Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 RX300 | 25 | 0 |
| 2002 RX300 | 88 | 0 |
| 2001 RX300 | 169 | 0 |
| 2000 RX300 | 216 | 0 |
| 1999 RX300 | 221 | 2 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Power train435
- Engine and engine cooling72
- Vehicle speed control66
- Air bags36
- Electrical system28
- Service brakes, hydraulic20
- Visibility16
- Seat belts16
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
In New Zealand
102 RX300 cars are on the New Zealand register; 98% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 2005 | 36 | 0 | 35 |
| 2004 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
| 2003 | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
428 RX300 cars are on Dutch roads; 30% arrived later as imports, and 11 still have a recall open. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 32 | €61,241 |
| 2005 | 106 | €71,054 |
| 2004 | 129 | €70,815 |
| 2003 | 84 | €52,595 |
| 2002 | 35 | — |
| 2001 | 42 | — |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
115 RX300 cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 100% petrol, 0% diesel. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 28 | 288,000 km |
| 2004 | 44 | 291,000 km |
| 2003 | 23 | 266,000 km |
| 2002 | 8 | 253,000 km |
| 2001 | 12 | 315,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Road collisions in Great Britain
From 2021 to 2025, 28 RX300 cars were involved in road collisions in Great Britain that injured someone and were reported to the police. 1 of those collisions were fatal and 6 caused serious injuries. As with any count, models with more cars on British roads appear more often.
| Year | Cars in injury collisions | Fatal | Serious |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 16 | 1 | 4 |
| 2021 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data 2021–2025 · Open Government Licence v3.0 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
2,350 RX300 cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | — |
| 2019 | 1 | — |
| 2007 | 1 | — |
| 2006 | 205 | 79 |
| 2005 | 781 | 358 |
| 2004 | 799 | 612 |
| 2003 | 351 | 364 |
| 2002 | 111 | 188 |
| 2001 | 82 | 180 |
| 2000 | 17 | 39 |
| 1999 | 1 | 1 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
4,143 RX300 cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 68% passed first time, against 56% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 345 | 68% |
| 2005 | 1,278 | 68% |
| 2004 | 1,444 | 69% |
| 2003 | 659 | 68% |
| 2002 | 241 | 61% |
| 2001 | 176 | 59% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | RX300 | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 13.1% | 13.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.3% | 21.5% |
| Suspension | 10.6% | 16.9% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.1% | 7.1% |
| Visibility | 4.3% | 7.6% |
| Tyres | 4.2% | 6.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 3.6% | 9.1% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1.3% | 3.1% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
2,904 new Lexus RX300 cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2022, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2022 the largest markets were Poland (962), Czechia (177), Germany (119).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,442 | 229 (WLTP) |
| 2021 | 487 | 234 (WLTP) |
| 2020 | 373 | 233 (WLTP) |
| 2019 | 393 | 232 (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 203 | 232 (WLTP) |
| 2011 | 1 | — |
| 2010 | 5 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the RX300 in 1 alert. European versions can differ from the North American car.
Insufficient press-in mounting of certain components of the high-pressure fuel pump could lead to increased pressure on the valves within the pump. This may cause the weld seams of the affected valve(s) to crack, which could lead to a fuel leak. In the presenc…
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
2 campaigns cover the RX300.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. DUE TO IMPROPER DESIGN OF THE REAR BRAKE TUBE DISTRIBUTION, IF ONE OF THE DUAL BRAKE LINES FAILS WHEN THE DRIVER APPLIES THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WILL FEEL UNSTABLE COMPARED TO VEHICLES WITH PROPER REAR BRAKE TUBE DISTRIBUTION.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS MAY NOT AUTOMATICALLY ILLUMINATE IN LOW AMBIENT LIGHT WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS PLACED IN THE "AUTO" POSITION.
NHTSA recalls