NHTSA Complaint #10397592 — 2000 LEXUS RX300

WITH NO WARNING SIGNS AT ALL THE TRANSMISSION ON MY LEXUS RX300 HAS FAILED. THE CAR NEVER PREVIOUSLY FAILED TO ENGAGE IN ANY GEAR, HOWEVER, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR DECREASED IN SPEED AND WOULD NOT SWITCH GEARS TO ACCELERATE. WE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AND THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER MOVE. LUCKILY WE HAD MADE THE RARE CHOICE OF NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD BEEN CHECKED 3 WEEKS EARLIER, AND THE CAR HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I AM FINDING HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF LEXUS, AND EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THIS TRANSMISSION SET UP. FOR THE PRICE OF THESE CARS I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. THERE IS NO REASON WHY A TRANSMISSON SHOULD FAIL AT 126,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE REPAIR COST COULD BE BETWEEN $3500-$5000. THIS IS NOT THE QUALITY THAT I EXPECTED WITH THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSORS, THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS THE VVT VALVES AND OIL PAN, AND NOW WE ARE FACED WITH THE GREAT EXPENSE OF REPLACING A VERY EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION THAT SHOULD STILL WORK. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED, AND WHILE I HAVE PROMOTED THE PURCHASE OF LEXUS CARS TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS, AND VOWED TO PURCHASE AGAIN, I AM NOT CERTAIN THAT I WANT TO SPEND VERY HARD EARNED MONEY ON THE DREAM OF QUALITY THAT DOESN'T EXIST.