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1997 Lexus ES300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Lexus ES300 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.

About this comparison →
45Owner complaints

Model-year median: 38

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
39
199438
199537
199645
199752
199827
199956
2000
Compare all ES300 years →

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

What owners reported most

Vehicle Speed Control
8Electrical System
5Engine And Engine Cooling
5Seat Belts
5Air Bags
3
All reported categories
Equipment
3Seats
3Service Brakes, Hydraulic
3Visibility
3Power Train
2Steering
2Tires
2Exterior Lighting
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Interior Lighting
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Structure
1Unknown Or Other
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: 11 of 45 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.

  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

5 reports
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17,708 miles · Feb 12, 2009
Seat Belts

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RETRACT EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,708 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 03-09-09 *BF THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT WHEN IT …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RETRACT EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,708 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 03-09-09 *BF THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT WHEN IT WAS UNLOCKED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS DIFFICULTIES FASTENING THE SEATBELT AT TIMES. UPDATED 03/10/09.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10258505

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2000
Latches/locks/linkagesSeat Belts

SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AUTOMATICALLY. AS A RESULT DOOR WAS CLOSED ON SEATBELT, AND DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #876671

Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2000
Seat BeltsCrash

SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT WHEN REMOVED AFTER CRASH REPAIR. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL WHEN CAR GETS OLD! BELT MUST BE MANUALLY PUSHED BACK INTO RETRACTOR AFTER EACH TIME IT'S USED. I'M AFRAID BELT MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY IN A SEVERE CRASH.

NHTSA ODI #733916

Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 1999
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT.

NHTSA ODI #609497

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 1997
Seat BeltsInjury

THE MIDDLE REAR SHOULDER BELT LOCKS UP, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE OCCUPANT OUT FROM THE MIDDLE SEAT. CONSUMER, THEREFORE, HAD TO CUT THE BELT IN ORDER TO GET A CHILD OUT THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT. ALSO THE SHOULDER BELT WAS AROUND THE CHILD'S NECK AND WAS COMPRESSING HIS NECK TIGHTLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #810658

Official recalls

2

99V307000 · 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.

97V156000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist

Sep 17, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN,MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NOTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. A CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHERE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAN TEMPORARILY FREEZE IN THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE IF THE VEHICLE IS USED IN EXTREMELY COLD CLIMATES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF VACUUM ASSIST TO THE BRAKES THAT CAN INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE VACUUM HOSE.

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

1

DP02004 · Engine Seizure

Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.