2003 Lexus Es300 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Vehicle Speed Control (42) · Power Train:automatic Transmission (12) · Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal (6)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Lexus Es300 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
82 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year (campaigns announced since 2010).
Service bulletins (77)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Structure:body 2024-04-19 · L-SB-0022-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. if these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfa
Structure:body 2024-04-19 · L-SB-0021-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
lexus vehicles are currently protected with rapgardtm protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. this material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. follow the removal procedure in this bulletin to remove the rapgardtm protective film withi
Structure:body 2024-04-19 · L-SB-0020-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. this type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surfa
Structure:body 2024-04-19 · L-SB-0022-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. if these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfa
Structure:body 2024-04-19 · L-SB-0021-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
lexus vehicles are currently protected with rapgardtm protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. this material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. follow the removal procedure in this bulletin to remove the rapgardtm protective film withi
Structure:body 2024-04-19 · L-SB-0020-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. this type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surfa
Showing the 6 most recent of 77 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2019-06-28 · Engine · 90,284 mi · 🔥 fire“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…”
2019-06-25 · Engine · 110,000 mi · 🔥 fire“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 w…”
2019-06-05 · Electrical System · 80,000 mi“vin: (xxxxxx) year: 2003 make: lexus model: es300 (xxxx) air/bag busting thru dash ( * need help ) (xxxx) year: 2003 make: lexus model: es300 airbag is bulging -see pictures electrical drain on the battery off and on since. parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursua…”
2019-05-17 · Air Bags · 97,000 mi“(xxxx) air/bag busting thru dash ( * need help ) (xxxx) year: 2003 make: lexus model: es3 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).…”
2019-04-21 · Electrical System · 1 mi“my driver headlight keeps shorting out.i bought another bulb and same problem .…”
2018-04-16 · Engine · 156,000 mi · 🔥 fire“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 fi…”
2018-01-30 · Vehicle Speed Control · 30,000 mi“sudden acceleration, in motion in reverse…”
2016-08-03 · Unknown Or Other · 80,900 mi“unwanted acceleration while applying the break while slowing down the rpm gauge pins itself to about 3000. the car will not down shift until it jolts forward just a little and the you can feel the lower gears engage. i bought it as a used vehical about 3 weeks ago with 80,336 miles . i see lots of complaints for the same thing on many other vehic…”
2015-05-22 · Vehicle Speed Control · 177,500 mi“i purchased a used 2003 lexus es30from used car dealer. after a couple days of driving it i noticed it was shifting gears innormally. it would surge up to 4000rmp before shifting to 2nd gear and at one point wasn't moving while i hit the gas the acceleration very fast out of nowhere. my mother also had this same year make and model vehicle a few ye…”
2015-04-30 · Vehicle Speed Control · 89,800 mi · 💥 crash“i was pulling out of the garage slowly to pause on the driveway to close the garage door and when i step on the gas in reverse the car flew out of the garage and i couldn't stop it with the brakes. there was a small roofing across the street which stopped the car. no one was nearby so no one was hurt. the accelerator seemed stuck for this inc…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.