2001 Lexus RX300

Across the 1998–2003 generation, federal complaints peaked at 224 in 1999, held near that level at 216 in 2000, and then declined each subsequent year to just 30 by 2003. The 2001 model year lands in the middle of that downward slope with 176 complaints and five recalls, improving on 2000’s complaint volume while matching its recall count, yet it remains well above the 105 complaints recorded for 2002 and carries zero investigations compared to one in both 2000 and 2002. Power Train issues account for 114 of the 2001 complaints, though the data does not specify a root cause, and the year also generated 15 crash-related and 2 fire-related complaints. Because 2001 sits in a transitional phase where federal filings are falling but remain substantially higher than in the later 2002 and 2003 model years, it is a marginally acceptable used purchase if the individual vehicle’s service history is clean, though buyers seeking the lowest federal-risk profile within this generation should target a 2002 or 2003 example instead.