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All cars · Lexus RX · Transmission

Lexus RX transmission problems by year.

Worst years for transmission complaints per car sold: 2000 (161 complaints), 2001 (135 complaints), 2004 (68 complaints). Fewest since 2010: 2018, 2020, 2015.

Lexus RX
Photo shows a 2017 Lexus RX. RL GNZLZ from Chile, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 · background removed

Transmission complaints owners filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) for each model year, per 100,000 cars sold. A complaint counts when it's filed under the transmission, or under the power train and the owner describes the transmission (shifting, slipping, gears, CVT). It's an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and older years have had longer to collect complaints.

2000161179.2 per 100K sold2001135174.4 per 100K sold20024156.2 per 100K sold200366.5 per 100K sold20046863.8 per 100K sold20051715.6 per 100K sold200654.6 per 100K sold200787.7 per 100K sold200867.1 per 100K sold200966.4 per 100K sold201066.3 per 100K sold201122.4 per 100K sold201233.1 per 100K sold201332.9 per 100K sold201443.7 per 100K sold201522 per 100K sold201698.2 per 100K sold201743.7 per 100K sold201810.9 per 100K sold201954.5 per 100K sold202011 per 100K sold20210no sales data202244.2 per 100K sold202387 per 100K sold202432.5 per 100K sold20250no sales data

What owners describe

Delay or hesitation15%
Transmission replaced15%
Lost power while driving8%
Hard or jerky shifting8%
Slipping7%
Shudder2%

Share of this model's transmission complaints that mention each symptom. One complaint can mention several.

In owners' words

Lexus rx 300 transmission failing. Making noise. Have had two mechanics look at it. Appears to be a faulty design.

2000 Lexus RX owner · NHTSA complaint

Failed transmission under 100,000 miles. Have spoken to many others with the same vehicle, year, etc with the same problem.

2000 Lexus RX owner · NHTSA complaint

Quick answers

Which Lexus RX years have transmission problems?

By transmission complaints filed with NHTSA per car sold, the worst Lexus RX years are 2000, 2001, 2004.

What are common Lexus RX transmission problems?

Owners most often describe delay or hesitation, transmission replaced, lost power while driving.

Which Lexus RX years have the fewest transmission complaints?

Since 2010, the Lexus RX years with the fewest transmission complaints per car sold are 2018, 2020, 2015.

See every problem, not just the transmission: Lexus RX reliability by year. How we count

Updated

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