Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Lexus ES300 problems
Owners filed 40 complaints about the 1996 Lexus ES300 with NHTSA between Oct 1996 and Dec 2014. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (11).
Complaints
40
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
3
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling11
- Air bags6
- Steering5
- Suspension5
- Electrical system5
- Fuel/propulsion system2
- Engine2
- Vehicle speed control2
- Seat belts2
- Visibility2
- Fuel system, other1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Seats1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
6
0
2
3
5
6
2
7
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 6 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 2 |
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 7 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
11 reports1 fire
“1996 LEXUS ES300; SLUDGE BUILD-UP; EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION; WHITE SMOKE ON START-UP; DEALER SAYS THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REBUILT AT A COST OF ABOUT $7000. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA/LEXUS HAS ACKNOWLEDGED FOR 1997 TO 2001 MODELS WITH THE V-6 ENGINE. WHY WON'T THEY HONOR THE REPAIR TO THE ENGINE FOR A 1996 MODEL? *NM”
Air bags
6 reports5 crashes
“AIRBAG OVER-SENSITIVITY DEFECT.*MR THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE AIR BAG WAS TOO SENSITIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE DRIVERS SIDE BUMPER AND QUARTER PANEL WAS DAMAGED. BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AN INFANT CAR SEAT , WITH THE CONSUMER CHILD FASTENED INSIDE, WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT FACING REARWARD. THE IMPACT OF THE AIR BAG CAUSED FATAL INJURIES TO THE CHILD. *NM”
Steering
5 reports2 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“WAS DRIVING HOME FROM SHOPPING AND WENT TO TURN LEFT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND SMOOTHLY AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HAD A LOWER CONTROL ARM PUT IN BECAUSE OF A BAD BUSHING BUT WAS TOLD THE RACK AND PINION IS ALSO BAD. THERE IS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING NOW. *TR”
Suspension
5 reports
“TRIED TO VEER SLIGHTLY LEFT. CAR WENT OVER 3 LANES OF EXPRESSWAY.TRIED R THEN L 4 TIMES AND BRAKED, BUT EACH TIME WENT OVER ALL LANES AND IDN'T STOP. WOUND UP 180 DEGREES FACING THE WRONG WAY STALLED. MIRACULOUSLY ALL THE DRIVCERS BEHIND HAD JUST STOPPED. THOUGHT IT WAS MY DRIVING TECHNIQUE. 2 DAYS LATER WHEEL HARD TO TURN. SENT FOR SERVICE AND STEERING PUMP LEAKING, POWER STEERING RACK BROKEN. *AK TRANSMISSISON GASKET FLUID DEFECTIVE,VANE PUMP DEFECTIVE.”
Electrical system
5 reports1 fire
“CAR EXPLODED AND STARTED FIRE IN THE GARAGE AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. GOT HOME FROM WORK AND STOP AT GROCERY STORE. PARKED CAR IN GARAGE AND BROUGHT IN SOME GROCERIES. ABOUT 10 - 15 MINUTES LATER WENT OUT TO GET PAPER PRODUCTS (TP AND PAPER TOWELS) OUT OF TRUNK. THERE WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, NO SMOKE, NO FIRE, NO NOISE. WENT IN SIDE PUT AWAY EVERYTHING AND STARTED TO COOK. HEARD LOUD EXPLOSION NOISE. WENT TO THE GARAGE AND OPENED THE DOOR. HOT, HEAVY BLACK SMOKE AND CHEMICAL ODOR CAME POURING INTO THE HOUSE. I COULD SEE FLAMES TO THE LEFT. IT WAS VERY HOT AND THERE WAS SOME LIQUID MIXED IN, AND THE GARAGE WAS PITCH BLACK YET IT WAS A VERY SUNNY DAY WITH THE SUN POINTING AT THE GARAGE. BECAUSE IT WAS SO DARK, IT LOOKED LIKE THE GARAGE DOORS WERE CLOSED, BUT ACTUALLY, ONE SIDE WAS OPEN, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE IT WAS SO BLACK. COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING, AND MY ARM WAS SO HOT TRYING TO OPEN GARAGE DOOR AT WALL SWITCH, BURNED ALL THE HAIR OFF MY ARM. I THEN LEFT HOUSE, 911 WAS ON THE WAY. GARAGE CAUGHT ON FIRE, EVERYTHING IN GARAGE BURNED OR MELTED, INCLUDING MY CAR. INTERIOR HALL, ALL FIXTURES IN HALL AND BATH BURNT OR…”
Fuel/propulsion system
2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL FILLER NECK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,340. UPDATED 03/24/15*LJ UPDATED 10/19/2015*JS”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.