RoadVitals

2002 Lexus ES300 Powertrain (other) Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Jul 9, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 153 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Lexus ES300 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming powertrain

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 9, 2014

DEALER AND FINANCE COMPANY CLAIM CLEAN TITLE BUT DOCUMENTS REFLECT OTHERWISE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10609464
Incident
Oct 25, 2013
Mileage
156,342 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 21, 2014

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS AT A SLOW STEADY SPEED(APPROX 20MPH) THE CAR WILL FREQUENTLY VIOLENTLY JERK. MY CAR HAS 75000 MILES AND HAS DONE IT SINCE DAY ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10593191
Incident
May 1, 2002
Mileage
1,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 20, 2012

MY 2002 LEXUS ES300 HAS BEEN JERKING AND SHIFTING VERY HARD ON ACCELERATION. IT SEEMS TO HAVE MORE OF A PROBLEM WHEN I ACCELERATE SLOWLY IN THE LOWER GEARS. IT JERKS VERY NOTICEABLY. I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE NATURE OF THE CAR, BUT IT HAS BEEN GETTING MUCH WORSE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR. IT ALSO HESITATES WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS AFTER DECELERATION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10489419
Incident
Dec 19, 2012
Mileage
150,001 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 6, 2010
Crash reported1 injury reported

ON 11/20/09, I WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE IN MY 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, IT BOOMED FORTH, AND THE BRAKE DIDN'T WORK. I TRIED TO GET AROUND THE CAR THAT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF ME BUT THE SPEED WAS SUCH THAT I HIT IT. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND THE CAR I HIT. THE DRIVER WAS IN THE CAR AND HAS SINCE CLAIMED SHE WAS INJURED. I HAD ANOTHER INSTANCE OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION 2 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT BUT WAS ABLE TO STOP. I URGE YOU TO PUSH TOYOTA TO ADMIT THAT THERE ARE CASES OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN MODELS THAT PRE-DATE THE ONES THEY ARE RECALLING AND TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. *CN

NHTSA ID
10307119
Incident
Nov 20, 2009
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 7, 2004

2002 LEXUS ES300 HAS A LAG IN TIME BETWEEN STEPPING ON THE GAS AND THE TRANSMISSION RESPONDING TO PUT THE CAR IN MOTION. *MR THE HESITATION IS MOST PRONOUNCED WHEN BRAKING AND THEN NEEDING TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE INABILITY OF THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER IS HAZARDOUS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10073330
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Dec 13, 2002

TRANSMISSION GETS CONFUSED WHEN SHIFTING INTO AND OUT OF THE LOWER GEARS, THEN SPENDS TOO LONG TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT GEAR TO BE IN. THIS CAUSES DANGEROUS DELAYS IN ACCELERATION, THE EFFECT IS THE SAME AS A MOMENTARY ENGINE STALL. WE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, FREEWAY RAMP ENTRANCES ARE CERTAINLY THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SHIFTING DELAYS BUT THEY SAY NO FIX IS AVAILABLE. THIS IS OUR THIRD ES300, THE PREVIOUS MODELS USED A CABLE BETWEEN THE GAS PEDAL AND THE THROTTLE, THIS NEW ONE USES WHAT IS CALLED "FLY BY WIRE", A POSITION SENSOR ON THE ACCELARATOR THAT A COMPUTER IS SUPPOSED TO USE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO TELL THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. IT ISN'T WORKING VERY WELL. IF NOT RECTIFIED THIS PROBLEM WILL CERTAINLY LEAD TO A CRASH SOMEDAY, THEN WE'LL GET TO SEE HOW GOOD THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS.

NHTSA ID
10000029
Incident
Dec 10, 2002
Mileage
228 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 8, 2002

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT HE CANNOT VIEW THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING THE DAYTIME. THE MFR ADVISED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PANEL IS DESIGNED THAT WAY. *MR THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WHITE NUMBERS ON THE INSTRUMENTS WERE OKAY, BUT IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE RED NEEDLE DURING THE DAY LIGHT (UNLESS YOUR IN THE SHADE/OR IN THE EVENING). THE CONSUMER STATES THAT HE IS UNABLE TO TELL THE SPEED OF TRAVEL, WHETHER THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING, AND/OR THE AMOUNT OF FUEL LEFT. ALSO THE MULTI-INFORMATION DISPLAYS AND THE ODOMETER READINGS ARE BARELY VISIBLE DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT HE RECEIVES A STANDARD ANSWER THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. *SCC

NHTSA ID
8020437
Incident
Oct 1, 2002
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 23, 2002

CAN'T READ SPEEDOMETER IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT WITH HEADLIGHTS ON AND DRIVER WEARING SUN GLASSES.*AK

NHTSA ID
764635
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 7, 2002

VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE SPEEDOMOTER - DARK BACKGROUND WITH DARK NEEDLE REQUIRES TOO MUCH TIME TO SEE SPEED. *AK

NHTSA ID
763898
Body & structurePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 26, 2002

CANNOT SEE SPEED READING ON DASHBOARD IN SUNLIGHT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE CHANGE OF INSTRUMENTS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THIS MODEL HAS THE SAME LIGHTING. RIGHT FRONT DOOR HARD TO CLOSE DUE TO BEING MISALIGNED, DEALER ADJUSTED DOOR STRIKER, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLES DIFFICULT TO SEE. *SCC

NHTSA ID
8012717
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 3, 2002

IN DAY LIGHT HOURS WHEN SUN IS OUT CONSUMER CAN'T SEE DIALS ON SPEEDOMETER, UNABLE TO TELL HOW FAST VEHICLE WAS GOING. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE. *AK CONSUMER ALSO CAN NOT SEE THE FUEL GAUGE, ENGINE SPEED AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE. *TT

NHTSA ID
8010890
Incident
May 3, 2002
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 31, 2002

WHILE DRIVING WHEN SUN IS SHINING CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO READ SPEED ODOMETER DUE TO POOR DESIGN, BLACK BACK ROUND WITH WHITE NUMBERS AND A BLACK NEEDLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
8003284

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .