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NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 1997 Lexus Es300.
NHTSA has not published 5-star crash-test ratings for the 1997 Lexus Es300. New vehicles are often added to the NCAP rating program after initial release; check nhtsa.gov/ratings for the latest status.
Component: STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
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.
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
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.
THE STEERING WHEEL COMES COMPLETELY OFF THE COLUMN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THEN AGAIN WHEN TURNING. THE CAR COULD NOT BE STEERED AT ALL. THE HORN AND POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 216,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER UNKNOWINGLY FELL ASLEEP AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER TWICE, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE INJURED. THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT WAS FULLY RECLINED ON THE TRACK FRAME WITH THE OCCUPANT BEING SECURED WITH THE SEAT BELT AS THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS KILLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FATALITY WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FEATURE, WHICH ALLOWED THE SEAT TO RECLINE SUBSTANTIALLY AS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND THE VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.
The 1997 Lexus Es300 has 2 NHTSA recalls and 48 consumer complaints on file. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
Enter a specific VIN to get the full report — specs, recalls, safety ratings, complaints, investigations, and technical service bulletins.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE DRIVER RECEIVED BRUISES FROM THE AIR BAG DEPLOYEMNT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD BECOME JAMMED AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 96,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
FIRESTONE FR380 BL P205/65R15 92S TREAD SEPERATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SINGLE TIRE REPLACED WITH PRIMEWELL PS830/850 BL 205/65R15 94H. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH UP HILL, HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP ACCELERATING EVEN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A BUILDING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS NECK AND RIBS DURING THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 210,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HE LOST VEHICLE CONTROL AND DROVE INTO A FIELD. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER HE CRASHED INTO A CONDOMINIUM. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HE RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, BACK, AND SPINE. HIS DOG ALSO DIED DUE TO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A REPORT; HOWEVER, THE DETAILED REPORT INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE THAT THEY WERE NOT OBLIGATED TO HELP HIM. THE CONTACT SPECULATED THAT THE FLOOR-MAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE POLICE REPORT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. HE RECEIVED A FINE FOR RECKLESS DRIVING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RETRACT EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,708 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 03-09-09 *BF THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT WHEN IT WAS UNLOCKED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS DIFFICULTIES FASTENING THE SEATBELT AT TIMES. UPDATED 03/10/09.*JB
FOR SOME TIME, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER (LEFT SIDE OF SEAT) WOULD REACH A TEMPERATURE WHICH WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. SO, I WOULD TURN IT ON FOR A FEW MINUTES TO WARM UP, AND THEN TURN IT OFF WHEN IT BECAME HOT. I DECIDED TO TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE CHECKED OUT AND ADJUSTED, IF NECESSARY. A FEW DAYS BEFORE I MY APPOINTMENT, I WAS RIDING IN THE CAR AND TURNED ON THE HEATER. WHEN IT BECAME HOT, I PLACED MY SCARF BETWEEN THE SEAT AND MY LEG. AT A CERTAIN POINT, IT SMELLED AS THOUGH SOMETHING WAS BURNING. I TURNED OFF THE HEATER. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE SEAT, THERE WAS A HOLE BURNED RIGHT THROUGH THE LEATHER AS WELL AS THROUGH MY SCARF. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER A FEW DAYS LATER, THEY DISCONNECTED THE HEATER AND DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT NEEDS A NEW HEATER PAD AND LEATHER PAD, WHICH WOULD COST ME $1,326.00. THE REPAIR HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE. *TR
DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER SEAT HEATER BECAME UNCOMFORTABLY HOT. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED IN 2002 THE CONSUMER SHUT OFF THE SEAT HEATER. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HEATING UNIT BECAUSE OF A SHORT IN THE HEATER WIRING. IN 2005 THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HEATER OVERHEATED AND BURNED THROUGH THE SEATING MATERIAL. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND A SHORT IN THE HEATER WIRING. THE HEATER WAS DISCONNECTED AT THE CONSUMERS REQUEST. *JB UPDATED 02/28/06
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
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
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
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.
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 OIL FOR ME TO THINK THAT THE ENGINE IS NOT TO BLAME. ESPECIALLY BEING THAT I KNOW WE PROPERLY MAINTAINED THE CAR. ANY HELP?
Showing 15 of 48 complaints