2003 Lexus ES300Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 116 owner complaints about the 2003 Lexus ES300, most often about the vehicle speed control. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 28, 2019. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the 2003 Lexus ES300 has problems
116 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 48 | 28 |
| Power train | 27 | 2 |
| Air bags | 13 | 9 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 11 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 10 | 3 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 7 | 4 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 6 | 2 |
| Engine | 5 | 3 |
| Structure | 3 | 1 |
| 8 other systems | 12 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2003 Lexus ES300 recalls and how many were fixed
No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.
When do vehicle speed control problems start?
35kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 36 vehicle speed control complaints. 86% were reported before 100,000 miles.
2003 vs. every other ES300 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the ES300 median. How we score
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2003 Lexus ES300 safety ratings
2003 Lexus ES300 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Lexus ES300, and the recalls they led to.
- THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEMNo recall
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLNo recall
- UNWANTED AND UNINTENDED ACCELERATIONNo recall
- THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEMNo recall
What ES300 owners report
Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
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…
MY CAR OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS STARTED EXPERIENCING ABNORMAL ACCELERATION. THERE WERE TIMES IT USES TO SURGE OR SOUND LIKE IT WAS RAMPING UP TO GO FAST, EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK, YOU COULD HEAR THE ACCELERATION TRYING TO RAMP UP LIKE IF MY FOOT WASN'T ON THE BREAK IT WOULD JUST TAKE…
Own a 2003 ES300?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.