2003 Lexus ES300 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other ES300 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lexus ES300. That ranks 2nd out of 12 ES300 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (48 complaints, 41%), typically at around 34,950 miles. Complaints mention 43 crashes, 4 fires, 18 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 116owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 43complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 48 | 41% | 34,950 | — | — |
| Power Train | 27 | 23% | 3,725 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 13 | 11% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 11 | 9% | 2,545 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 9% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 6% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 5% | 39,524 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 4% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 3% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 3% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 2,449 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | 19,438 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 2% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 85,402 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 6 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 55,068 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Lexus ES300 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2003 Lexus ES300.
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
- Unwanted and unintended acceleration (DP09001) — opened Apr 8, 2009, closed Oct 29, 2009.
- Vehicle speed control (DP05002) — opened Aug 5, 2005, closed Jan 5, 2006.
- Throttle control system (PE04021) — opened Mar 3, 2004, closed Jul 22, 2004.
- Throttle control system (DP04003) — opened Feb 17, 2004, closed Mar 5, 2004.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Sir/madam, i am trying to help my friends (xxxx) and (xxxxx), long time residents of huntington beach and a very sweet couple. Peggy was driving her husband to a doctor's appointment and due to a fault in the engine (there is a recall and they were not informed), the engine caught on fire. If it…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, WHEN SHE SAW SMOKE AND FIRE IGNITING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE FAILED AND TURNED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO…
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…
(xxxx) air/bag busting thru dash ( * need help ) (xxxx) year: 2003 make: lexus model: es3 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).
My driver headlight keeps shorting out.i bought another bulb and same problem .
Other Lexus ES300 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 ES300 | 5 | 0 |
| 2006 ES300 | 3 | 0 |
| 2005 ES300 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 | 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 ES300 | 37 | 1 |
| 1995 ES300 | 38 | 1 |
See all Lexus ES300 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 2003 Lexus ES300?
Owners most often report vehicle speed control, power train, air bags problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 48 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Lexus ES300?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.