RoadVitals

1994 Lexus ES300 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
39
Latest Jun 25, 2010
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
6
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Feb 15, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 39 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 Lexus ES300. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 39 · page 1 of 2

Transmission
Filed Jun 25, 2010

2004 LEXUS ES330-CAR HESITATES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. VERY UNSAFE WHEN TRYING TO MERGE INTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. ALMOST HAD SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. COMPUTER CHIP FOR TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX PROBLEM. USED PREMIUM GAS AS SUGGESTED BY MECHANIC- NOTHING HELPED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10339990
Incident
Jun 10, 2010
Mileage
64,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 9, 2010

1994 LEXUS ES300 INSTRUMENT PANEL (SPEEDOMETER,TACHOMETER,FUEL,AND TEMP),NEEDLES HAVE GONE OUT AND IMPOSSIBLE TO READ GAUGES AT NIGHT OR IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10324629
Incident
Apr 8, 2010
Mileage
222,054 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 3, 2010

BOUGHT LEXUS ES300 IN 1994. KEPT FOR CAR FOR 5 YEARS. EVEN BRAND NEW IT WOULD OCCASIONALLY LUNGE FORWARD WHEN MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO DEALERSHIP OVER AND OVER; WROTE LETTERS; KEPT COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SPORADIC LUNGING FORWARD OF THE CAR BUT I WAS NOT EVEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY. AT A STOP LIGHT I WOULD HAVE TO STAY 10+ FEET BEHIND THE CAR IN FRONT JUST IN CASE MY LEXUS LUNGED FORWARD EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I FINALLY GOT RID OF THIS CAR SINCE I FELT IT WAS A NOT SAFE AND THE DEALERSHIP NOR THE COMPANY TOOK ME SERIOUS ABOUT THIS RACING OF THE ENGINE AND THE LUNGING FORWARD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10304767
Incident
Feb 20, 1994
Electrical
Filed Aug 16, 2009

1994 LEXUS ES300. ELECTROLUMINESCENT GAUGES FOR SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER FAIL TO ILLUMINATE. THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE (ESPECIALLY WITH GLARE OR AT NIGHT) TO DETERMINE RPM'S OR SPEED. A SEARCH ON THE WEB WILL SHOW THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG 1992 - 1996 ES300'S. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE REVIEWED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10280573
Incident
Aug 16, 2007
Mileage
110,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Dec 31, 2004

DRIVER'S SEATBELT ASSEMBLY REPEATEDLY UNLATCHES ARBITRARILY POSING SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. HAS OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. FLOW LEXUS OF KERNERSVILLE, NC, REFUSES TO MAKE COMPLIMENTARY REPAIR.*AK

NHTSA ID
10104842
Incident
Dec 30, 2004
Mileage
110,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 31, 2004

FRONT SEAT BELT MAY NOT LATCH PROPERLY AND CAN UN-LATCH ITSELF. HAS OCCURRED OCCASIONALLY WITHOUT WARNING SINCE THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT DATE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10056255
Incident
Jun 19, 2003
Mileage
100,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Dec 18, 2003

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL EXTEND OUTWARD, BUT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK IN PLACE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10051801
Incident
Dec 18, 2003
Electrical
Filed Jun 30, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BATTERY IS LEAKING ACID THROUGH POSITIVE POST. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10026170
Incident
Jun 2, 2003
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 17, 2003

WHILE BACKING UP THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO A CHAIN FENCE THEN THE GEAR CHANGED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD INTO A WALL. *NLM *SCC

NHTSA ID
10016086
Electrical
Filed Aug 22, 2002

WHILE CAR WAS RUNNING BATTERY EXPLODED.*AK CONSUMER HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE AND PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE SAT FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. CONSUMER INSERTED THE KEY AND HWEN TURNING THE IGNITION THE BATTERY EXPLODED CREATING FUMES AND SMOKE. ALL THE ELECTRICAL POWER WAS GONE. THE DEALER MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. A FEW DAYS LATER THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *JG

NHTSA ID
8017043
Incident
Jul 30, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Jul 17, 2002

SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT, CAUSING IT TO FAIL IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID
8014154
Incident
Jun 29, 2002
Suspension
Filed Jan 12, 2002

THE 4 INCH PIECE THAT CONNECTS THE RR ARM ASSEMBLY STRIPPED, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO BUCKLE INWARD - THE PIECE HAD TO BE WELDED TOGETHER JUST TO PULL TO CAR INTO THE GARAGE.*AK

NHTSA ID
756750
Incident
Aug 24, 2001
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Nov 29, 2001
Crash reported

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE TRAVELING LESS THAN 5 MPH, ENGINE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY, AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE WALL AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND CONSUMER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. INSURANCE COMPANY CATEGORIZED VEHICLE AS A TOTAL LOSS, AND NO DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE AS TO CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
899627
Incident
May 15, 2001
Steering
Filed Aug 31, 2001

DEALERSHIP SENT CONSUMER RECALL 99V307000 NOTICE. VIBRATION WAS FELT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
895609
Incident
Aug 1, 2001
Visibility
Filed Jul 13, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 25-30 MPH LEFT REAR WINDOW SHATTERED FOR UNKNOWN REASON. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNWILLING TO ASSIST WITH THIS MATTER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
892778
Incident
Jul 9, 2001
Engine
Filed Jul 13, 2001

EXCESSIVE SMOKING AND ENGINE RUNNIG ROUGHLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
748411
SteeringSuspensionTires & wheels
Filed Jul 2, 2001

HAD A SIDE BLOWOUT ( RIPPED 180 DEGREES ON THE SIDE WHERE THE SIDEWALL IS), OR THE WHEEL AXLE HAD COLLAPSED. ALSO THE NUT TO STEERING WHEEL (DUE TO RECALL) LOCKED TIGHTER AT ABOUT 1000 PRIOR TO ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
9000987
Incident
Mar 2, 2000
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 4, 2001

THE PLASTIC LENS COVERS ARE SO OPAGUE AS TO MAKE SEEING AT NIGHT DIFFICULT AND NO OTHER JAPANESES CAR HAS THAT PROBLEM, AT LEAT THE HONDA. DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND NOW IT IS BARELY ABLE TO RELFECT LIGHT, DEALER WANTS $1000 PLLUS LABOR TO RREPLACE WHLE UNITS!!

NHTSA ID
746370
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
Suspension
Filed Sep 5, 2000

FRONT AXLE BROKE, CAR FLIPPED OVER

NHTSA ID
730252
Seat belts
Filed Jul 26, 2000

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT WOULD ARBITRARILY UNBUCKLE. IT WOULD HAPPEN WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONERY OR MOVING. IT DID NOT SEEM TO BE PROMPTED BY A SUDDEN STOP OR A BUMP. AFTER IT WOULD UNSNAP, I WOULD REBUCKLE AND TRY TO PULL THE BUCKLE UNDONE, BUT I COULD NOT PULL IT OPEN. *AK

NHTSA ID
726096
Incident
May 12, 2000
Visibility
Filed Mar 23, 2000

REAR PASSENGER'S WINDOW BLEW OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE. WAS NO WARNING. NOTHING HAD HIT IT WINDOW. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ID
859115
Incident
Feb 29, 2000
Steering
Filed Feb 10, 2000

THE NUT FASTNING A SIDE ROD TO A KNUCKLE ARM CAME OFF WHEN DRIVING ON A FREEWAY. THE NUT IS SUPPOSE TO BE SECURELY PLACED WITH A COTTER PIN. IT COULD BE POSSIBLE THAT THE PIN WAS NOT INSTALLED AT ALL.

NHTSA ID
718581
Incident
Feb 8, 2000
Filed Sep 25, 1999

REQUEST YOU PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION YOU HAVE AVAILABLE AS TO WHETHER THIS VEHICLE HAS EVER BEEN CRASHED/WRECKED.

NHTSA ID
712065
Seat belts
Filed Sep 3, 1999

PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT BELT UNLATCHED UNDER HARD BRAKING.

NHTSA ID
710891
Incident
Aug 31, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Sep 2, 1999

A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE EXTERNAL DOOR HANDLE AND THE DOOR LATCH FAILS AND THE DOOR WON'T OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THREE OF THE DOORS ON THIS CAR HAVE FAILED. TWO HAPPENED UNDER WARRANTY. THE LAST HAPPENED AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT A COST OF $90. WHY IS THE MANUFACTURER NOT RESPONSIBLE (FINANCIALLY) FOR REPLACING ALL OF THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS, THAT ARE BREAKING, AT EACH POINT OF USE? *AK

NHTSA ID
710848
Incident
Aug 31, 1999

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.

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Data on this page last refreshed .