Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 43 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1993 Lexus ES300, most frequently naming the electrical, airbags and engine categories. 26 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 1995 | 2 | 3 |
| Jul 1995 | 1 | 4 |
| Sep 1995 | 1 | 5 |
| Mar 1996 | 1 | 6 |
| May 1996 | 1 | 7 |
| Sep 1996 | 1 | 8 |
| Nov 1996 | 1 | 9 |
| Dec 1996 | 1 | 10 |
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 11 |
| Jul 1997 | 1 | 12 |
| Sep 1997 | 1 | 13 |
| Nov 1998 | 1 | 14 |
| Sep 1999 | 1 | 15 |
| Nov 1999 | 1 | 16 |
| Dec 1999 | 2 | 18 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 19 |
| Feb 2000 | 1 | 20 |
| Apr 2000 | 1 | 21 |
| Jun 2000 | 1 | 22 |
| Sep 2000 | 2 | 24 |
| Oct 2000 | 1 | 25 |
| Nov 2000 | 1 | 26 |
| Dec 2001 | 1 | 27 |
| Feb 2002 | 2 | 29 |
| Mar 2002 | 2 | 31 |
| Aug 2002 | 1 | 32 |
| Jan 2003 | 1 | 33 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 34 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 35 |
| Mar 2004 | 1 | 36 |
| May 2004 | 1 | 37 |
| Oct 2004 | 1 | 38 |
| Nov 2006 | 1 | 39 |
| Jul 2007 | 1 | 40 |
| Sep 2009 | 1 | 41 |
| Mar 2010 | 1 | 42 |
| Apr 2016 | 1 | 43 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE, STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED FOR A WHILE, AND THEN FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 293,095. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT 1993 ES300 LEXUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45MPH AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO SMOKE. UPON PULLING OVER THE CONTACT NOTICED FIRE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE LOCAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND HE STATED THAT THE STEERING FLUID CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE FIRE STARTED IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED OVER TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CONTACT STILL HAS NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE DEALER AS OF THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT . THE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE WERE IN SHOCK BUT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
DD. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 84,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE NEEDLES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAVE ALL BURNED OUT. UPDATED 09/05/07. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE FAILED. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB
MALFUNCTION IN DESIGN OF DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTS. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LOW ON GAS, THE NEEDLES CEASE TO LIGHT AND IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE HOW JUST HOW MUCH GAS IS LEFT. THE CONSUMER HAS TO FILL THE GAS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE TO SEE MUCH GAS IS LEFT, NOT ONLY CAN THE CONSUMER NOT SEE THE GAS, BUT THIS ALSO AFFECTED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND SPEED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE DESIGN OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS UNSOUNDED AND PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD. *JB
AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM GETTING AN OIL LEAK REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD.DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE "SURGING" THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE MEDIA ON MY 1993 LEXUS ES300 MANY TIMES. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE 1995. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED (AT IDLE). I HAVE THE BRAKE DEPRESSED AND THE CAR ENGINE INCREASES IN RPM'S. SOMETIMES IT IS A POWERFUL SURGE THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD. USUALLY, I NOTICE THIS OCCURRING AND PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
EQUIPMENT
Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; TIRES; WHEELS
POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Lexus. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Lexus.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well.
EQUIPMENT
Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
EQUIPMENT
TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003-93, PG002-90, L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003 93, and PG002-90. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1990 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin.
EQUIPMENT
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0008-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
TSB: Replacement Certification Labels. OBSOLETE NOTICE November 28, 2017: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0179-17.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.