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2002 Lexus Es300

Safety ratings, recalls, and consumer complaints from NHTSA

NHTSA Safety Ratings

2002 Lexus ES300 4-DR. w/SAB

Overall
Not Rated
Front Crash
Not Rated
Side Crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated

Recalls(2)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THREE-SPOKE STYLE STEERING WHEEL. DURING AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE BOTTOM SEAM OF THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG MODULE COVER (HORN PAD) COULD BE TORN AWAY ALLOWING THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE COVER TO COMPLETELY DETACH FROM THE AIR BAG MODULE.

Campaign: 01V372000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE TUBE MAY HAVE BEEN DEFORMED PRIOR TO VEHICLE DELIVERY DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF A COIL SPRING SPACER THAT WAS INSTALLED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE DURING TRANSPORTATION.

Campaign: 01V371000

Consumer Complaints(186 total, showing 10)

AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The contact owns a 2002 Lexus ES 300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH in the driveway and turning into the garage, the vehicle unintentionally accelerated, hit a beam, drove through the garage wall, and into the dining area of the residence, crashed into the furniture, and stopped. The air bags did not deploy. The contact noticed sparks and smoke coming from the dashboard after the impact. There was no injury sustained. There was property damage. The contact stated that she had previously filed a complaint regarding the vehicle's sudden and unintended acceleration. A report police was filed with the police. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was later towed back to the residence. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Crash reported

ENGINE

During a trip on the highway the accelerator was to low and take harder to accelerate the car. When we arrived home close to parking end the car suddenly accelerated while I was using the brakes pedal. I was lucky to stop on time. Thanks for your attention.

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

I TRIED TO START MY CAR OUT OF NO WHERE IT WOULDN'T START NO WARNING OR ANYTHING I CHECKED THE STARTER THAT WASN'T IT I'M NOT SURE OFF IT'S THE ENGINE OR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT'S MOM OWNED A 2002 LEXUS ES 300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EMIT A THICK WHITE, YELLOWISH SMOKE FROM THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER,THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AS A BYSTANDER ALTERED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE VEHICLE AND THE AUTHORITIES WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE AND FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. DUE TO THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. NO INJURIES WERE SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER HAVE YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 173,000.

Fire reported

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN I STOP AND TRY TO ACCELERATE THE CAR HESITATE AND THEN STARTS TO JERK. IF I GIVE IT HEAVY GAS IT DRIVES NORMAL

STEERING,WHEELS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

CAR BEGAN TO LURCH, STOPPED, SMOKE AND FLAMES BEGAN COMING OUT OF FRONT OF CAR. FIRE ENLARGED, SEVERAL SMALL EXPLOSIONS. FIREMEN PUT OUT FIRE, BUT FRONT HALF OF CAR TOTALLY BURNT. *TR

Fire reported

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM ALL AUTO SALES. THE SAME DAY, LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME AND IT BROKE DOWN IN FRONT OF A RED LIGHT. THE SALESMAN REASSURED ME THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. I TRIED TO START IT BACK UP AND IT WOULDN'T START SO I HAD TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHILE PREGNANT AND TWO KIDS PRESENT. IT WAS SOLD TO ME "AS IS" AND I HAVE NO TEMP TAGS AND I'M EXPECTED TO PAY A BI WEEKLY CAR NOTE. I HAD TO PAYOUT OF POCKET FOR A TOW TRUCK AND AT THIS POINT I JUST WANT MY MONEY BACK IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO DAYS AND I'M ALREADY EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS OUT OF THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP.

ENGINE

THIS IS THE 2ND 2002 LEXUS ES300 IVE OWNED WITH HALF THE MILES OF THE 1ST ONE...YET BOTH CARS CATALYTIC CONVERTORS FAILED!! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE AT ONLY 136K MILES THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED!! THE 1ST CAR HAD ALMOST 268K MILES WHICH I FELT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FAILURE WASNT AS SURPRISING...BUT BETWEEN MY BOYFRIEND AND I WE HAVE OWNED 4 LEXUS VEHICLES: 1997 ES300 1999 RX300 AND 2 ES300 AND ALL OF THEM HAD CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FAILURES!!! I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC AS LONG AS YOU PUT IN THE CORRECT FUEL AND CORRECT OIL THE CONVERTORS SHOULD LAST FOREVER!! SO WHY IS IT THAT LEXUS CARS CONVERTORS FAIL AS LOW AS 136K MILES!! THATS REDICULOUS!!

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE

ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 20, 2019, AT 9:45, I PARKED MY LEXUS ES 300 AND WENT INSIDE THE LOCAL ACME. ACME IS APPROX MILES FROM HOME. I ENTERED THE STORE AND HEARD OVER THE INTERCOM ALL SHOPPERS HAD 12 MIN BEFORE CLOSING. I QUICKLY SHOPPED, AND UPON EXITING THE STORE, MY CAR HAD A SIGNIFICANT FIRE, AND THE FIRE COMPANY THAT WAS ACROSS THE STREET HAD TO RESPOND AND PUT IT OUT. MY CAR HAD NO POWER, AND IT MYSTERIOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE. I WAS GIVEN THE DIRECTIVE TO HAVE IT TOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE POLICE AND FIRE CO WHO WAS ON THE SCENE. I QUICKLY GRABBED ANY SALVAGEABLE PERSONALS AND HAD TO GET A RIDE HOME BY THE POLICE OFFICER. THE FOLLOWING DAY AUGUST 21, 2019, AAA TOWED THE VEHICLE TO MY HOME. I HAD TO ATTACH THE BATTERY CABLE TO HAVE POWER FOR WINDOWS AND LOCKS ALONG WITH THE TRUNK. I GATHERED ALL MY BELONGINGS AND REMOVED THE WIRE. I CALLED THE FIRE MARSHALL FOR A REPORT, AND HE SAID HE COULDN'T GIVE ME A REPORT. IT WAS COMPROMISED BY BEING TOWED. COMPROMISED FOR TOWING WHEN I WAS TOLD OR RATHER DEMANDED TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE OF THE PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY. I GOOGLED THE WORDS LEXUS AND FIRE AND NOTICED BY A FEW POSTS MY ISSUE WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THEREFORE, I CONTACTED LEXUS, WHO HAD ME TOW MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE CAR SAT AND IS STILL SITTING FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS BEFORE AN INSPECTOR LOOKED AT IT ON SEPTEMBER 10. 2019. I WENT TO CHECK THE ONLY CAR AFTER AND TOOK A VIDEO OF WHAT I SAW. I WAITED THE 30 DAYS FOR A REPLY IF THEY'D ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. I GOT MY LETTER ON THE 31ST DAY AND THEY CAN NOT IDENTIFY HOW THE FIRE STARTED AND ASSUME NO LIABILITY. HOW DOES A CAR MYSTERIOUSLY CATCH FIRE PARKED? BECAUSE THIS ISSUE ISN'T ISOLATED, IS THERE ANY RECOURSE ACTION AGAINST LEXUS FOR DAMAGES? I HAVE VIDEOS AND PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE AFTER THE FIRE AND AFTER THE INSPECTION.

Fire reported

SEATS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AT 45 MPH BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS COLLAPSED. AS A RESULT, THE REAR PASSENGERS SUSTAINED TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT*JB

Crash reported3 injuries

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