1997 Lexus ES300: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
28 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
100,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 11 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 28 complaints (14.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 10.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 7.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 7.1% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 3.6% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 3.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 2 |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler | 2 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 1 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 2; Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler: 2; Steering: 2; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 3
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 17 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2000: 5; 2002: 5; 2003: 3; 2004: 4; 2005: 1; 2006: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 2; 2010: 1; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2015: 1; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10030200 · 2003-07-25 (July 25, 2003)
WHILE TRAVEING ABOUT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING ONE OF PASSENGER'S TIRES TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. IT WAS A FIRESTONE, BRIDGESTONE TIRE, P20565/R15 . *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10030200 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032534 · 2003-08-11 (August 11, 2003)
LEXUS ES300 WHEN I WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE MY CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT ANY GAS PRESSED DOWN, THE CAR PROCEEDED FORWARD KNOCKING INTO MY SIDE OF MY HOUSE CAUSING SOME DAMAGE TO MY HOUSE. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT THERE VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 59,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032534 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048348 · 2003-11-19 (November 19, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH TRYING TO GET VEHICLE REPAIRED PROPERLY. ENGINE CONTINUED KNOCKING, AND HAD BEEN GIVEN SEVERAL REASONS BY DEALER WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. CONSUMER SPENT APPROXIMATELY $3000.00 TO HAVE REPAIRS DONE, BUT THE REPAIRS HAD NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REPAIRS WERE NOT DONE PROPERLY. HAD TO HAVE THE NEW FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM REPLACED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. ALSO, CONSUMER SPOKE TO THE LEXUS MANUFACT…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10048348 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10066898 · 2004-04-09 (April 9, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER NOTICED BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066898 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068797 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
THEY WANT 1/2 OF 6246.96 TO REPLACE THE SHORT BLOCK. I HAVEN'T DECIDED WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. I PURCHASED THE CAR USED (NOT FROM LEXUS). I HAVE ALL MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS FROM THE DATE I PURCHASED THE CAR, BUT LEXUS SAYS THEY WILL ONLY PAY 1/2 OF THE COST.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10068797 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069435 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
PROBLEM HSA NOT BEEN FIXED YET. DEALER IS OFFERING 50% OF THE TOTAL COSTS WHICH PROBABLY INCLUDEDS THEIR PROFIT. OIL GELLING IS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE 4 RECEIPTS FOR FIVE YEARS WORTH OF SERVICE. THE BALANCE WERE DONE AT AN STABLISHMENT THAT PURGED ITS OLDER RECORDS AND ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. I ALSO CHANGED THE OIL NUMEROUS TIMES MYSELF BUT DID NOT KEEP RECEIPTS FOR THE OIL AND FILTER. THEY SAY I CAN NOT PROVE THAT I PROPERLY MAINTAINED THE CAR. TOO MANY INSTANCES OF PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WHO COULD PROVIDE THE PROOF BUT STILL HAD GELLED O…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10069435 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10091510 · 2004-09-07 (September 7, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091510 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10112335 · 2005-03-01 (March 1, 2005)
THE TRANSMISSION ON THE LEXUS ES300 WHICH I DROVE FAILED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. HAD IT HAPPENED A TWENTY MINUTES EARLIER WHILE I WAS ON THE BALTIMORE BELTWAY (I-695) I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN KILLED . IN THE SPIRIT OF FULL DISCLOSURE, THE CAR IS EIGHT YEARS OLD, IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN 113,000 MILES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 113,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10112335 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
97V156000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist
Reported: 1997-09-17 (September 17, 1997)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN,MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NOTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. A CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHERE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAN TEMPORARILY FREEZE IN THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE IF THE VEHICLE IS USED IN EXTREMELY COLD CLIMATES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF VACUUM ASSIST TO THE BRAKES THAT CAN INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE VACUUM HOSE.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V307000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Reported: 1999-11-01 (November 1, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
NHTSA campaign record ↗