AI Damage1998 Lexus RX300: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Lexus RX300 filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 33% of all complaints
- 3 Tires 33% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 33% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 33% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
This was in 2002 august and I had called lexus to check if there is a sudden acceleration or a roll over problem. They said none. I decided not to engage a forensic engineer to investigate because that would delay the insurance pay back.
Tire blew out on highway. Dot ela6cbc447 bridgestone turanzap225/60r16.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 17,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the RX300 has 103 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 3, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Lexus RX300?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, structure, tires. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: unintended acceleration (33%), tires: bulges, blowouts (33%), windows, sunroof (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Lexus RX300?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Lexus RX300 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.