Total Complaints
9 filings
LEXUS ES · model year
2000 LEXUS ES
9 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2000LEXUSES carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 5 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2000 ES is electrical system with 3 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (1) and tires (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2000 ES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20211207UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car surges during acceleration. Stall out and idle extremely high while driving under 60 mph
20210327FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IS FRIED, DRAINING EVERY BATTERY I BUY ( ABOUT A TOTAL OF 15 OR MORE BOUGHT) I'VE CHANGED THE STARTER AND ALTERNATOR MULTIPLE TIMES AS WELL. IF I TURN THE A/C ON THE LIGHTS DIM AND THE CAR SLOWS DOWN DANGEROUSLY BEFORE COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN! MY CAR IS A RISK ON THE ROAD SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT SINCE FINDING OUT, YET, I STILL HAVE TO PAY INSURANCE EVERY MONTH ON IT.
Mileage: 245,000
20210327FireENGINE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IS FRIED, DRAINING EVERY BATTERY I BUY ( ABOUT A TOTAL OF 15 OR MORE BOUGHT) I'VE CHANGED THE STARTER AND ALTERNATOR MULTIPLE TIMES AS WELL. IF I TURN THE A/C ON THE LIGHTS DIM AND THE CAR SLOWS DOWN DANGEROUSLY BEFORE COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN! MY CAR IS A RISK ON THE ROAD SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT SINCE FINDING OUT, YET, I STILL HAVE TO PAY INSURANCE EVERY MONTH ON IT.
Mileage: 245,000
20210327FirePOWER TRAIN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IS FRIED, DRAINING EVERY BATTERY I BUY ( ABOUT A TOTAL OF 15 OR MORE BOUGHT) I'VE CHANGED THE STARTER AND ALTERNATOR MULTIPLE TIMES AS WELL. IF I TURN THE A/C ON THE LIGHTS DIM AND THE CAR SLOWS DOWN DANGEROUSLY BEFORE COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN! MY CAR IS A RISK ON THE ROAD SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT SINCE FINDING OUT, YET, I STILL HAVE TO PAY INSURANCE EVERY MONTH ON IT.
Mileage: 245,000
20200221FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2018, AT AROUND 1:05 P.M I WAS DRIVING MY LEXUS ES 300 DOWN ROUTE 88 PENNSYLVANIA APPROXIMATELY 5 MINS FROM MY RESIDENCE. WHEN SUDDENLY SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. I BEGAN TO PANIC AND PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND STOPPED TURNING IGNITION OFF AND IMMEDIATELY FLED THE VEHICLE. HEAVY SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. I RAN TO THE CLOSEST RESIDENCE AND POUNDED ON THE DOOR TO GET HELP AND TO WARN THE OCCUPANTS OF THE POSSIBLE FIRE. AS I WAS PARKED AT THE EDGE OF THEIR DRIVEWAY. THERE WAS NO ANSWER, AT THE SAME TIME A PASSERBY NOTIFIED ME THAT I HAD FIRE UNDERNEATH MY VEHICLE, HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911. POLICE RESPONDED IN ONE MINUTE. FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, BY THIS TIME VEHICLE WAS FULLY ENGULFED. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. VEHICLE HAD JUST ST UNDER 150,000 MILES AT TIME OF INCEDENT.. CONTACTED TOYOTA WHO THEN HIRED AN INDEPENDENT FIRE INVESTIGATOR, WHO STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS DAMAGED AT THE SUNROOF,
Mileage: 148,500
20140424FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE CAR STARTED BY ITSELF SOUNDED BAD, I HAD NOT TURNED KEY. REMOVED KEY AND CAR KEPT RUNNING. WE HAD IT PARKED IN GARAGE. COULD NOT GET CAR TO TURN OFF, HEARD SOMETHING EXPLODE UNDER HOOD, SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT FROM UNDER HOOD. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. FIREMEN OPENED HOOD, STARTER HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND POSSIBLY SOLENOID. NEW BATTERY BOUGHT 1/4/2014 WAS DAMAGED AND DEAD. LEXUS MECHANIC TOLD ME HE SAW THIS ON OTHER MODELS BUT NOT OUR MODEL. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST 820.00. *TR
Mileage: 130,000
20110210FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LEXUS ES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, FUMES WERE COMING IN THROUGH THE VENTS, AND FUEL WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO HAD NOT PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Mileage: 140,000
20070113SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
I PURCHASED A NEW LEXUS, ES-300 IN 2000 (PLATINUM SERIES). HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED AFTER 24,000 MILES. AGAIN AT 60,000. JUST THE FRONT NOT THE REAR. ONLY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED THAT HAS DONE THAT. THE TIRES(MICHELIN) ALSO WERE WORN OUT AT 24,000. I ROATED THEM EVERY 6,000 MILES. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE FRONT BRAKES WITH THAT YEAR LEXUS? *JB
Mileage: 24,000
20070113TIRES
I PURCHASED A NEW LEXUS, ES-300 IN 2000 (PLATINUM SERIES). HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED AFTER 24,000 MILES. AGAIN AT 60,000. JUST THE FRONT NOT THE REAR. ONLY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED THAT HAS DONE THAT. THE TIRES(MICHELIN) ALSO WERE WORN OUT AT 24,000. I ROATED THEM EVERY 6,000 MILES. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE FRONT BRAKES WITH THAT YEAR LEXUS? *JB
Mileage: 24,000
Compare 2000LEXUSES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2000 LEXUS ES have?▼
The 2000 LEXUS ES has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 5 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2000 LEXUS ES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2000 LEXUS ES is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR and TIRES.
Is the 2000 LEXUS ES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2000 LEXUS ES; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.