IllustrationSPEEDOMETER IS UNREADABLE AT NIGHT AND BARELY READABLE IN THE DAYTIME DUE TO FAILURE OF THE SPEEDOMETER (AND TACHOMETER) LIGHTS AND BACKLIGHTS *AK
1992 Lexus ES300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Lexus ES300 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all ES300 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 8 of 37 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
37 reportsTHE INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER ON THE ES300, WHICH INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER, USES LIGHTED NEEDLES AND GAUGES. THE LIGHTING FOR THE NEEDLES AND THE GAUGES INTERMITTENTLY DIMS OR GOES OUT. THIS CAN BE A BIT FRIGHTENING AND SOMEWHAT DANGEROUS WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE - ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL…
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THE INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER ON THE ES300, WHICH INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER, USES LIGHTED NEEDLES AND GAUGES. THE LIGHTING FOR THE NEEDLES AND THE GAUGES INTERMITTENTLY DIMS OR GOES OUT. THIS CAN BE A BIT FRIGHTENING AND SOMEWHAT DANGEROUS WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE - ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WE CONTACTED THE LEXUS WARRANTY COMPANY AND A DEALER. THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE PART AND THAT IT WOULD COST JUST UNDER $1000.00 TO REPLACE. WE HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND IT APPEARS (EVEN VIA THIS WEB SITE) THAT THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM AMOUNG THE LEXUS ES300 MODELS. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TO GET LEXUS TO FIX WHAT IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN CRAFTMANSHIP AND DESIGN AND CERTAINLY POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. THANK YOU.
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & NOTICED TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATING HOT. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE. HAD NO INDICATION A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. HAD NO LEAKING NOR WAS VEHICLE OVERHEATING. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED. AK
LEXUS USES ELECTROLUMINESCENT NEEDLES ON DASHBOARDS. THESE NEEDLES INDICATE SPEED AND OTHER FUNCTIONS. WHEN THE NEEDLES FAIL, THE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES CANNOT BE READ. LEXUS INDICATED THIS IS NOT AN INFREQUENT OCCURENCE. NO ACCIDENT RESULTED, BUT THE SYSTEM IS UNSAFE IN THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR CANNOT READ THE INSTRUMEN…
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LEXUS USES ELECTROLUMINESCENT NEEDLES ON DASHBOARDS. THESE NEEDLES INDICATE SPEED AND OTHER FUNCTIONS. WHEN THE NEEDLES FAIL, THE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES CANNOT BE READ. LEXUS INDICATED THIS IS NOT AN INFREQUENT OCCURENCE. NO ACCIDENT RESULTED, BUT THE SYSTEM IS UNSAFE IN THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR CANNOT READ THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS IS AN INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILURE, AND IS NOT RELATED TO MAINTENANCE OF THE VEHICLE.
DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM ON DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED SUDDENDLY WHEN PULLING AT DRIVEWAY AT APPROXIMATLEY 5-10 MPH, CAUSING CHEMICALS BURNS AND BRUISES. *AK
DRIVING 70MPH WHEN DRIVER LEANED TOWARDS PASSENGER'S SIDE. IN DOING SO, ARM HIT GEAR SHIFT & VEHICLE WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL & THEN DECELERATEDAPIDLY AND CAME TO A DEAD STOP. CALLED DEALER & WAS INFORMED GEAR SHIFT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY. *AK
AFTER HITTING A CURB, WHILE MAKING A U TURN AT 5 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK
REPLACE INSTRUMENT OF THE COMBINATION METER, INVOLVING SPEEDO/TACH, TEMPERATURE GAUGE UNIT, GAS GAUGE, WHEN ON THE INDICATOR NEEDLE MALFUNCTION, CAUSING LIGHT INDICATOR NEEDLES TO BLINK OR REMAIN OFF FOR EXTENDED PERIOD.
GOODYEAR EAGLE GA'S P205/65 R15 TIRES FAILED.
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, AS A RESULT THE VALVE SEALS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK
Official recalls
194V039000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Feb 23, 1994
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MECHANISM HAS A NARROW CLEARANCE BETWEEN INTERNAL PARTS WHICH, OVER TIME, ACCUMULATE DUST OR OTHER FOREIGN MATTER AND CAUSE THE LATCH TO NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS AND THE PRIMARY LATCH IS NOT PROPERLY ENGAGED, THE HOOD COULD OPEN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING, BLOCKING THE VISION OF THE DRIVER, WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: LEXUS DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.