1997 Lexus ES Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 2, 2012 · 2 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other ES years
Not enough data 27th of 30 for complaints
Safety recalls
None on file
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Lexus ES. That ranks 27th out of 30 ES model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (1 complaints, 50%), typically at around 175,000 miles. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.

Lexus ES
Lexus_ES_350h_(XZ20) at Auto Zuerich 2025. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 1997 Lexus ES problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Power Train1 · ~175,000 mi
Seats1 · ~20,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Power Train150%175,000——
Seats150%20,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2007, with 1 complaints
2007: 1200712012: 120121

n = 2 complaints · Source: NHTSA

1997 Lexus ES recalls (0)

No safety recalls are on file for the 1997 Lexus ES.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Rear noise while driving many other drivers have the same question. When the car goes over pot holes i makes a sound similar to golf / bowing bowln hitting each other. *tr

Power Train · received Sep 2, 2012 · NHTSA complaint 10473604

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 lexus es 300. He stated that the driver's side seat heater was replaced under warranty on december 28, 2001. Approximately five years later he noticed that the seat heater got extremely hot. The contact stated that there have been minor electrical problems with the…

Seats · received Jun 4, 2007 · NHTSA complaint 10192413

Other Lexus ES years

← 1996 ES · 1998 ES →

See all Lexus ES problems by year, every Lexus model, or the Lexus VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1997 Lexus ES?

Owners most often report power train, seats problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 1 complaint.

Was there a recall on the 1997 Lexus ES?

No safety recalls are on file for this model year.

Was the 1997 Lexus ES a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other ES model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.