Total Complaints
35 filings
LEXUS ES300 · model year
35 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999LEXUSES300 carries 35 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 ES300 is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (3) and power train:automatic transmission (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 1999 ES300. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
35 filings
Crashes Reported
4 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,135.
Mileage: 85,135
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,135.
Mileage: 85,135
1999 LEXUS ES300. CONSUMER REQUESTS INFORMATION ON TOYOTA DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS MOTHER WAS INVOLVED IN A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT AND SUFFERED INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN THE REVERSE POSITION. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL AND CRASHED INTO A RESIDENTIAL HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE OTHER VEHICLE DRIVER SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 35,000.
Mileage: 35,000
CALL LEXUS AND MADE COMPLAIN ABOUT MY CAR AND THE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING GETTING RESOLUTION HAS BEEN FRUSTRATING. THEY ARE REQUESTING THAT I TOW MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING TO FIX MY VEHICLE. *TR
Mileage: 245,000
MY CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT MY CONTROL AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO BRING IT TO A STOP BY USING THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS FUTILE. AFTER ENGAGING THE EMERGENCY BRAKES THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED. CAR WAS TOWED BY TRIPLE AAA TO NTB IN ALEXANDRIA VA. REPORT THE INCIDENT TO TOYOTA /LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND DID NOT GET A FAVORABLE RESPONSE. *TR
Mileage: 245,000
COMPLAINED TO DEALER ABOUT IMPROPER SHIFTING OF TRANSMISSION WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE, BUT CHANGED THE FLUID ANYWAY. I STILL CONTINUED TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER NOT TO COME BACK. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDATIONS AND NOW AT 88,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. THIS IS AN U140E TRANSMISSION, WHICH HAS HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *TR
Mileage: 88,000
HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND CHARCOAL CANISTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED IN TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES UP UNTIL AND INCLUDING 1998. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY THAT COVERED THE OLDER VEHICLES. *TR
Mileage: 108,700
HAD TO REPLACE EVAP CHARCOAL CANISTER ON MY LEXUS ES300, MY CO-WORKER ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THIS ON HIS RX300 ALONG WITH THE O2 SENSORS. *TR
Mileage: 108,920
ISSUE INVOLVE 1999 LEXUS ES300 CHROME WHEELS (RIMS). FAILURES TO MAINTAIN AIR PRESSURE. NUMEROUS OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS LEXUS KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT VEHICLE MANUFACTURE UNWILLING TO FIX THIS FAILURE, WHICH RESULT IN OWNERS PURCHASING NEW CHROME WHEELS AT $500 EACH.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE BUCKLE HARNESSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED.
Mileage: 117,000
WHILE DRIVING ON A RECENTLY OILED AND CHIPPED RURAL ROAD, I HAD TO VEER TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO AVOID AN ONCOMING VEHICLE DRIVING IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD. UPON SAID VEHICLE PASSING, I SLIGHTLY TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO FULLY RETURN TO THE ROAD. AT THIS POINT, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO "FISH TAIL" TERRIBLY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL, AND EVENTUALLY TURNED HEAD ON TOWARD THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD, DIRECTLY TOWARD TREES LINING THE OPPOSITE SIDE. I MUST HAVE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, AS THE NEXT THING I RECALL IS FACING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAT I WAS GOING, WITH THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE OF THE CAR RESTING AGAINST THE TREES LINING THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION I WAS TRAVELING. THE IMPACT HAD BEEN EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT, AS THE VEHICLE WAS ABSOLUTELY TOTALED, WITH THE FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE BEING THE AREAS OF PRIMARY DAMAGE. THIS VEHICLE HAD SIX (6) AIRBAGS, NONE OF WHICH DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY LOOKED AT BY LEXUS REPR
Mileage: 100,000
THE IAC VALVE IN THE CONSUMER'S 1999 LEXUS ES300 FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING AFTER BEING DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE. *NM *JB
I OWN A 1999 LEXUS ES-300 AUTOMOBILE THAT WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2002. THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE ATLANTA AIRPORT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A RATTLING NOISE AND THEN SIMPLY STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE BY LEXUS MECHANICS I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS "OIL GEL" IN THE ENGINE AND THAT A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE REQUIRED. *AK
Mileage: 59,000
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. CONSUMER COULD TAKE THE BATTERY OUT AND REPLACE IT, AND THE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON MORE THAN EIGHT TIMES IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE TWICE, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
Mileage: 62,790
THE LEXUS SPECIALIST AT THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER ES 300 MODELS AS WELL AS THE RL MODELS AT ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE. THE ONES WITH THE TOYOTA CAMRY ENGINES HAVEN\\\\\\'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS. THERE IS A TSB ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND I HAVE ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT THERE.
Mileage: 80,000
THE LEXUS SPECIALIST AT THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER ES 300 MODELS AS WELL AS THE RL MODELS AT ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE. THE ONES WITH THE TOYOTA CAMRY ENGINES HAVEN\\\\\\'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS. THERE IS A TSB ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND I HAVE ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT THERE.
Mileage: 80,000
NONE OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS HOLD THE CHILD SEAT FIRMLY. WHEN THE CAR TURNS OR SWERVES LIGHTLY THE CHILD SEAT TILTS ACCORDINGLY. *JB
NONE OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS HOLD THE CHILD SEAT FIRMLY. WHEN THE CAR TURNS OR SWERVES LIGHTLY THE CHILD SEAT TILTS ACCORDINGLY. *JB
JUST BOUGHT A 1999 LEXUS ES 300, TOOK IT TO BE CHECKED OUT BECAUSE THE ENGINE SOUNDED ROUGH IN THE REVERSE GEAR. FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING BADLY AND HAS TO BE REPLACED, THE LEXUS SPECIALIST SAYS HE HAS SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSIONS IN THE ES 300 MODELS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE RL MODELS BUT HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY RECALLS. INFORMATION IS FOUND REGARDING THIS PROBLEM IN THE TSB DATABASE. *JB
Mileage: 81,000
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.