaced. The service dept at the time told me they had heard of some problems with the transmissions but they had been resolved and I shouldn't have any other issues. Now the car has just under 70,000 the transmission failed again and needs another transmission!!! The car has been at the dealer's service dept for over 2 weeks now while I've been trying to get Lexus to cover the cost of the new transmission. After 2 weeks of no response their customer no-satisfaction finally called me back yesterday and said they will only cover part of the repair but only because no one had responded to my calls. Not that they think anything is wrong with the transmissions. I left a message with Toyota USA exec offices two days ago, and although someone was supposed to respond within 1 day, no one has called me back. I told the customer no-satisfaction that I had seen complaints online about problems with the transmission in these vehicles and they claim they don't know anything about them. I've filed a complaint with the BBB but I'm sure i won't get a response for a few weeks. Any suggestions on how to get Toyota/Lexus to cover this repair? There is no vehicle that should require 3 transmissions with less than 70,000 miles on the car, especiallly a Lexus. I think the way they are handling this is really poor and aren't taking responsibility for a problem with their transmissions. I want my car back but I want them to pay for the repair. You can bet that I will never buy another Toyota/Lexus product ever again after this experience. Thank you for any good suggestions.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "99 RX300 was a "prototype". It was 2001 before the early bugs were ironed out, and the RX330 before the DBW "fix" was adopted.
  • brentnelsonbrentnelson Member Posts: 2
    I and other people also didn't expect that lexus Will get some problem like transmission. as my information Lexus is brand one of that their cars get in problems after releasing in market. If they will recall all models and gives free replacement then it can good for them other wise it will damages company's reputation.
  • kwhkwh Member Posts: 68
    ? for wwest:
    What model year RX's would be ok to buy that would not have the transmission problems. My 2000 RX now has 190,000 miles. Although I have never had a transmission problem I am still concerned because at this point I couldn't see that the car would be worth a $4000 repair. I was thinking of trading the car for a RX 330 but wanted to know when the transmission problem was fixed.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    edited September 2012
    First, I am really not a fan of FWD nor even F/awd other than the Acura SH-AWD.

    Overall I wouldn't buy anything earlier than a 2010 and I would even recommend several DIY modes for it. I would add an off/auto/ON switch for the rear drive clutch circuit. There is NO need for rear drive torque except on known or expected slippery driving surfaces, it only serves to decrease, possibly severey so, the duty life of the drive components.

    Insofar as I am concerned the automatic climate control system is the "pits" as shipped from the factory. Lexus has added a few C-BEST aspects that help but still needs a few engineering fixes.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    edited September 2012
    "..not have the transmission problems.."

    Progress:

    2001 MY: the VC was made non-functional and TC was added to simulate both a locked center diff'l and/or a rear LSD, reactively, after the fact.

    RX330: VC was dropped entirely and DBW was (is now) used to "protect the drive train". Prevent the engine torque from rising upon accelerator pedal depression at timeswhen the transaxle could not quickly engage the proper gear for the circumstance. Random 1-2 second quick sequential downshift delay/hesitation become standard.

    RX350: Transaxle shift pattern was revised to respond to the probability of driver intention based on accelerator pedal use.

    2010 RX350: Adoption of Venza (Ford Escape) style rear drive engagement clutch. Rear drive automatically, pre-emptively, engaged during low speed acceleration regardless of roadbed tractive conditions. Tractive roadbed = SEVERE driveline component STRESS, tire SCRUBBING.
  • bigespressobigespresso Member Posts: 1
    Hey, what did you ever do with the Lexus 300? Guess what? Mine 2002 just broker down. Dealer wants $7,000 plus $1000 for coil packs, plugs etc.

    Did you get any satisfaction from Lexus or the class action lawsuit?

    Thanks,
    Bill
  • codym1codym1 Member Posts: 1
    Our RX300 with 48,000 just had the transmission self destruct. Lexus/Toyota refused to acknowledge any problem with their transmissions. They said that since the U.S. government didn't issue a mandatory recall, they are not responsible for anything. They heavily advertise Lexus as their luxury brand. Maybe it is if you are just sitting in it in your driveway.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    edited October 2012
    Year?

    '99-'00 consider yourself lucky, F/awd, even moreso.

    '01-til RX330, you should have gotten at least 80-100,000 miles, greater if only FWD.

    RX330-on, DBW was adopted and used to "protect the drive train" prevent the engine torque from rising, ~2 seconds, until downshift could be fully completed.
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    Transmission failure is never pretty, regardless of the age of the car. I didn't like it any time it's happened to me, either. However on a car of this age, I've never heard of it being a recall, either. Lexus has never said they are responsible for failure except during warrantee, but they have offered assistance to some regular customers who show maintenence at their shops in order to earn continued "loyalty".
    It's possible you can get a "deal" elsewhere and come out just as well cost-wise. However, it's important that your transmission rebuild includes all updates appropriate to your model so that you don't have continued problems like some on this forum report.
    I got a really good one - a durable transmission that has endured and I am confident will continue to last based on a variety of factors. I am an original owner and my trans was replaced under warrantee. Others have had rebuilds that were problematic from the start, so apparently there is a difference between "fixing" a problem transmission and rebuilding or replacing with updated components appropriate to your exact model. A good trans shop should definately know the difference. Also, regardless of what the owners manual or the Lexus/Toyota dealer says, service the TRANSMISSION (specifically, because the dealer ripoff "packages" don't address the issue until failure) at least every two years, especially considering the type of mileage use your car gets.
    Please keep us posted how it goes for you to help others.
    BTW, I'm assuming this has nothing to do with the actual title so I changed it for the reply.
  • tainguyentainguyen Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2012
    Hi all,
    I am new to this forum and I need all the help I can get.
    I have a 2001 RX300 with about 55K miles and recently I got a CEL with error code P1780 which indicates the Park/Neutral/Position switch malfunction. I took a stupid route to replace the PNP switch and rebuild the ECM without doing the diagnosis properly so I still get the CEL P1780 today. My guess is the PNP harness could only be the culprit now. Please let me know if you have similar problem and how to fix it.
    Thank you.
  • mike886mike886 Member Posts: 2
    I have 99 RX300 purchased with 75,000 miles ... it was in near perfect condition when I got it .. bought off an older woman ... thought I had a great deal .. until it hit 80,000 miles and without any warning at all, transmission failed on a parkway ... end result was $4000 dollar updated tranny I had to replace ... I then saw I was not alone with the failed tranny problem ... Thousands of people had the same problem ... The only thing I can tell you is be very careful ... if you feel any type of slipping or riding out 1st gear longer than usual ... sell the car or throw a match to it lol ... The updated tranny will cost you no less that 4 grand ... unless you know someone that will put it in labor free ... but it will still cost you over 3 ... very expensive fix ... so far I have over 95,000 miles on the new tranny and it seems to be working fine ... I hope it lasts ...
  • cwittkcwittk Member Posts: 1
    My transmission just went out at 90k. I am the original owner and car is regularly serviced. I own a 2003 RX300. I see there may be a known defect with this year's transmission. Where could I find out more information about this? I would like to get a refund from Lexus. Thank you!
  • mdamesmdames Member Posts: 79
    edited December 2012
    Although it's unfortunate and I commiserate with your problem, it's unreasonable to expect Lexus (or any car maker) to refund you for a transmission failure after 90,000 miles. There is no guarantee that any car component will last 90,000. I know you would expect that from a quality car brand, but I wouldn't expect any car company to do what you are requesting. You will be hard pressed to prove that the transmission has a "defect" after 90,000 miles of use.
  • marc79marc79 Member Posts: 1
    My car was parked in one spot for 36 hours. This morning, the temperature was 34*, when I put the care into gear it would not start moving right away. It felt as if the transmission did not catch. I shifted down and it still did not move. When it finally started to move it felt like the transmission was slipping. Has anyone had such an experience?
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    Have you checked the fluid level?
    The transmission fluid level is checked when level and cool, after engaging each gear, then returned to "park" and with a clean paper towel, re-wipe the transmission level dipstick (the yellow one on the right side of the engine bay, I think).
    If the fluid level is too low, a transmission will be more likely to "slip" after sitting when the temperature is cold.
    If you get your car serviced at a shop regularly, they will usually perform this check for you, and many times they will top off the low fluid level for free.
    The question then becomes, why was the fluid level low?
  • e8lge8lg Member Posts: 1
    This is what I have found on the Lexus RX so far. You probably shouldn't buy the 1999-2002 lexus rx.

    The following article comes from today's Wall Street Journal:

    Toyota Agrees to Sludge Pact Accord Will Settle Claims on Damage
    From Oil Build-Up
    By JONATHAN WELSH
    Wall Street Journal January 30, 2007; Page B14

    In an important legal precedent for car owners, Toyota Motor Corp.'s U.S. sales unit agreed to settle with thousands of consumers who say oil-sludge build-up ruined their car engines even though they followed maintenance guidelines.

    Under the pending agreement between Toyota Motor Sales and motorists who are part of a class-action lawsuit, the Japanese car maker will compensate owners of sludge-damaged cars for engine-repair costs and related expenses from towing and storage charges to rental cars, attorney fees and "inconvenience, annoyance, anxiety and aggravation," according to the settlement agreement filed this month in Louisiana state court in Jefferson Parish. A judge is expected to approve the agreement in a Feb. 7 hearing.

    The outcome sets a pattern under which similar cases against car companies could be pursued. Though Toyota's sludge problems have received a lot of attention, car makers including DaimlerChrysler AG, Volkswagen AG and General Motors Corp.'s Saab also have received a large number of complaints from customers about sludge-related damage.

    While car makers' standard defense has long been that sludge is the result of neglect by the owner, the Toyota case seems to make clear that many owners had sludge problems despite changing their oil at proper intervals and otherwise maintaining their cars according to car-company recommendations.

    Engine sludge or oil gelling can occur as metal particles and other sediment collect in engine oil and cause it to thicken. Eventually it no longer can flow properly through an engine's network of tiny oil passages and parts of the engine fail after being starved for lubrication. In some cases an engine may seem to be operating properly before a sudden failure. Other times drivers will notice the car emitting bluish smoke from the tailpipe as the first symptom of a sludge problem.

    Some of Toyota's critics, including a number of mechanics, have said certain oil passages were too small in the Toyota and Lexus engines that became known for sludge problems. One theory is that openings inside the engines that let oil to pass from the upper part of the engine to the lower parts -- often called the bottom end -- were easily clogged by even tiny amounts of sediment. As a result major components such as piston rings, crankshafts and connecting rods tend to fail, causing enough damage to require engine replacement. Such repairs can cost as much as $10,000, which can be close to a cars total value depending on age and model. Toyota still says the sludge didn't result from any engine-design problem.

    A Toyota spokesman says the new agreement, under which the company will repair sludge-related damage for as much as eight years after the purchase of certain vehicles, is essentially the same as a customer-support program the company started in 2002. Toyota agrees to treat the repairs as if they are under warranty even if customers haven't strictly followed the company's oil-change guidelines, according to the spokesman.

    The preliminary agreement focuses on two engines; a four-cylinder model called the 5S-FE and a six-cylinder known as 1MZ-FE. The engines were used in Toyota Camry models from 1997 to 2002, Solara models from 1999 to 2002, Sienna minivans from 1998 to 2002, Avalon sedans from 1997 to 2002, Celica coupes from 1997 to 1999, Highlander sport-utility vehicles from 2001 and 2002, Lexus ES 300 sedans from 1997 to 2002 and RX 300 SUVs from 1999 to 2002.

    Lawyers for the plaintiffs said they have sent about 7.5 million notices of the class action to owners and former owners of vehicles included in the lawsuit. Vehicles covered by the settlement could total as many as 3.5 million. Gary Gambel, a partner in the New Orleans firm of Murphy, Rogers, Sloss & Gambel, says he won't know the size of the plaintiff class for awhile but says disgruntled Toyota and Lexus owners "have been coming out of the woodwork" as an agreement has drawn near.

    The case began with Jeff Meckstroth, a New Orleans stockbroker, who purchased a Lexus RX 300 sport-utility vehicle in late 1998. After about two years and 42,468 miles, the Lexus's engine failed. He wound up winning an arbitration case under which Lexus replaced the engine in his vehicle.

    http://www.clublexus.com/forums/es300-and-es330/262014-toyota-settles-on-oil-slu- dge-lawsuit-es300-and-rx300.html
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    This article, while citing an actual court case, is not current. It does not describe what Toyota settled to do or what has happened since. Toyota settled, saying oil gelling or sludge did not affect all of the vehicles within the class but did affect some that may or may not have been "maintained by the book".
    Apparently for marketing reasons (like other makes), the RX's "normal" oil change interval was listed as 10,000 miles. But the manual also called for maintenance for "severe duty" including stop and go traffic, light mileage usage, etc. at significantly more frequent intervals which were often overlooked... get the picture?
    There are lots of these vehicles that never experience gel/sludge in hundreds of thousands of miles, nonetheless complaints and legal challenges surely caused changes including help for owners who had expensive repair bills.
    The article e8 listed does not include what Toyota offered to owners of the cars listed in the class. They offered to extend warrantees to fix the cars IF their cars WERE affected by gel/sludge. It was a tiny percentage of the actual number of vehicles made. I'm guessing that's come and gone by now.
    Any 1999+ RX that still continues to be affected by sludge or oil gelling will not be a mystery... I'm guessing there will be significant signs of smoke, especially at start-up, and upon removing the oil filler at idle. In general, it won't be a well-maintained car with an engine that seems in great shape any longer. Look for a car that has a documented history of oil changes at less than 5-6,000 miles is a pretty good guess, too.
  • albert72albert72 Member Posts: 200
    edited January 2013
    I am considering an RX 350. At the dealer, sales person claims that the trans fluid and differential fluid never has to be changed.

    My question is - is this true for the 2010 and 2013 model years? I am trying to decide between buying a used one or leasing a new one but with an all wheel drive vehicle, transmission and differential fluid maintenance is critical. If I get used, I would get a certified one but that only covers 3 years or 100k and I would keep the car well beyond that and if the transmission or differential failed out of warranty, it would be, in hindsight, easier to just have leased a new vehicle.

    Any info is greatly appreciated.
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    Ha ha ha... Obviously, the sales people reiterate what marketing people tell them to spew so they can sell as many UNITS as they can. Many manufacturers claim "lifetime" and obviously that means until failure. Buying a used vehicle that someone returned from a lease means someone never took "ownership" by expecting the transmission to last them for an extended period... why would they change the fluids?
  • albert72albert72 Member Posts: 200
    Thank you for your insight.
  • asssetsasssets Member Posts: 1
    I was looking to buy 2001 RX or Acura MDX. After research I found that MDX have problems with transmission, but no complains about RX. But only after sometime spent I found this forum and see that RX has same issues as MDX.
    The bad thing that this problem not show up in Edmunds reliability report (http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/rx-300/2001/reliability.html?style=&sub=)
    nor on carcomplaints.com (http://www.carcomplaints.com/Lexus/RX300/2001/)
    Help others to avoid problems, reports will force companies to fix there mistakes.
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    Could be maybe because that reliability report is sourced from information supplied mostly by owners who purchased new (just speculating)?
    Or maybe there was a high percentage of Lexus owners who were satisfied with warrantee repairs - (also Lexus made many "loyalty" extensions)...
    Or from owners who did not find it unusual for transmission repairs after many years of stop 'n go use?
    Or they leased the car and turned it in before it was an issue?
    The problem with assuming that any "problem" is widespread based on forum complaints is that most posts represent complaints, and statistically are not a significant quantity compared to the number of actual units.
    Forums are a good way to find out information to help fix issues but some owners simply use them as a way to vent.
    Not that the original RX tranny wasn't a weak design which opened the door to lead to many failures, but Lexus made good by treating many customers well when these cars were newer. Now they are over a decade old... so it's not uncommon for any car/crossover/suv to need transmission work, especially if they followed the originally advice from Lexus marketing that the fluid doesn't need to be changed (until failure).
    Used car buyers of any car should simply look for a car in good working order, or already have had the tranny rebuilt with the modernized parts.
    I just picked up a car of another make also famous for needing the tranny rebuilt. It was recently redone. This is not something unique to RX300's and doesn't affect all of them. RX's with original tranny problems usually beat the fluid long before trouble, so that's a good indicator to look for.
  • faithlovefaithlove Member Posts: 1
    I hav a RX300 yr2000AWD win the truck is cold it,s OK but after a few blocks it wont go into 3or4 gear.The fluid level is OK.Win im goin about 40mph the RPM needle goes to 3000, the faster i go the higher the RPM needle goes.I brought the truck in 3/14/13 i notice the problem about 7/12/13 what can it be.Anyone with knowledge of this problem i would appreciate any help Thank you in advance.
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    Faith, Sorry to hear you are having trouble. First, is your "Check Engine" light on; if so you need to find out what codes are being stored, and include your findings on this post regarding advice. It is possible diagnostic trouble codes stored in the onboard engine management system may show a problem unrelated to the transmission, however many people mistakenly are sold rebuilt transmissions when the fix is unrelated.
    Next, what is the history of transmission (not other) service? When was the last time the transmission pan was dropped, the fluid changed, condition of fluid, sediments in the filter and pan inspected? What is the condition of the fluid?
    These will be the indicators of how you should proceed.
    What is the condition of the vehicle in general?
    Let's hear back from you soon.
  • seventh_dreamseventh_dream Member Posts: 1
    Same thing happened to my RX300 at 100,000 miles. Total transmission failure.
    The dealer estimates $8000 to fix it. I am seeing that this is a common problem. based on your research, what can be negotiated or is a common recourse from Lexus? The car has been serviced for its lifetime at the dealership. What might Lexus offer be willing to contribute toward repair of the transmission? What have other owners found to be customary offers that you reported as "generous trade-in settlements?" Have liked the car but private resale value is estimated at $8-10k when working and I'm worried other issues will begin to crop up if I put full value into the replacement of a transmission. Please anyone with info reply as I need to make a decision what to do with the car as soon as possible as it sits at the dealership awaiting either repair, a trade-in, or a tow to an independent mechanic
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