1996 Lexus ES300 Engine Problems

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

NHTSA ID

10491604

Incident

Aug 17, 2011

Mileage

158,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10137705

Incident

Jul 14, 2005

Mileage

145,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10071144

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

86,068 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10071126

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

93,000 mi

"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

NHTSA ID

10069733

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

98,143 mi

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..

NHTSA ID

10069567

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

Mileage

109,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10068987

Incident

Dec 15, 2000

Mileage

121,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10029186

Incident

Jul 22, 2003

Mileage

98,000 mi

EXCESSIVE BLUE SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION IS VERY HIGH. ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO OIL GELLING/SLUDGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

764396

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

NHTSA ID

759352

Incident

Mar 5, 2002

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

NHTSA ID

8004190

Incident

Aug 26, 2001

ENGINE FIRE.

NHTSA ID

520388

Incident

Feb 1, 1997