Lexus ES300 Problems by Year
Lexus ES300 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical ES300 year: 2002, 2003. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2002 ES300: 153 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2003 ES300: 116 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2000 ES300: 56 complaints, 0 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2005 ES300: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2006 ES300: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2013 ES300: 5 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Lexus ES300 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 141 | 12 | 79 |
| Power Train problems | 102 | 8 | 3 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 59 | 8 | 2 |
| Air Bags | 55 | 10 | 42 |
| Electrical System | 54 | 9 | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 46 | 8 | 16 |
| Visibility | 23 | 8 | 8 |
| Seat Belts | 22 | 9 | 8 |
| Tires | 21 | 7 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 18 | 7 | 3 |
| Steering | 18 | 8 | 6 |
| Suspension | 15 | 6 | 2 |
| Engine | 14 | 5 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 11 | 8 | 0 |
| Seats | 10 | 5 | 2 |
| Equipment | 9 | 6 | 2 |
| Structure | 8 | 5 | 1 |
| Wheels | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Child Seat | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Lexus ES300 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2002: power train (52) · vehicle speed control (50)
All Lexus ES300 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 ES300 | 5 | 0 | — | Service Brakes | |
| 2006 ES300 | 3 | 0 | — | Electronic Stability Control (esc) | |
| 2005 ES300 | 1 | 0 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | |
| 2003 ES300 | 116 | 0 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 ES300 | 153 | 2 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 ES300 | 29 | 0 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2000 ES300 | 56 | 0 | — | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 1999 ES300 | 27 | 0 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1998 ES300 | 52 | 1 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 1997 ES300 | 45 | 2 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1996 ES300 | 37 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1995 ES300 | 38 | 1 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
More from Lexus: all Lexus models · Lexus VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Lexus ES300 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2002 (153), 2003 (116) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical ES300 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Lexus ES300?
Vehicle Speed Control, with 141 complaints across 12 model years.
How many recalls does the Lexus ES300 have?
4 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.