Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 37 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Lexus ES300, most frequently naming the engine, airbags and electrical categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 33 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 1996 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 1996 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 3 |
| Jun 1997 | 1 | 4 |
| Jul 1997 | 1 | 5 |
| Dec 1997 | 1 | 6 |
| Aug 1999 | 1 | 7 |
| Nov 1999 | 1 | 8 |
| Jul 2000 | 1 | 9 |
| Aug 2000 | 2 | 11 |
| Feb 2001 | 1 | 12 |
| Mar 2001 | 2 | 14 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 15 |
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 16 |
| Feb 2002 | 1 | 17 |
| Mar 2002 | 1 | 18 |
| Jun 2002 | 2 | 20 |
| Jul 2002 | 1 | 21 |
| Dec 2002 | 1 | 22 |
| Jul 2003 | 1 | 23 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 24 |
| Jan 2004 | 5 | 29 |
| Feb 2004 | 2 | 31 |
| Sep 2005 | 1 | 32 |
| Feb 2006 | 1 | 33 |
| Mar 2010 | 1 | 34 |
| Jan 2013 | 1 | 35 |
| Mar 2014 | 1 | 36 |
| Dec 2014 | 1 | 37 |
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.
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
ENGINE SEIZURE
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
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 OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,340. UPDATED 03/24/15*LJ UPDATED 10/19/2015*JS
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 STEERING NOW. *TR
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. THERE WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, NO SMOKE, NO FIRE, NO NOISE. WENT IN SIDE PUT AWAY EVERYTHING AND STARTED TO COOK. HEARD LOUD EXPLOSION NOISE. WENT TO THE GARAGE AND OPENED THE DOOR. HOT, HEAVY BLACK SMOKE AND CHEMICAL ODOR CAME POURING INTO THE HOUSE. I COULD SEE FLAMES TO THE LEFT. IT WAS VERY HOT AND THERE WAS SOME LIQUID MIXED IN, AND THE GARAGE WAS PITCH BLACK YET IT WAS A VERY SUNNY DAY WITH THE SUN POINTING AT THE GARAGE. BECAUSE IT WAS SO DARK, IT LOOKED LIKE THE GARAGE DOORS WERE CLOSED, BUT ACTUALLY, ONE SIDE WAS OPEN, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE IT WAS SO BLACK. COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING, AND MY ARM WAS SO HOT TRYING TO OPEN GARAGE DOOR AT WALL SWITCH, BURNED ALL THE HAIR OFF MY ARM. I THEN LEFT HOUSE, 911 WAS ON THE WAY. GARAGE CAUGHT ON FIRE, EVERYTHING IN GARAGE BURNED OR MELTED, INCLUDING MY CAR. INTERIOR HALL, ALL FIXTURES IN HALL AND BATH BURNT OR MELTED, EXTENSIVE SMOKE DAMAGE TO ENTIRE HOME. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND ALMOST 10 MONTHS IN A HOTEL. CARS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO EXPLODE OR START FIRE WHEN THEY ARE OFF, PARKED FOR 20 MINUTES IN YOUR GARAGE. *TR
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 VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO AN ACCELERATION ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
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 ALERTED. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM
1996 LEXUS ES300; SLUDGE BUILD-UP; EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION; WHITE SMOKE ON START-UP; DEALER SAYS THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REBUILT AT A COST OF ABOUT $7000. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA/LEXUS HAS ACKNOWLEDGED FOR 1997 TO 2001 MODELS WITH THE V-6 ENGINE. WHY WON'T THEY HONOR THE REPAIR TO THE ENGINE FOR A 1996 MODEL? *NM
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SERVICING DEALER REPLACED O2 SENSOR - BANK 2, SENSOR 1, PART NUMBER 89465-33080 - DEALER LISTED AS $183.30 FOR THE PART WHILE WARRANTY COMPANY LISTED AS $128.11 FOR THE SAME PART. WHEN CHECKING WARRANTY COVERAGE, WAS TOLD WARRANTY DID NOT EXIST - PAID $1,860.00 TO BREDEMANN LEXUS IN GLENVIEW FOR THE WARRANTY ON 6/14/03. *AK
BATTERY EXPLODED.*AK
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.