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1993 Lexus ES300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1993 Lexus ES300 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.

About this comparison →
43Owner complaints

Model-year median: 38

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
37
199243
199339
199438
199537
1996
Compare all ES300 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
9Air Bags
8Engine And Engine Cooling
7Equipment
4Interior Lighting
4
All reported categories
Tires
3Power Train
2Unknown Or Other
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Exterior Lighting
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Seat Belts
1Seats
1Steering
1Structure
1Visibility
1

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 43 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

9 reports
Clear category filter
293,095 miles · Apr 29, 2016
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE, STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED FOR A WHILE, AND THEN FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 293,095. THE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE, STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED FOR A WHILE, AND THEN FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 293,095. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10862183

84,000 miles · Jul 10, 2007
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 84,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE NEEDLES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAVE ALL BURNED OUT. UPDATE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 84,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE NEEDLES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAVE ALL BURNED OUT. UPDATED 09/05/07. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10196030

54,000 miles · Nov 13, 2006
Electrical SystemInterior Lighting

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE FAILED. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. T…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE FAILED. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10173390

105,000 miles · May 19, 2004
Electrical SystemFire

AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM GETTING AN OIL LEAK REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD.DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10073869

40,000 miles · Oct 18, 2003
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER: SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE DOES NOT LIGHT UP. IT STARTS FLICKERING WITH FULL LIGHT INTENSITY, WHICH MAKES ME USE LOWER LIGHT INTENSITY TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDLES. WITH LOW LIGHT INTENSITY IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER, SPEED, TEMP, FUEL WHEN SUN IS IN FRONT OR ON …

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INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER: SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE DOES NOT LIGHT UP. IT STARTS FLICKERING WITH FULL LIGHT INTENSITY, WHICH MAKES ME USE LOWER LIGHT INTENSITY TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDLES. WITH LOW LIGHT INTENSITY IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER, SPEED, TEMP, FUEL WHEN SUN IS IN FRONT OR ON THE SIDE OF CAR. THE ONLY WAY TO SEE INSTRUMENT IS TO TURN THE LIGHT TO FULL INTENSITY, AND THEN THE NEEDLES START FLICKERING. THIS CREATES A LOT OF DISTRACTION AND PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING, MAY RESULT INTO AN ACCIDENT. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN EARLY MODELS OF LEXUS AND IT IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST EVEN THOUGH IT CAUSE PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED BY LEXUS DEARLER IN 1996 @ 40,000 MILES NOW IT IS AGAIN GIVING PROBLEMS. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10043147

Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 2002
Electrical System

INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND LIGHTING OF THE NEEDLES BLACKED OUT, CREATES DRIVING HAZARD.*AK

NHTSA ODI #765430

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2000
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AT HIGH SPEED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. *AK THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM INDICATE THAT DEFECTIVE WIRE ON A SENSOR IS THE CAUSE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #874120

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2000
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING A FUSE BLEW, CONSUMER STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER DASHBOARD, SMELLED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #862888

Mileage unknown · Jan 1, 2000
Electrical System

I BELIEVE THE SECURITY SYSTEM AND IGNITION FAILED BECAUSE OF A Y2K FAILURE. THE CAR WILL NOT START WAS WORKING PROPERLY AT LEAST 4 HOURS PRIOR TO TRYING TO START AFTER 1200 MIDNIGHT ON THE 1 JAN 2000. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716705

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.