2003 Lexus ES300 Engine Problems

SIR/MADAM, I AM TRYING TO HELP MY FRIENDS (XXXX) AND (XXXXX), LONG TIME RESIDENTS OF HUNTINGTON BEACH AND A VERY SWEET COUPLE. PEGGY WAS DRIVING HER HUSBAND TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND DUE TO A FAULT IN THE ENGINE (THERE IS A RECALL AND THEY WERE NOT INFORMED), THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE DRIVER BEHIND THEM WHO RAN TO THEM AND GOT THEM QUICKLY OUT OF THE CAR AND WALKED THEM TO SAFETY, THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY BLEAK. THEY ARE AN ELDERLY COUPLE AND THE HUSBAND, (XXXXX), HAS GREAT DIFFICULTY WALKING AND THE CAR BURNED VERY QUICKLY. THEY, THANK GOD, MADE IT TO SAFETY IN TIME ONLY TO WATCH THEIR CAR BURN. THEY INFORMED TOYOTA AND SINCE THEY ARE ON FIXED INCOME ASKED TOYOTA FOR HELP WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANOTHER USED RELIABLE CAR (THE LEXUS THEY WERE DRIVING WAS 15 YEARS OLD BUT IN GOOD CONDITION AND MORE THAN ENOUGH CAR FOR THEIR TRIPS TO LOCAL STORES OR DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS. SURPRISINGLY, TOYOTA ONLY RESPONDED WITH ONE LETTER FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE. (XXXX)'S FOLLOW UP CALLS AND LETTERS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE, ECO MARK TEMPLIN WERE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED OR ANSWERED. PLEASE HELP THIS COUPLE BELIEVE IN HUMANITY AGAIN. TOYOTA IS A REPUTABLE COMPANY AND TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A PHONE CALL FROM THE COMPANY IS SURPRISING TO ALL THAT KNOW OF THIS CASE. I AM ATTACHING ALL THE EVIDENCE: PICTURES, COPIES OF LETTERS FOR YOUR REFERENCE. PLEASE PROVIDE CASE NUMBER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP. (XXXXX) FOR (XXXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11223156

Incident

Sep 26, 2018

Mileage

90,284 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, WHEN SHE SAW SMOKE AND FIRE IGNITING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE FAILED AND TURNED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT NO REPORT WAS FILED. THE POLICE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE BUT NO REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO IMPOUND LOT. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER LEXUS USA LOCATED AT 6565 HEADQUARTERS DR, PLANO, TX 75024, (800) 255-3987, AND WHERE NOTIFIED OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. *AS *TR

NHTSA ID

11222432

Incident

Sep 26, 2018

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AS IT WAS STALLING. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, LIFTED THE HOOD, AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE BATTERY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CUT THE BATTERY CORD AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ID

11088394

Incident

Apr 4, 2018

Mileage

156,000 mi

AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FROM A LIGHT OR STOP THERE IS HESITATION WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE LEXUS DEALER IN OWINGS MILLS,MD.SEVERAL TIMES.THE FIRST INSTANCE THEY SAID COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO REPEAT IT. I WENT BACK COMPLAINING FOR THE SECOND TIME A WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE FUEL INJECTORS CLOGGED FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER LIST OF POTENTIAL SERVICE ITEMS FOR ABOUT $1000+ EXPENSE WHICH WE DENIEDIT SINCE WE HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED OUR CAR GOOD & ALWAYSUSE 93OR 89 OCTANE GAS WITH MAINTENANCE SERVICE AS RECOMMENDED. THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR AND I AM ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR.LATELY THIS HESITATION FREQUENCY HAS INCREASED FROM WHAT WE HEAR IS THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE AND SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10550509

Incident

Oct 17, 2013

Mileage

134,000 mi

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS THAT VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AT STOP SIGN OR WHEN INITIALY IN START TO DRIVE AT ABOUT 20-30 MILES PER HOUR AT TIMES FOR FEW SECONDS & AT TIMES IT RATTLES 3-4 TIMES. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED AS CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED FROM LEXUS DEALER IN EXCELLENT CONDITION IN 2006 THAT CAME WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY UPTO 75000 MILES BUT THIS PROBLEM STARTED WITH SLIGHT & SMOOTH JERK ABOUT 3 YEARS BACK, TOOK IT TO DEALER AFTER NOTICED FOR FEW TIMES TO DIAGNOSIS. AT FIRST INSTANCE THEY COULD NOT FEEL IT SINCE IT WAS NOT CONSISTENT BUT WHEN AGAIN COMPLAINED FOR SECOND TIME WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE FUEL INJECTORS CLOGED FOLLOWED BY OTHER LIST OF POTENTIAL SERVICE ITEMS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT $1000+ EXPENSE WHICH WE DENIED IT SINCE WE HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED OUR CAR GOOD & ALWAYS USE 93 OR 89 OCTAINE GAS WITH MAINTENANCE SERVICE AS RECOMMENDED. THIS ONE IS MY WIFE'S VEHICLE & USED TO COMMUTE TO WORK MOSTLY ON EXPRESS WAY. WE DO HAVE COUPLE OTHER ISSUES WITH THIS CAR BUT NOT AS IMPORTANT. NOW, LATELY THIS HESITATION FREQUENCY HAVE INCREASED & FROM WHAT I HEAR IS THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH SOME OTHER ES300 OWNERS AS WELL. *TT

NHTSA ID

10462547

Incident

Jun 15, 2010

Mileage

57,000 mi

2003 ES 300 - TRANSMISSION ISSUES: I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION ALMOST EVERY TIME, ALONG WITH HARD SHIFTING 50% OF THE TIME. THE ACCELERATION HESITATION CAN BE SCARY IF I'M TRYING TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY, OR TURNING LEFT. THE HARD SHIFTING FEELS LIKE I GOT HIT FROM BEHIND. BOTH PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN GOING ONGOING FOR YEARS AND LEXUS DEALER HAS NEVER BEEN ANY HELP. I READ MANY OF THE ONLINE FORUMS AND FOUND THAT BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE VERY COMMON AS ARE THEIR RESULTS FOR GETTING THESE ISSUES FIXED - NOT MUCH LUCK FROM THE DEALER - "IT WORKS AS IT IS DESIGNED". REALLY? LEXUS NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ (100S) AND THEIR HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. HOW DOES A CONSUMER GO ABOUT PUSHING FOR A RECALL, OR CLASS ACTION OR WILL THE LEMON LAW WORK? *KB

NHTSA ID

10437715

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

Mileage

40,000 mi

ON MARCH 26, 2010 MY HUSBAND AND I WERE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT), WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT FULL THROTTLE. IN THE BRIEF BUT TERRIFYING MOMENTS THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF CONTROL I UNFORTUNATELY COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AS I THREW THE GEAR SELECTOR INTO NEUTRAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324941

Incident

Mar 26, 2010

Mileage

41,237 mi

OUR 2003 LEXUS ES 300 ENGINE AREA CAUGHT IN FIRE WHEN MY WIFE PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS, PARKING LOT SECURITY, HE SAW THE SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE ENGINE AREA FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND THEN FIRE. HE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING IS SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL/ENGINE AND CAUGHT THE FIRE. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WHICH DAMAGED AND BURNED HALF OF THE CAR, A LEAD FIRE MAN COMMENTED THAT HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS THAT THE LEXUS SEDANS WERE SUDDENLY CAUGHT IN FIRE WHILE PARKING. WITH THIS UNFORTUNATE TRAGEDY OCCURRED TO OUR LEXUS CAR, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY FOR ALL LEXUS SEDAN ESPECIALLY ES 300 DRIVING BY CONSUMERS OUT THERE. FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE LEFT THE CAR FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR CAUGHT IN FIRE, BUT MENTALLY SHE WAS STILL IN SHOCK WITH IT. WE DID CONTACT LEXUS TO FILE A COMPLAIN, AND THEY SAID AN ADJUSTER WILL CONTACT US NEXT 10 DAYS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE CASE. IT'S MORE THAN 3 WEEKS AND WE STILL HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM LEXUS. OF COURSE, OUR LEXUS ES 300 IS A TOTAL LOSS NOW, BUT WE REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATING AND LOOKING INTO THIS CASE FOR THE SAFETY OF CONSUMERS AND DEMAND LEXUS TO INVESTIGATE AND ANSWER US AND THE PUBLIC THE CAUSE FOR A SUDDEN CAUGHT IN FIRE. THANK YOU! *TR

NHTSA ID

10308741

Incident

Jan 11, 2010

Mileage

19,000 mi

THERE IS A DELAY AFTER SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT AND THEN AT TAKE OFF. THE DEALER COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER STATES THAT IT IS THE NEW DESIGN. *AK THE PROBLEM WOULD ALSO OCCUR WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, ENTRANCE RAMPS, INTERSECTIONS AND PARKING SPOTS. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10097869

Incident

Jul 5, 2003

Mileage

5 mi

VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED.*MR THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO HIT A SIGN. DEALERSHIP CHECKED BRAKE SYSTEM AND FOUND NO CODES OF DEFECT. ALSO, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON DUE TO A MISFIRE ON THE CYLINDER. *LA

NHTSA ID

10081822

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

VEHICLE HESITATED FROM A STANDING START POSITION. THE RPMS WENT UP BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE UNTIL IT GOT INTO ANOTHER GEAR. IT WILL DRIVE FOR A WHILE AND THEN VEHICLE WILL STOP. CONSUMER DID NOT FEEL SAFE. *AK THE TECHNICIANS CLAIM THAT THE CABLE FROM THE GAS PEDDLE TO THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED BY A COMPUTER IN THE 2003 MODELS. ON THE HIGHWAY, IF THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWED DOWN, A HESITATION WOULD BE PRESENT WHILE PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDDLE TO RESUME SPEED. THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON ALONG WITH THE HESITATION, ALSO WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER ALONG WITH BLUE SMOKE BLOWING OUT OF THE EXHAUST, AND THE REAR SEAT CONTAINED A FLAW. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10067150

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

6 mi

STRONG SULFUR SMELL INSIDE CAR WHEN STOPPING AFTER BRISK ACCELERATION. A/C IN NORMAL SETTING. LEXUS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS EVEN A SERVICE BULLETIN ON SULFUR COMPLAIN SMELL. ODOR IS SO STRONG THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET NAUSEATED.*AK I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT THIS CAR HAVE THE DEALER MAKE ME AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS DEFECT BEFORE I TOOK DELIVERY OF CAR. NEED NHTSA HELP SINCE THERE ARE MANY LEXUS OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT SULFUR SMELL AND LEXUS IS IGNORING US - I GUESS THEY HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM AND DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX OR CORRECT PROBLEM. THEY EVEN TOLD ME TO USE ONLY AMOCO PREMIUM SINCE THEY CLAIM IT HAS THE LOWEST SULFUR CONTENT. ALSO, IF THE SULFUR SMELL IS GETTING INSIDE THE CAR HOW ABOUT THE CARBON MONOXIDE WHICH IS ALSO GETTING OUT OF THE EXHAUST. ALL THESE FUMES ARE BEING SUCKED IN BY THE A/C SYSTEM AND I'M SURE THAT IN THE LONG RUN SOMEBODY WILL GET SICK. - WE, LEXUS OWNERS NEED OUR GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE SINCE LEXUS IS TRYING TO IGNORE THESE PROBLEM FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

10056995

Incident

Jun 1, 2003

Mileage

5,000 mi

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN PULLING FROM A STOP OR TURNING A CORNER FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE HESITATION WAS NORMAL. THIS HESITATION HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN THREE TIMES SINCE OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *PH

NHTSA ID

10047809

Incident

May 30, 2003

Mileage

90 mi

THERE IS A PRONOUNCED HESITATION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS FLOORED. THIS LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS LEAVES THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER EXPOSED TO ACCIDENT AND INJURY. LEXUS HAD OFFERED "REPAIR" FOR THIS, BUT IT DOES NOT WORK ON ALL TYPES OF MODELS. THEY NOW STATE THAT THE AUTO IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. *LA *JB

NHTSA ID

10041127

Incident

May 13, 2003

Mileage

10 mi

THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS PICKING UP SPEED, WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND, IT SOUNDED AS THOUGH SOMETHING WAS TICKING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE LEXUS MANUFACTURE AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WHICH WAS CALLED " THE HAZARD COMPUTER MODULE CONTROL" BUT DID NOT KNOW HOW TO REPAIR IT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10019684

Incident

May 12, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE VEHICLE JERKS AND DRAGS, CONTACTED THE DEALER THEY SAID THAT LEXUS WAS DOING SOME SORT OF COMPUTER PROGRAM UPDATE THAT RELATES TO HER VEHICLE. PLEASE ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID

8022618

Incident

Oct 28, 2002