2002 Lexus RX300 problems & reliability
88 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Lexus RX300. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
8 complaints report injuries (14 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 38 | 43% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | 17% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 10 | 11% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 6% |
| Unknown OR Other | 3 | 3% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 2% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 98,000 miles (middle 50% between 65,500 and 130,000 miles), based on 73 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Suddenly my gears began shifting into neutral, park, reverse and into !st and 2nd gear without locking into any of them. No matter what the shifter moves freely. My car only moves forward no matter which gear it's in, including reverse. I put it into park and it still keeps moving forward. In order to park and stop, I…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Oct 31, 2018
“Lexus has not assembled/secured the airbag wiring proper underneath of seat and prompts the b1140 right-hand side air bag sensor assembly b1141 left-hand side air bag sensor assembly codes in 2002 rx300 models. This is one of the most common problem on this vehicle and can be deadly for these cars considering the…”
Air Bags · filed Oct 16, 2018
“Windows and sunroof opened on their own!!! The doors were locked and no one was in the car. Car was parked and left overnight locked and empty.”
Electrical System · filed May 8, 2018
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
57 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Lexus RX300. The 10 most recent:
Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022
Safety Recall 22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 2022
POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Lexus. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be…
Lexus PRO19-02 - · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 12, 2022
TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to…
L-SB-0002-20 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 5, 2020
TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to…
L-SB-0002-20 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 5, 2020
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE June 23, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0023-20.
L-SB-0174-08 Obs · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2020
TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. ST004-01, SU001-08, and L-SB-0174-08. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be…
L-SB-0023-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2020
Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
Lexus Safety Re · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2020
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0008-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates
L-SB-0179-17 Obs · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 6, 2020
TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003-93, PG002-90, L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01…
L-SB-0008-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 6, 2020
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE January 22, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0001-18.
L-SB-0021-14_Obs · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 24, 2018
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2002 Lexus RX300 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Lexus RX300?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 98,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.