Lexus Rx300 2003
Model Rx300 made in 2003 by Lexus got 40 consumer complains there are 3 recalls as well as 6 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to electrical system, engine and engine cooling and equipment. Technical service bulletines regarding electrical system, engine and engine cooling and power train. There were some recalls concerningexterior lighting, visibility.
Model 2003
Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | ||||||||||||||||
| 06E026000 | PRO-A MOTORS, INC. | E (Equipment) | 61944 | 04/03/2006 | OVSC | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 03/23/2006 | 03/23/2006 | 571 | 108 | ||||||
| Defect Summary | Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. the recall began on april 3, 2006. owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This recall only pertains to pro-a motors aftermarket lamps and has no relation to any original equipment installed on the listed passenger vehicles.for more information on the lamp model numbers, click on document search and view document titled lamp model numbers.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration | |||||||||||||||
| 06E049000 | CK MOTORSPORT, INC. | E (Equipment) | 27176 | 07/01/2006 | OVSC | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 05/24/2006 | 06/05/2006 | 571 | 108 | ||||||
| Defect Summary | Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. the recall began on july 1, 2006. owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This recall only pertains to aftermarket replacement equipment and has no relation to any original equipment installed on vehicles manufactured by the vehicle manufacturers.for more information on the lamp model numbers, click on document search and view document titled | |||||||||||||||
| VISIBILITY - GLASS, SIDE/REAR | ||||||||||||||||
| 08E020000 | POLYMER PROCESS DEVELOPMENT, LLC | E (Equipment) | 931 | 04/18/2008 | MFR | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 03/06/2008 | 03/07/2008 | 571 | 205 | ||||||
| Defect Summary | Polymer process development is recalling 931 units of back glass, p/no. fb20415zpy, sold as replacement equipment for use on 1999-2004 lexus rx300 vehicles. the glass fails to conform to the automotive glazing material requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 205, glazing materials. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | The purpose of this standard is to reduce injuries resulting from impact to glazing surfaces. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Polymer will notify owners and replace the affected glass free of charge. the recall began on april 18, 2008. owners may contact polymer toll-free at 800-510-9879. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This recall only pertains to polymer aftermarket replacement back glass and has no relation to any original equipment installed on vehicles manufactured by toyota.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - SOFTWARE | |||||
| LSB-0015-10 | 02/04/2010 | 10034245 | Lexus: techstream ecu flash reprogramming procedure. flash reprogramming allows the ecu software to be updated without replacing the ecu. flash calibration updates for specific vehicle models/ecus are released as field fix procedures des | 10/29/2010 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 00405 | 03/04/2005 | 10015850 | Fuel injector ticking noise. *tt | 08/15/2005 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 00504 | 08/26/2004 | 10009396 | Proper identification of the 5 solenoids used in the u140e/u140f transmissions. *tt | 09/29/2004 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||||
| 00204 | 03/10/2004 | 10006551 | Vibration feeling when applying the brakes. *tt | 05/05/2004 | |
| STEERING | |||||
| 00401 | 12/21/2001 | 00401 | 10017720 | Repair manual supplement - vehicle pulling to one side. all lexus 2002 - 2006 models. *tt all '02 - '07 models. lexus. *tt | 11/21/2005 |
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 01202 | 10/11/2002 | 10000251 | Suspension ball joint inspection method. *tt | 02/20/2003 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 07/01/2010 | 68000 | 4 | |
| I called my local lexus three times prior to june, 2012 regarding lights suddenly illuminating on the dashboard. i had a recurring issue where the check engine and vsc warning lights would illuminate. each time the customer service agent told me that the lights would go off when i refueled. three times the lights did go off (after several days), but once i had to have the dealer reset them. the most recent occurrence resulted in the dealer telling me i needed the air fuel and air flow sensors replaced, a repair which cost over $750.00. as an aside, every time i called to inquire about the lights being illuminated my car was under warranty and no repairs were suggested. after the warranty expired i was then advised that the sensors needed to be replaced. *tr | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH | |||
| 14805 | 1 | ||
| Consumer was able to remove key from the ignition with vehicle not being in the park gear. as a result vehicle rolled and crashed into a tree.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 12/27/2006 | 57000 | 1 | 08/10/2006 |
| This complaint is almost identical to others i have found and is very serious. purchased 2003 lexus rx300 from a toyota dealership; approximately 57000 miles now, about 56000 at purchase. car checked by dealership, ok. no hard driving. after first distance trip (st. louis to kc) check oil light and check engine light came on. towed to lexus dealer who knew right where to look. found gelled sludge all through and said it was misuse. complete lie. said engine must be replaced. no help so far from lexus. expect to see if this is hidden defect in engine, since i have found numerous other complaints on the internet that read almost exactly the same. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 06/04/2007 | 1 | 01/01/2003 | |
| 2003 lexus rx300 vehicle stalled. replace idle air control valve twice**cw** the consumer also referenced a toyota highlander that had the same stalling issue. *jb | |||
| 12/21/2005 | 51000 | 1 | |
| While traveling out to denver from omaha, received low oil pressure light on my 2003 lexus rx300. pulled over immediately, had car towed to lexus dealership. they immediately knew what to look for and say..the car has been misused, (no oil changes) and oil gelling was result. within minutes they said the engine was shot and would require new engine. they showed me the sludge which was only found on one cylinder head, by the oil return line. quantity was about one handful and as stated, only near the return line, remainder of head clean. i had changed oil night before trip. they will not honor power train warranty, since i cannot prove oil was changed every 7500 miles. car has 50,000, and i purchased car from individual who stated he always maintained car but cannot prove with receipts. called customer satisfaction line who said unless i prove the original owner had oil changed they would not honor. dealership had stated today that only one head is damaged, the other is fine. short block will require replacement as well. if it was an oil change issue wouldn't the sludge be in both heads and why was the sludge only found in one small section of head, by oil return line. if this were a lack of maintenance, sludge should be everywhere (both heads) not just one area...lexus stated it is my fault and they do not have a design issue with this v-6 although i have never seen oil gel like this...regardless of maintenance history. lexus reputation is big joke if their engines can't make it 50,000 miles. *nm | |||
| EQUIPMENT | |||
| 03/31/2003 | 0 | ||
| Not my vehicle, but on other vehicle on the road. numerous time i have happened upon a newer lexus rx 300 (2002 or 2003 model??) with no tail lights, traveling along public roadways well after dark. in a recent incident, i was on a multi-lane freeway and had a chance to pull along side a lexus rx 300 with no tail lights, glancing over at the driver compartment of the rx 300, i noted that the dash/instrument lights were on! and, the daytime running lights (dlrs) were providing some forward illumination for the vehicle. i later discovered that the rx 300 vehicles always have their instrument panel illuminated, thus with the combination of the dlrs, it seems that the drivers of lexus rx300 suv's frequently forget to turn their headlights on. there is an auto feature, but if not used, the vehicle is very prone leaving the driver with a false sense that the lights are turned on- which is very dangerous. i can not think of any other vehicle that illuminates the dash without at least turning on the tail/parking lamps. i feel this is a defect in this vehicle design that could needlessly lead to accidents. *nlm | |||
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | |||
| 07/01/2010 | 68000 | 4 | |
| I called my local lexus three times prior to june, 2012 regarding lights suddenly illuminating on the dashboard. i had a recurring issue where the check engine and vsc warning lights would illuminate. each time the customer service agent told me that the lights would go off when i refueled. three times the lights did go off (after several days), but once i had to have the dealer reset them. the most recent occurrence resulted in the dealer telling me i needed the air fuel and air flow sensors replaced, a repair which cost over $750.00. as an aside, every time i called to inquire about the lights being illuminated my car was under warranty and no repairs were suggested. after the warranty expired i was then advised that the sensors needed to be replaced. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2010 | 68000 | ||
| I called my local lexus three times prior to june, 2012 regarding lights suddenly illuminating on the dashboard. i had a recurring issue where the check engine and vsc warning lights would illuminate. each time the customer service agent told me that the lights would go off when i refueled. three times the lights did go off (after several days), but once i had to have the dealer reset them. the most recent occurrence resulted in the dealer telling me i needed the air fuel and air flow sensors replaced, a repair which cost over $750.00. as an aside, every time i called to inquire about the lights being illuminated my car was under warranty and no repairs were suggested. after the warranty expired i was then advised that the sensors needed to be replaced. | |||
| OTHER | |||
| 1 | |||
| The vehicle did not come equipped with automatic door locks mr. *ak. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 05/15/2011 | 117000 | ||
| The vehicle suddenly lost transmission on the road and was rolling freely. the gears does not work anymore and the vehicle rolls as if its in neutral. when search the internet i looked at lot of the customers complaining about exact same thing, about this vehicle having transmission issues especially for rx300. no wonder toyota has this many recalls and surprised that their premium brand has the same issues with safety. i am glad that this did not happen on a highway | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 05/17/2011 | 138000 | ||
| During normal driving, with no signs of failure, the vehicle suddenly would lose power when pressed on gas, it acted as if it were in neutral---engine revs up, but car does not move. then when switched to second gear or l, transmission still would not engage. had it towed to a local transmission shop, it turned out to be the planetary gear broke. searched online lexus forum, found out very many people reported the same failure in transmission. | |||
| 08/15/2009 | 70000 | 1 | |
| The transmissions in lexus rx300 models are unsafe. the transmission in my rx300 had to be replaced at 70,000 miles and again at 120,000 miles. lexus is not standing behind their product. there have been numerous complaints about the transmission in the rx300 model. lexus will not acknowledge this defect. also, i was misled at the dealership the first time they replaced the transmission. i was assured that the transmission was not refurbished, when, indeed, it is not a new transmission. the definition of the word refurbished was in question. the transmission going out repeatedly and so early in the rx300 model is a safety hazard. lexus' failure to acknowledge the problem and their decision to wait until someone has a problem with the transmission is a safety issue in itself. *tr | |||
| 02/20/2009 | 134000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 lexus rx300 with 134,000 miles. the transmission failed on 2/20/09. after a couple of days of a slight whine, three lights came on the dashboard. i took it in to my local repair shop. they ran a computer diagnosis and it came back with transmission failure. i purchased the vehicle while still under warranty at 48,000 miles in 2006. i have had the transmission serviced twice at the recommended intervals. it was due for a 3rd service. internet blogs report that transmission failure is a chronic problem with this vehicle after 70,000 miles. in almost 40 years of driving, i have never had a transmission failure before. i owned a lexus es300 previously and volvos before that. the lexus dealer says it is out of warranty. cost of replacement is quoted at $4200. *tr | |||
| 02/06/2009 | 61000 | 1 | |
| My wife drove the vehicle to work. she parked, turned the engine off, and removed the key while the shifter was in the neutral position. thinking that it was in park, she exited the vehicle and began to walk away. the vehicle rolled backward and pinned her right let in between its rear bumper and the bumper of another vehicle. *tr | |||
| 12/12/2008 | 78926 | 1 | 06/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lexus rx300. while driving 65 mph, the engine shut off without warning and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the transmission was determined to be the cause of the failure and was replaced at the cost of $3,922.40. a report was filed with the manufacturer and they stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. the contact did not establish a relationship with the dealer; therefore, they would not assist. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 78,926 and current mileage is 79,000. updated 3/9/09 *cn the vehicle would not shift into reverse. updated 03/10/09. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 10/26/2002 | 10/01/2002 | ||
| The car was hit on the rear passanger side; the whole rear axle came off due to such accident and the air bags did not deploy. this is a big safety issue due to the fact that i have a 5 year old son. dt | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 10/26/2002 | 10/01/2002 | ||
| The car was hit on the rear passanger side; the whole rear axle came off due to such accident and the air bags did not deploy. this is a big safety issue due to the fact that i have a 5 year old son. dt | |||
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | |||
| 05/15/2011 | 117000 | ||
| The vehicle suddenly lost transmission on the road and was rolling freely. the gears does not work anymore and the vehicle rolls as if its in neutral. when search the internet i looked at lot of the customers complaining about exact same thing, about this vehicle having transmission issues especially for rx300. no wonder toyota has this many recalls and surprised that their premium brand has the same issues with safety. i am glad that this did not happen on a highway | |||
| 11/06/2009 | 14070 | 1 | 10/15/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lexus rx300. while driving 10 mph out of the parking lot the vehicle accelerated and he lost control. as he swerved the vehicle he hit three small trees, a wooden fence, and a brick wall before the vehicle stopped. the ambulance and police department came because he was trapped in the vehicle. he was taken to the hospital for injures to his lower back. the vehicle was destroyed. there is a police report if needed. the insurance company was notified. the dealer nor manufacturer have not been called. the failure mileage was 14,070. updated 05/10/10 *bf the vehicle was declared a loss. updated 05/17/10.*jb | |||
| 12/25/2008 | 38000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lexus rx300. while driving into a driveway at speeds of under 8 mph, she heard a loud revving noise and the vehicle accelerated. the vehicle crashed into the garage door and pushed two other vehicles in the driveway through a cement wall and through her home. neither the manufacturer nor dealer were contacted. the repairs were covered through her insurance company. the failure mileage was 38,000 and the current mileage was 70,000. | |||
| 12/25/2008 | 38000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lexus rx300. while driving into a driveway at speeds of fewer than 8 mph, she heard a loud revving noise and the vehicle accelerated without intent. the vehicle crashed into the garage door and pushed the two vehicles into the driveway through a cement wall and into her home. there were no injuries. neither the manufacturer nor dealer was contacted. the repairs were covered through her insurance company. the failure mileage was 38,000 and the current mileage was 70,000. | |||
| VISIBILITY - REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES | |||
| 1 | 12/01/2002 | ||
| Major blind area in the back of the lexus rx300. mr. the consumer was unable to see small children when backing up the vehicle. a beeping device was installed to worn children/pedestrians when the vehicle was backing up, instead the loud noise attracts the children. (the consumer needed to be guided) the 2004 version came equipped with a camera. the consumer felt there must have been a similar problem when backing up. the dealer refused to install a camera on the consumers vehicle. * scc *jb | |||
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD | |||
| 01/10/2005 | 35000 | 2 | 02/18/2003 |
| Consumer experienced a problem with the front windshield cracking for no known reason while parked in the garage overnight. consumer replaced the front windshield, within one week. the front windshield developed another crack while parked in the garage overnight.*ak | |||
Car dealers selling
| State | City | Zip | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | EL MONTE | 91731 | LONGO LEXUS | |
| CA | VAN NUYS | 91401 | KEYES LEXUS | 818-379-4000 |
| OH | AKRON | 44312 | LEXUS AKRON | 330-645-4800 |
| OH | CLEVELAND | METRO LEXUS | ||
| TX | AUSTIN | 78759 | LEXUS OF AUSTIN |