1996 Lexus ES300 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other ES300 years
- About as many complaints as other years 7th of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Lexus ES300. That ranks 7th out of 12 ES300 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (11 complaints, 30%), typically at around 98,143 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 3 fires, 9 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 37owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Lexus ES300 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 and Engine Cooling | 11 | 30% | 98,143 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 16% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 14% | 165,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 14% | 85,779 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 8% | 126,558 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 3% | 158,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Lexus ES300 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The steering wheel set nut may not have been sufficiently tightened causing steering vibration and looseness.
Risk: This can result in a loss of vehicle control.
Fix: Dealers will tighten the steering wheel set nut.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine seizure (DP02004) — opened Apr 30, 2002, closed Jun 20, 2002.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 lexus es300. The contact stated that while parked, a strong odor of fuel was coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel filler neck needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified…
Was driving home from shopping and went to turn left and all of a sudden the car did not respond smoothly and i almost lost control. Took it to the mechanic and had a lower control arm put in because of a bad bushing but was told the rack and pinion is also bad. There is a lot of play in the…
Car exploded and started fire in the garage after the car had been parked for approximately 20 minutes. Got home from work and stop at grocery store. Parked car in garage and brought in some groceries. About 10 - 15 minutes later went out to get paper products (tp and paper towels) out of trunk…
Tl*-the contact owns a 1996 lexus es300. While the contact was driving approximately 15 mph, a loud noise was coming from the engine. The vehicle increased acceleration unexpectedly. The ignition was turned off. The vehicle continued and crashed into the side of a building. There was no injury. The…
Dt*: the contact stated the panel in the dash failed and nothing in the dash could be seen. The vehicle was taken to a dealership were a diagnostics test was performed. It was determined that the instrument cluster panel needed to be replaced. No repairs were made. The manufacturer has been…
Other Lexus ES300 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 ES300 | 5 | 0 |
| 2006 ES300 | 3 | 0 |
| 2005 ES300 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 ES300 | 116 | 0 |
| 2002 ES300 | 153 | 2 |
| 2001 ES300 | 29 | 0 |
| 2000 ES300 | 56 | 0 |
| 1999 ES300 | 27 | 0 |
| 1998 ES300 | 52 | 1 |
| 1997 ES300 | 45 | 2 |
| 1996 | 37 | 1 |
| 1995 ES300 | 38 | 1 |
See all Lexus ES300 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 1996 Lexus ES300?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 11 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Lexus ES300?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Lexus ES300 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other ES300 model years, the 1996 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.