10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
65,264 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #8

Sep 172019

ES 300 6-cyl

  • 260,000 miles
I was driving in residential doing speed limit 30. The car started to exhilarate right before my turn on the my street. The brakes wouldn't work because the car just kept going faster the stearing wheel locked up. I couldn't stop and ran start into a tree and spun out, resulting in serious injuries

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #7

Oct 012014

ES 300

  • 80,000 miles
VIN: (xxxxxx) year: 2003 make: Lexus model: ES300 (xxxx) air/bag busting thru dash ( * need help ) (xxxx) year: 2003 make: Lexus model: ES300 airbag is bulging -see pictures electrical drain on the battery off and on since. Parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Temecula, CA, USA

problem #6

Apr 202019

ES 300

  • 1 miles
My driver headlight keeps shorting out.I bought another bulb and same problem.

- North Augusta, SC, USA

problem #5

Feb 272013

ES 300

  • 58,000 miles
Drivers door will not unlock. Can't open drivers door. Had to climb over to passenger side to get out. No manual over ride to open door. I'm 82 years old and could not fine a way to open my door with the door switch or the remote control. This is a real safety concern.

- Palm Desert, CA, USA

problem #4

Nov 202009

ES 300

  • 105,110 miles
Re: 2003 Lexus ES300. The car began to stall when I stopped the vehicle. My mechanic conducted computer tests. No errors registered. Mechanic stated he thought problem was with the electronic control system. This occurred before the media blitz of Toyota's electronics. Mechanic took some of the electronic control system apart cleaning the parts with an airhose. Consequently the stalling stopped. I have had no problems since this occurrence and "repair."

- San Clemente, CA, USA

problem #3

Jan 112010

ES 300

  • 19,000 miles
Our 2003 Lexus ES 300 engine area caught in fire when my wife parked in the parking lot. According to the witness, parking lot security, he saw the smoke came out from the engine area for about a minute and then fire. He said it looks like something is short in the electrical/engine and caught the fire. When the fire department arrived to put out the fire which damaged and burned half of the car, a lead fire man commented that he has seen several incidents that the Lexus sedans were suddenly caught in fire while parking. With this unfortunate tragedy occurred to our Lexus car, we are very concerned with the safety for all Lexus sedan especially ES 300 driving by consumers out there. Fortunately, my wife left the car few minutes before the car caught in fire, but mentally she was still in shock with it. We did contact Lexus to file a complain, and they said an adjuster will contact us next 10 days to review and discuss the case. It's more than 3 weeks and we still have not heard back from Lexus. Of course, our Lexus ES 300 is a total loss now, but we request NHTSA investigating and looking into this case for the safety of consumers and demand Lexus to investigate and answer us and the public the cause for a sudden caught in fire. Thank you!

- Santa Clara, CA, USA

problem #2

Aug 312004

ES 300 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While sitting at an intersection vehicle jerked uncontrollably. Consumer was able to control the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. Mechanic determined that computer recalibrated (emc) engine and transmission to the computer. Consumer informed the mechanic that the problem still occurred and had not been resolved.

- El Cajon, CA, USA

problem #1

Aug 252003

ES 300

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While shifting gears vehicle jerked and hesitated to move. Vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the computer needed to be reset, and he reset it. However, the problem reoccured, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. Currently, the mechanic could not duplicate the problem.

- Chicago, IL, USA