Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 37 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 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.
Showing 1–25 of 37 · page 1 of 2
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
ENGINE FAILED (SEIZED UP) DUE TO OIL SLUDGE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE CAR'S OIL HAD BEEN REGULARLY CHANGED. IN FACT, THE CAR'S OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3-4,000 MILES, NOT EVERY 5,000 AS RECOMMENDED BY LEXUS. CAR WAS ALSO COMPLETELY SERVICED BY LEXUS AT 70,000 MILES AND THEY OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T LOOK AT THE ENGINE VERY WELL . . . THERE MUST HAVE BEEN EVIDENCE OF SLUDGE BY THAT TIME.
MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON IN MARCH. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LEXUS DEALER ON 141 IN NORCROSS BECAUSE I KNEW MY 3 YEAR WARRENTY RAN OUT IN MAY. THE LEXUS DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE OIL WAS NOT FLOWING PROPERLY. HE SUGGESTED THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID NOT CHANGE THE OIL AND THE OIL BECAME CAKED TO THE ENGINE. THE OIL WAS THEN BRAKING UP IN PIECES AND CLOGGING THE ENGINE. HE SAID I NEEDED TO GET ANOTHER CAR. I STILL HAD PAYMENTS LEFT (AROUND 6K) AND COULD NOT AFFORD IT. IN OCTOBER, THE ENGINE BROKE. I CALLED LEXUS AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T TO ANYTHING FOR ME. THEY WANTED 11.5K FOR A NEW ENGINE. I HAD TO PAY $5,037.49 FOR A NEW ENGINE TO BARON'S GARAGE. I CHANGED MY OIL RELIGIOUSLY EVERY 3,000 MILES. PLEASE CALL ME AT 678-642-9913, I WANT MY MONEY REFUNDED
"CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY, BLUE EXHAUST SMOKE ON STARTUP, EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, GELLED OIL OR SLUDGE PRESENT BENEATH OIL FILLER CAP ON VALVE COVER AFTER GOING TO LEXUS THE BEST THEY WOULD OFFER WAS TO EAT THE PARTS COST, ABOUT $500 BUT I WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY $1500 FOR A HEAD JOB THAT ANYONE ELSE CHARGES $950 FOR
ENGINE OIL SLUDGE WE SPENT A TOTAL OF 2716.00 FOR A USED ENGINE, THE MILEAGE 109,313, I BOUGHT THE ENGINE ON MARCH 10, 2003....AND THE BREAKDOWN OCCURED ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR..
ENGINE SEIZED IN DECEMBER 2000. LEXUS SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. SUGGESTED I FIND A THIRD PARTY TO PUT A NEW ENGINE IN THE CAR WHICH I DID.
AIRBAG OVER-SENSITIVITY DEFECT.*MR THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE AIR BAG WAS TOO SENSITIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE DRIVERS SIDE BUMPER AND QUARTER PANEL WAS DAMAGED. BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AN INFANT CAR SEAT , WITH THE CONSUMER CHILD FASTENED INSIDE, WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT FACING REARWARD. THE IMPACT OF THE AIR BAG CAUSED FATAL INJURIES TO THE CHILD. *NM
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ON, BLUE EXHAUST IN ENGINE SMOKE, ABNORMAL OIL CONSUMPTION, GELLED OIL OR SLUDGE PRESENT INSIDE VALVE COVER BELOW OIL FILLER CAP. CALLED LEXUS AMERICA, BROUGHT CAR INTO DEALER, THEY TELL ME I MUST PAY $2,071.06 FOR REPAIRS AND PRETEND NOT TO KNOW OF THIS COMMON 3.0L V-6 ENGINE PROBLEM THAT IS EXTENSIVELY DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET AND THAT LEXUS HAS ALREADY STARTED REIMBURSING CAR OWNERS STARTING WITH 1997 MODELS.*AK
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED . LUCKILY WHILE PARKED. CAR TOWED TO LEXUS OF MARIN. BILL 3000. MILEAGE ON CAR BETWEEN 40-50000
EXCESSIVE BLUE SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION IS VERY HIGH. ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO OIL GELLING/SLUDGE. *AK
TRIED TO VEER SLIGHTLY LEFT. CAR WENT OVER 3 LANES OF EXPRESSWAY.TRIED R THEN L 4 TIMES AND BRAKED, BUT EACH TIME WENT OVER ALL LANES AND IDN'T STOP. WOUND UP 180 DEGREES FACING THE WRONG WAY STALLED. MIRACULOUSLY ALL THE DRIVCERS BEHIND HAD JUST STOPPED. THOUGHT IT WAS MY DRIVING TECHNIQUE. 2 DAYS LATER WHEEL HARD TO TURN. SENT FOR SERVICE AND STEERING PUMP LEAKING, POWER STEERING RACK BROKEN. *AK TRANSMISSISON GASKET FLUID DEFECTIVE,VANE PUMP DEFECTIVE.
LEXUS ES300 LEFT ROAD AND FLIPPED ONE TIME. DRIVER'S DOOR CAME OPEN AND BUCKLED SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD DRIVER IN CAR. DRIVER'S HEAD ENDED UP UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE ROOF DOOR JAMMED AND KILLED INSTANTLY.*AK
I JUST RECENTLY PURCHARSED THIS CAR AND I AM ALREADY $1000.00 IN THE HOLE AND LOOKING AT $2000 JUST TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE IT.IT WAS A LEMON FROM THE START AND NOBODY IS WILLING TO COVER ARE ASSIT WITH THE REPAIR JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT LEGAL OPTIONS I HAVE .I HAVE'NT MADE A PAYMENT ON IT YET ,BUT IT'S UNDRIVEABLE AT THIS POINT. NO SAFETYD EFECT LISTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD COME ON. ENGINE BLEW DUE TO SLUDGE(HARD OIL IN ENGINE). VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN NOVEMBER. THE PROBLEM AROSE AGAIN IN DECEMBER. THERE WAS MAIN BEARING DAMAGE, TOO SEVERE TO REPAIR AND HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR MAIN OIL SEAL. *JG *AK
DANGEROUS. COULD NOT TURN OFF CAR EXCEPT TO DISCONNECT NEGATIVE TERMINAL ON BATTERY. VERY DANGEROUS. TOOK ALMOST 10 MINUTES TO TURN OFF CAR. REMOVING KEY DID NOTHING. THIS IS A HAZARD TO ALL. COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. LEXUS WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE DEFOGGING REAR WINDOW GLASS POPPED OUT INSIDE OF VEHICLE INTO LITTLE PIECES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
STEERING SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING. STEERING BECAME VERY LOOSE. HEARD NOISES COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. WAS INFORMED THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK POWER STEERING PUMP ALSO NEEDED REPLACED. *SLC
STEERING SYSTEM FAILED AND WOULD MAKE NOISES. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS SHOT AND VEHICLE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.*AK POWER STEERING PUMP WAS ALSO REPLACED AT COST TO CONSUMER. *SLC
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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