1997 Lexus ES Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Lexus ES, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Heating & air conditioning150.0%
- Powertrain (other)150.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 VEHICLE HOWEVER; HE FELT THIS ISSUE WAS MORE SEVERE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN APPEARS TO BE INVALID. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .