IllustrationDT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT MEASURE THE VEHICLE'S SPEED. ALSO, THE GAUGE PANEL SURROUNDING THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY THE DEALER, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.
1995 Lexus ES300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 11 of 38 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 →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 6 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 reports2 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
38 reportsTHE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SURGING WHEN DRIVING. THE CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. NOTHING WOULD STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE CONSUMER TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. *AK THERE WAS CARBON BUILD UP AROUND THE THROTTLE, THE REAR MAIN SEAL WAS WORN OUT, THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN, TH…
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THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SURGING WHEN DRIVING. THE CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. NOTHING WOULD STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE CONSUMER TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. *AK THERE WAS CARBON BUILD UP AROUND THE THROTTLE, THE REAR MAIN SEAL WAS WORN OUT, THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN, THE STEERING HOSE WAS CRACKED, THE TEMPERATURE WOULD STAY THE SAME REGARDLESS OF THE TEMPERATURE SETTING, AND THE TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY OIL PUMP DID NOT SHOW THE PRESSURE. *SC *JB
OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT OIL PRESSURE WAS LOW. WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT TO THE MECHANIC IT MADE A FUNNY NOISE. CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. AFTER EXA…
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OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT OIL PRESSURE WAS LOW. WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT TO THE MECHANIC IT MADE A FUNNY NOISE. CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT PROBLEM WAS THE OIL PRESSURE AND ITS HAD AFFECT ON THE ENGINE. VEHICLE NEEDED AN ENGINE OVERHAUL. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A LEXUS DEALER/MECHANIC. THEY TOLD CONSUMER THE SAME THING THAT IT WAS THE OIL PRESSURE, AND THAT IT WOULD COST CONSUMER $10,000-15,000.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. *AK LOW OIL PRESSURE CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A DEFECT WITH THE TIMING OF THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT. *LA
LOW OIL PRESSURE - ENGINE DAMAGE. *LA
CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER CONCERNING OIL GELLING PROBLEMS IN REGARD TO HER 1998 ES300, HOWEVER THIS IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED WITH HER 1995 ES300, WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, ENGINE CUT OFF AND CONSUMER HAD TO COAST INTO A GORE BETWEEN THE INTERSTATE AND AN INTERSTATE ENTRANCE RAMP. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15MPH ON SLIGHTLY WET ROAD, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES LIGHTLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO SPIN AND JUMP THE CURB, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, THE ROTORS WERE BROKEN INTO PIECES, AND THEY WERE REGROUNDED TWICE BEFORE THE INDCIDENT. *AK. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE BEING REPL…
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WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15MPH ON SLIGHTLY WET ROAD, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES LIGHTLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO SPIN AND JUMP THE CURB, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, THE ROTORS WERE BROKEN INTO PIECES, AND THEY WERE REGROUNDED TWICE BEFORE THE INDCIDENT. *AK. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE BEING REPLACED FREQUENTLY, AND ALSO EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS FREQUENTLY, AND THE BUSHINGS WERE ALSO REPLACED.*SLC
VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH AN ANCHOR BRACKET, CONSUMER REQUESTED TO THE DEALER THAT IT BE ADDED, HOWEVER WAS INFORMED IT COULD NOT BE, CONSUMER LATER FOUND IN THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT IT IN FACT COULD BE ADDED AND INSTALLED THE BRACKET HIMSELF. *SLC
FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE WEARING EXCESSIVELY. CONSUMER HAD CONTACTED DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF BRAKES PADS AND ROTORS FOUR TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A GRAUDAL STOP PEDAL GOES TO FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Official recalls
199V307000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Nov 1, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
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.