NHTSA Complaint #10224261 — 2000 LEXUS RX300

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 2000 LEXUS RX-300 AWD WITH 110,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON A VERY BUSY 3-LANE HIGHWAY, I STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN WITH A NUMBER OF CARS BEHIND ME. AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT THE INTERSECTION, WAITING FOR CARS TO CLEAR, WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE THROUGH, THE CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL ALTHOUGH IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I TRIED REVERSE (RISKING HITTING THE CAR BEHIND ME) AND IT STAYED IN NEUTRAL. AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF A COUPLE OF TIMES, IT FINALLY WENT INTO DRIVE AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TWO BLOCKS TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. THEIR SERVICE SHOP CHECKED IT OUT AND SIMPLY SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO REPLACED AT A COST OF $5200. THE LEXUS "OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT" WITH MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES SAYS ONLY TO "INSPECT" TRANSMISSION FLUID AT 30K, 60K, 90K, 120K, AND 150K MILES. SEE PAGES 77 - 97 OF THE MAINTENANCE LOG BOOK. ONLY FOR "SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS" IS IT RECOMMENDED TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THEN ONLY AT 60K AND 120K MILES. I HAVE NOT OPERATED THE VEHICLE UNDER ANY OF THE SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. YET, BOTH THE LEXUS AND TOYOTA DEALERS I USE RECOMMEND REPLACING THE OIL EVERY 15K MILES, WHICH I HAVE DONE. BASED ON MY LIMITED RESEARCH, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH EARLY MODEL LEXUS RX300'S AND UNACCEPTABLE THAT IT SHOULD FAIL, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE ADDED SERVICE / MAINTENANCE THAT LEXUS RECOMMENDS, WHICH IS AT ODDS WITH WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THEIR OWN MANUAL. HAD THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN 50 -60 MPH RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC , IT WOULD HAVE PUT ME IN A POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION. I STRONGLY SUSPECT LEXUS IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION, GIVEN THEIR DEALER SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIR. *TR