Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 45 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 Lexus ES300, most frequently naming the driver assistance, electrical and engine categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 48 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 1997 | 2 | 2 |
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 3 |
| May 1997 | 1 | 4 |
| Aug 1997 | 1 | 5 |
| Aug 1998 | 1 | 6 |
| Sep 1998 | 1 | 7 |
| Oct 1998 | 1 | 8 |
| Feb 1999 | 3 | 11 |
| Sep 1999 | 3 | 14 |
| Oct 1999 | 3 | 17 |
| May 2000 | 2 | 19 |
| Oct 2000 | 2 | 21 |
| Dec 2000 | 1 | 22 |
| Mar 2002 | 1 | 23 |
| Jun 2002 | 2 | 25 |
| Aug 2002 | 1 | 26 |
| Sep 2002 | 1 | 27 |
| Jul 2003 | 1 | 28 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 29 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 30 |
| Jan 2004 | 2 | 32 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 33 |
| Sep 2004 | 1 | 34 |
| Mar 2005 | 1 | 35 |
| Jan 2006 | 1 | 36 |
| Feb 2008 | 1 | 37 |
| Feb 2009 | 1 | 38 |
| Nov 2009 | 1 | 39 |
| Jan 2010 | 1 | 40 |
| Jun 2011 | 1 | 41 |
| Aug 2011 | 1 | 42 |
| Jun 2012 | 1 | 43 |
| Jun 2015 | 1 | 44 |
| May 2017 | 1 | 45 |
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.
2 campaigns 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
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
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
THE STEERING WHEEL COMES COMPLETELY OFF THE COLUMN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THEN AGAIN WHEN TURNING. THE CAR COULD NOT BE STEERED AT ALL. THE HORN AND POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 216,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER UNKNOWINGLY FELL ASLEEP AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER TWICE, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE INJURED. THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT WAS FULLY RECLINED ON THE TRACK FRAME WITH THE OCCUPANT BEING SECURED WITH THE SEAT BELT AS THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS KILLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FATALITY WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FEATURE, WHICH ALLOWED THE SEAT TO RECLINE SUBSTANTIALLY AS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND THE VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE DRIVER RECEIVED BRUISES FROM THE AIR BAG DEPLOYEMNT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD BECOME JAMMED AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 96,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
FIRESTONE FR380 BL P205/65R15 92S TREAD SEPERATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SINGLE TIRE REPLACED WITH PRIMEWELL PS830/850 BL 205/65R15 94H. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH UP HILL, HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP ACCELERATING EVEN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A BUILDING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS NECK AND RIBS DURING THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 210,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HE LOST VEHICLE CONTROL AND DROVE INTO A FIELD. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER HE CRASHED INTO A CONDOMINIUM. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HE RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, BACK, AND SPINE. HIS DOG ALSO DIED DUE TO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A REPORT; HOWEVER, THE DETAILED REPORT INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE THAT THEY WERE NOT OBLIGATED TO HELP HIM. THE CONTACT SPECULATED THAT THE FLOOR-MAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE POLICE REPORT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. HE RECEIVED A FINE FOR RECKLESS DRIVING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RETRACT EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,708 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 03-09-09 *BF THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT WHEN IT WAS UNLOCKED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS DIFFICULTIES FASTENING THE SEATBELT AT TIMES. UPDATED 03/10/09.*JB
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.