2002 Lexus ES Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other ES years
- Far more complaints than other years 11th of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Lexus ES. That ranks 11th out of 30 ES model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (8 complaints, 30%), typically at around 154,500 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 5 fires, 5 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
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- 27owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Lexus ES problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 8 | 30% | 154,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 19% | 149,228 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 19% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 19% | 175,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 19% | 104,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 11% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 11% | 127,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 7% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 7% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 7% | 176,868 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 7% | 151,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% | 172 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% | 267,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 4% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% | 100 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 4% | 88,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Lexus ES recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2002 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.
The contact owns a 2002 Lexus ES 300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH in the driveway and turning into the garage, the vehicle unintentionally accelerated, hit a beam, drove through the garage wall, and into the dining area of the residence, crashed into the furniture, and…
During a trip on the highway the accelerator was to low and take harder to accelerate the car. When we arrived home close to parking end the car suddenly accelerated while I was using the brakes pedal. I was lucky to stop on time. Thanks for your attention.
I tried to start my car out of no where it wouldn't start no warning or anything i checked the starter that wasn't it i'm not sure off it's the engine or an electrical problem
Tl* the contact's mom owned a 2002 lexus es 300. The contact stated that while driving at 3 mph, the vehicle began to emit a thick white, yellowish smoke from the driver side headlight without warning. As the contact attempted to pull the vehicle over,the vehicle began to lose power as a bystander…
When i stop and try to accelerate the car hesitate and then starts to jerk. If i give it heavy gas it drives normal
Other Lexus ES years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 ES | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 ES | 9 | 2 |
| 2023 ES | 10 | 2 |
| 2022 ES | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 ES | 28 | 1 |
| 2020 ES | 18 | 1 |
| 2019 ES | 34 | 1 |
| 2018 ES | 5 | 0 |
| 2017 ES | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 ES | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 ES | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 ES | 4 | 0 |
| 2013 ES | 34 | 0 |
| 2012 ES | 31 | 0 |
| 2011 ES | 46 | 0 |
| 2010 ES | 41 | 0 |
| 2009 ES | 28 | 0 |
| 2008 ES | 68 | 0 |
| 2007 ES | 125 | 0 |
| 2006 ES | 12 | 0 |
| 2005 ES | 58 | 0 |
| 2004 ES | 16 | 0 |
| 2003 ES | 23 | 0 |
| 2002 | 27 | 0 |
| 2001 ES | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 ES | 6 | 0 |
| 1999 ES | 8 | 0 |
| 1998 ES | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 ES | 2 | 0 |
| 1996 ES | 1 | 0 |
See all Lexus ES problems by year, every Lexus model, or the Lexus VIN decoder.
Similar Lexus models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Lexus ES?
Owners most often report engine, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Lexus ES?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2002 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 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.