1998 Lexus ES300 Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE SIDE SWIPED HIS VEHICLE, CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A CEMENT WALL. THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND SHOULDER AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTACT HIM. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 09/19/11

MY 1998 LEXUS HIT A CEMENT WALL AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I CALLED AND WROTE TO LEXUS HEADQUARTERS THREE TIMES AND THEY NEVER RESPONDED. I WANT TO HEAR FROM LEXUS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ALL THE TAIL LIGHT WERE OFF AND I FOUND THE FUSE FOR TAIL LIGHT WAS BLEW. SO I REPLACED THE FUSE. NEXT DAY,WHEN I TURNED ON HEADLIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 680, THE "R" INDICATOR ON THE DASHBOARD BECAME ON AS WELL -- NOW BOTH "D" AND "R" WERE ON. IT PUZZLED ME FOR AWHILE SO I DECIDED TO TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHT. AS SOON AS THE HEADLIGHT WAS TURNED OFF , THE CAR "HESITATED" ON FREEWAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER FOR SERVICE WHO CLAIMED THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. AFTER 3 DAYS OF SERVICES, THEY SAID SOME WIRES WERE CROSSED AND CHARGED $581 FOR REPLACING THOSE FAULTY WIRES AND ONE CONTROLLER. THE CAR IS ONLY 13 YEAR OLD AND ABOUT 100 K MILES. I WOULD DEFINITELY CLASSIFY THIS ACCIDENT AS A DEFECT BY MANUFACTURE. I WANT TO FILE THIS COMPLIANT TO SEE ANY OTHER ES300 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SUCH PROBLEM. *TT

HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF BY THEMSELVES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS ALSO OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN YOU USE THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS TO SIGNAL FOR A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE MAKES THIS CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT AT ANY SPEED. DRIVING AT NIGHT WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS ON COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITH BODILY INJURY OR DEATH TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THIS VEHICLE OR OTHER VEHICLES AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE JM LEXUS' SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSED THIS PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE WIPER SWITCH ASSEMBLY. *TR

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES HAVE FAILED. I AM UNABLE TO INSERT BELTS INTO THE BUCKLE. CLEANING AND LUBE HAD NO AFFECT. *TR

SEAT BELT RETRACTION FAILURE. THE SEAT BELT ON MY 1998 LEXUS HAD BEEN SLOW TO RETRACT, SOMETIMES NOT RETRACT AT ALL. IT APPEARS THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO THIS MODEL OR YEAR. MANY OTHER VEHICLES MADE BY TOYOTA AND LEXUS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM (BASED ON SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET). THIS IS PROBABLY DUE TO A DEFECT IN COMPONENTS OF THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE ENGINE EVAP CANISTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

I HAVE A 1998 LEXUS ES300 WITH APPROXIMATELY 115,000 ON THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON STATING THAT IT WAS EMISSIONS CODE P0466, WHICH IS A COMMON CHARCOAL CANNISTER PROBLEM FOR LEXUS ES300 1996 AND UP. THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED FOR 1996-1998 LEXUS ES300 FOR THE EMISSION PROBLEM WHICH INCLUDES THE P0466 PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE LEXUS DEALER TO GET THAT EMISSIONS PROBLEM FIX, BUT THEY SAID THAT NOT ALL OF THE 1998 LEXUS ES300 WAS INCLUDED IN THIS WARRANTY AND MY CAR WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT WAS IN THAT CATEGORY. SINCE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY STATED THAT 96-98 LEXUS ES300 ARE COVERED, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT MY CAR WOULD BE COVERED SINCE IT'S A 1998 LEXUS ES300? *TR

I EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN MY 1998 LEXUS ES WHILE BACKING INTO MY GARAGE. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF IN REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF THE GARAGE, DAMAGING BOTH THE CAR AND THE GARAGE. I WAS NOT INJURED, BUT WAS CERTAINLY FRIGHTENED BY THE INCIDENT. I AM CERTAIN IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH FLOOR MATS. I AM ALSO CERTAIN THAT I DID NOT PLACE MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR ACCIDENTALLY, BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED FROM A COMPLETE STOP WHILE PRESSING ON THE BRAKE WITH THE CAR IN GEAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 1998 LEXUS ES300. WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A POLE CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE PASSENGER. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BREAKING HER HAND IN TWO PLACES. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54753 UPDATED 03/24/10 *BF UPDATED 05/05/10.*JB WHEN THE CONSUMER APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN LEFT WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONSUMER CRASHED INTO A LIGHT POLE. HER RIGHT HAND WAS BROKEN IN THREE PLACES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS ALSO HURT. THE CONSUMER RAISED THE QUESTION OF TOYOTA'S SOFTWARE DESIGN OF THE CONTROLS. UPDATED 06/01/10.

FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR (DAMPER) FAILED ALLOWING FUEL TO FLOW INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FUMES THROUGH AIR INTAKE INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS FIRE IF NOT DETECTED IN TIME AND REPAIRED.

OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE PERIODICALLY COMPLAINED TO MY TOYOTA OF TUCSON (AUTO MALL) SERVICE DEPT. THAT MY '98 ES300 PERIODICALLY PRODUCES INTENSE GASOLINE ODOR IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, MANY MONTHS APART. THE FUMES SEEM TO BE SWEPT IN THROUGH A/C OR HEATING VENTS, AND CAN CONTINUE FOR THE DURATION OF A LOCAL DRIVE, ONLY TO DISAPPEAR THE NEXT TIME THE CAR IS STARTED. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO FOLLOW ANY PATTERN -- NOT JUST AFTER FILL-UP; NOT JUST AT START-UP; NOT JUST WHEN ENGINE HOT OR COLD. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND HAS OFFERED NO FIX. NOW, WITH LONG-KNOWN TOYOTA PROBLEMS BEGINNING TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE COMPANY, I AM WONDERING IF THERE IS, IN FACT, SOME CORPORATE OR NHTSA AWARENESS OF A GAS LEAK ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A MINOR CRASH. HE CONTINUED DRIVING AND THE BRAKES BEGAN TO FUNCTION AS NORMAL. LATER IN THE DAY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH A FENCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP BUT WAS NOT EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 33,000.

CONSUMER 1998 LEXUS 300 ES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED KNOCKED AND DIED WHILE PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE HAD COMPLETELY SEIZED. THE REPAIR FACILITY RECOMMENDED A NEW ENGINE. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED IN DEC 2004, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED ON FEBRUARY 11, 2005 AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED OIL LEAKS AROUND THE VALVE COVER AND OIL PAN AREAS. THE BRAKES AND CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

REAR SEAT BACK BRACE WORKED LOOSE CAUSING NOISE. YH

COMPUTER FOR FRONT SEAT FAILED. *YC

MAY 17, 2014 TRAVELING ON FLORIDA TURNPIKE AFTER TWO HOURS HAD TWO TIRES SEPARATE. REPLACED TWO TIRES IN PALM BEACH GARDENS AND CONTINUED ANOTHER HOUR WHEN A THIRD TIRE SEPARATED. TIRES WERE ALL COOPER CS4 P205/65R15. IN KEY WEST REPLACED THE REMAINING FAILED TIRE AND THE SO FAR FOURTH REMAINING COOPER TIRE. WAS NOT ABLE TO RETAIN THE SEPARATED TIRES AS WAS 200 MILES FROM HOME WITH PACKED CAR. *TR

DEFECTIVE RIMS THAT ALLOW THE TIRES TO LEAK AIR. AFTER THAT HAPPENED MANY TIMES, WE BOUGHT NEW TIRES THINKING THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT HAS CONTINUED . THIS IS A CONCERN AND WANT TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS . OTHER THAN THAT THE LEXUS IS A GREAT CAR. *AK *MR

I HAVE HAD MY 1998 ES300 IN WITH TOM WOOD LEXUS OF INDIANAPOLIS WELL OVER A DOZEN TIMES SINCE DECEMBER OF 2002 FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE ABS/TRAC OFF AND LOW OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHTS WENT OFF RANDOMLY. AFTER REPLACING THE ABS PUMP ($1,400 FOR THE PART ALONE), THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. AFTER AN UNACCEPTABLE AMOUNT OF FALSE DIAGNOSTICS, WASTED SERVICE TRIPS (AT LEAST A WEEK LONG EACH TIME) AND USELESS BUT COSTLY REPAIRS, MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP. THEY SUSPECTED THAT A SLUDGE ENGINE IS THE CAUSE OF MY PROBLEMS. BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE SLUDGE PROBLEM. THE LEXUS DEALER ENDED UP FINDING AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE OIL SENSOR SYSTEM. THIS WAS AFTER THEY REPLACED THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL ACTUATOR PUMP AND THE ABS ECU. IT TOOK THEM 6 MONTHS TO FIND AND FIX ALL OF MY PROBLEMS. IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE 6 MONTHS AND TOOK UP ALMOST ALL OF MY VACATION TIME FROM WORK FOR THE YEAR TO MAKE WASTED TRIPS TO THE DEALER. MOST OF THE LOANER CARS THEY GAVE ME WERE SMOKY JUNKERS THAT I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE WEEKS AT A TIME. I HOPE THIS PROVIDES INSIGHT FOR FUTURE CUSTOMERS. THE CARFAX REPORT I RAN CAME UP CLEAN WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2002. I HAVE HAD IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH AFTER IT WAS FINALLY "REPAIRED" AND IT IS WORKING WELL.

WITHOUT WARNING THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE FELL OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *NLM

VEHICLE WOULD BOUNCE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A LEAK IN SHOCK ABSORBER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

SUSPENSION FAILURE. *YC

WINDSHIELD WASHER HOSE IS DEFECTIVE. YH

I HAVE A 1998 LEXUS ES300. THE DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT STOPPED WORKING. BALISE LEXUS, OF WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA, EXPLAINED THERE WAS A BROKEN WIRE IN HEATING GRID AND WANTED TO CHARGE ME $500.00, FOR PARTS AND LABOR. MY MECHANIC DISASSEMBLED THE SEAT AND FOUND THE WIRE HAD FRAYED AND SHORTED OUT WHEN IT STARTED ON FIRE. IT HAD BURNT PART OF THE HEATING GRID, THE FOAM IT WAS ATTACHED TO AND THE INSIDE OF THE LEATHER UPHOLSTERY. I SHOWED THIS HEATING GRID TO THE LEXUS DEALER, WHO REPLIED, " THE HEATING GRIDS ARE ONLY GOOD FOR 3-5 YEARS." I WOULD THINK THAT A FUSE WOULD SHORT OUT, OR A LIGHT ON THE DASH WOULD ALERT YOU TO A MALFUNCTION. I DEFINETELY WOULDN'T EXPECT A FIRE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE AND EVEN SEVERE BODILY INJURY. IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT HEATING GRID FOR $204.80. I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REINBURSED AND A SEFETY FEATURE OF SOME SORT SHOULD BE INSTALLED IN FUTURE MODELS. WHAT CAN I DO? THANK YOU FOR ANY ADVISE. *JB

HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF BY THEMSELVES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS ALSO OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN YOU USE THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS TO SIGNAL FOR A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE MAKES THIS CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT AT ANY SPEED. DRIVING AT NIGHT WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS ON COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITH BODILY INJURY OR DEATH TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THIS VEHICLE OR OTHER VEHICLES AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE JM LEXUS' SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSED THIS PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE WIPER SWITCH ASSEMBLY. *TR

WHEEL BEARING FAILED. YH

ALARM SYSTEM FAILED.