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U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Lexus RX300: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

25 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

70,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 25 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting624.0%
Engine operation14.0%
Braking behavior14.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission
5
Vehicle Speed Control
5
Air Bags
3
Electrical System
2
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
2
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
Equipment
2
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train:Automatic Transmission5
Vehicle Speed Control5
Air Bags3
Electrical System2
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)2
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine2
Equipment2
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch1

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Air Bags: 3; Electrical System: 2; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Equipment: 2; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
2
25,000 to 49,999
3
50,000 to 74,999
5
75,000 to 99,999
1
100,000 to 149,999
5
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0002
25,000 to 49,9993
50,000 to 74,9995
75,000 to 99,9991
100,000 to 149,9995
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 3

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 6 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002
1
2003
3
2004
1
2005
1
2006
2
2007
1
2009
4
2010
3
2011
2
2012
1
2014
1
2015
2
2016
1
2017
1
2022
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20021
20033
20041
20051
20062
20071
20094
20103
20112
20121
20141
20152
20161
20171
20221

2002: 1; 2003: 3; 2004: 1; 2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 1; 2009: 4; 2010: 3; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10012385 · 2003-04-03 (April 3, 2003)

THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS MR. *AK. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012385 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014244 · 2003-04-10 (April 10, 2003)

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 T…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014244 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017724 · 2003-05-07 (May 7, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017724 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10053653 · 2004-02-24 (February 24, 2004)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 14,805 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053653 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10115535 · 2005-03-22 (March 22, 2005)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10115535 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10146807 · 2006-01-03 (January 3, 2006)

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 C…

Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10146807 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10177278 · 2006-12-29 (December 29, 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…

Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10177278 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10195906 · 2007-07-09 (July 9, 2007)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10195906 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.