NHTSA Complaint #10187563 — 1999 LEXUS RX

TL*- WHILE DRIVING A 1999 LEXUS RX300 AT THE SPEED OF 70 MPH THE ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON, AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE ENGINE SEEMED AS THOUGH IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. SHE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A WHINING NOISE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. SHE STATED THAT WHEN THE WEATHER WAS COLD THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO STAY IN FIRST GEAR A LITTLE LONGER THAN NORMAL BEFORE IT SHIFTED. SHE INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP OF THE FAILURE ON 01/2006. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL REACTION OF THE VEHICLE WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS THE FIRST INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,972.*AK