Total Complaints
15 filings
LEXUS GS300 · model year
2002 LEXUS GS300
15 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002LEXUSGS300 carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 2002 GS300 is vehicle speed control with 3 filings, followed by vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal (2) and electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers (1). 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 2002 GS300. 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.
15
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150521SEAT BELTS
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FEED BROKEN LOOSE.
20131113TIRES
GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TIRE: INNER SIDEWALL BLOWOUT WHILE PARKED. NO EXTERNAL CAUSE. TIRE IS 80,000 MILE TIRE WARRANTY, WITH 40,000 MILES USED AND HAS 6/32 TREAD DEPTH REMAINING. MAY BE A STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DEFECT. *TR
Mileage: 105,000
20131113WHEELS
GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TIRE: INNER SIDEWALL BLOWOUT WHILE PARKED. NO EXTERNAL CAUSE. TIRE IS 80,000 MILE TIRE WARRANTY, WITH 40,000 MILES USED AND HAS 6/32 TREAD DEPTH REMAINING. MAY BE A STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DEFECT. *TR
Mileage: 105,000
20100317POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SUDDEN ACCELERATION AFTER TURNING A CORNER. I SLOWED DOWN TO TURN A CORNER TO APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH AND AFTER NEGOTIATING THE TURN ACCELERATED MODERATELY TO ABOUT 20-25 MPH. AT THAT INSTANT THE MOTOR STARTED TO RACE. THE CAR ACCELERATED RAPIDLY IN A FEW SECONDS TO APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND GOT THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN TO 20-25 MPH. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED THE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE AGAIN AT AN ACCELERATING RATE. I THE DECIDED TO ABORT THE ACCELERATION AND STOP THE CAR THIS TIME BY THROWING THE SHIFT INTO "PARK." WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO DO THAT THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT WENT ONLY AS FAR AS NEUTRAL. I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT BEING IN NEUTRAL WAS OK AND APPLIED THE BRAKE AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED THE DEALER. THE DEALER PICKED UP THE CAR. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS/MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE FLOORMAT SLIDING UNDER THE ACCELERATOR. I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THE FLOORMAT IF IT GOT UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CONSTA
Mileage: 5,000
20100223VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
UNCONTROLLED EXCESSIVE ENGINE SPEED UP THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES ON TWO OCCASIONS THERE WAS HIGH WIND FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN COLD WEATHER. I WONDER IF THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL WAS FOOLED. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT MUST BE THAT I WAS NOT USED TO A ELECTRONIC GAS PEDAL!!! *TR
Mileage: 40,000
20100223FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
UNCONTROLLED EXCESSIVE ENGINE SPEED UP THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES ON TWO OCCASIONS THERE WAS HIGH WIND FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN COLD WEATHER. I WONDER IF THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL WAS FOOLED. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT MUST BE THAT I WAS NOT USED TO A ELECTRONIC GAS PEDAL!!! *TR
Mileage: 40,000
20090110SUSPENSION:FRONT
LOWER BALL JOINTS ON LEXUS GS300 ARE VERY WEAK AND SUBJECT TO BREAK AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DAMAGE TO THE CAR. *TR
Mileage: 65,000
20041221VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HESITATION WHILE DRIVING TO THE INTERSECTION, AND VEHICLE WILL NOT GO FORWARD WITH ANY POWER. CONSUMER PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, BUT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE WITH ANY FORCE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT RECEIVED NO ASSISTANCE. *AK
Mileage: 20,000
20040604SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE FAULTY BRAKES CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT ROTORS WERE WARPED. *AK *NM
Mileage: 12,000
20040419VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE JERKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
20040319VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
20040316VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LURCH FORWARD. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *SC *JB
Mileage: 23,000
20030803TIRES:TREAD/BELT
LEXUS GS300/2002. DUNLOP SPORT TIRES 5000 MILES ONLY. LEFT REAR TIRE.SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF TIRE, PLUS NEW WHEEL/DISC.INVESTIGATION BY LEXUS SHOWED LARGE PUNCTURE HOLE ON TIRE. BUT TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE IT EXPLODED APART?*AK
Mileage: 5,000
20020923CrashFatalAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER STATES WHILE HIS SON WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A POLE, FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND DRIVER DIED, DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*JB
20020201ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION HEADLIGHTS SHORT OUT, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Compare 2002LEXUSGS300 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 LEXUS GS300 have?▼
The 2002 LEXUS GS300 has 15 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 LEXUS GS300?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 LEXUS GS300 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS.
Is the 2002 LEXUS GS300 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 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.