Reliability & cost of ownership
Lexus Rx300 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Lexus Rx300? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Lexus Rx300 problems by model year
25 recall entries and 722 owner complaints on file across 6 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Rx300 | 3 | 25 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2002 Rx300 | 5 | 88 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2001 Rx300 | 5 | 169 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2000 Rx300 | 5 | 216 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 1999 Rx300 | 7 | 221 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 1998 Rx300 | 0 | 3 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Lexus Rx300, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- power train435 complaints
- engine and engine cooling71 complaints
- vehicle speed control65 complaints
- air bags36 complaints
- service brakes31 complaints
- electrical system27 complaints
- hydraulic20 complaints
- seat belts16 complaints