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1998 Lexus ES300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Lexus ES300 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

22 reports with mileage · 30 unknown

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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 6 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.

13 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

5 reports
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115,254 miles · Jun 5, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 1998 LEXUS ES300 WITH APPROXIMATELY 115,000 ON THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON STATING THAT IT WAS EMISSIONS CODE P0466, WHICH IS A COMMON CHARCOAL CANNISTER PROBLEM FOR LEXUS ES300 1996 AND UP. THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED FOR 1996-1998 LEXUS ES300 FOR THE EMISSION PROBLEM WHICH INCLUDES THE…

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I HAVE A 1998 LEXUS ES300 WITH APPROXIMATELY 115,000 ON THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON STATING THAT IT WAS EMISSIONS CODE P0466, WHICH IS A COMMON CHARCOAL CANNISTER PROBLEM FOR LEXUS ES300 1996 AND UP. THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED FOR 1996-1998 LEXUS ES300 FOR THE EMISSION PROBLEM WHICH INCLUDES THE P0466 PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE LEXUS DEALER TO GET THAT EMISSIONS PROBLEM FIX, BUT THEY SAID THAT NOT ALL OF THE 1998 LEXUS ES300 WAS INCLUDED IN THIS WARRANTY AND MY CAR WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT WAS IN THAT CATEGORY. SINCE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY STATED THAT 96-98 LEXUS ES300 ARE COVERED, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT MY CAR WOULD BE COVERED SINCE IT'S A 1998 LEXUS ES300? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10230081

133,507 miles · Oct 16, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 1998 LEXUS ES300. IN NOVEMBER 2003, MY CAR WAS SERVICED UNDER LEXUS' SPA PROGRAM DUE TO ENGINE OIL GELLING/SLUDGE. NOW, 3 YEARS LATER, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THIS IS A DIRECT AND CONSEQUENTIAL RESULT OF DRIVING THE CAR FOR 76K MILES WITH A GELLING ISSUE. THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE AND THIS WAS A LATENT DEFECT. WE TOOK THE …

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I HAVE A 1998 LEXUS ES300. IN NOVEMBER 2003, MY CAR WAS SERVICED UNDER LEXUS' SPA PROGRAM DUE TO ENGINE OIL GELLING/SLUDGE. NOW, 3 YEARS LATER, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THIS IS A DIRECT AND CONSEQUENTIAL RESULT OF DRIVING THE CAR FOR 76K MILES WITH A GELLING ISSUE. THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE AND THIS WAS A LATENT DEFECT. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE LEXUS DEALER AND HAD IT SERVICED THREE WEEKS AGO, SPENT $700 ON IT, DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND 20 MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE SEIZED. THEY NOW WANT $5K TO PUT A USED ENGINE IN IT WITH 130K MILES ON IT. LEXUS CORPORATION WAS USELESS AND THEY BASICALLY SAID NO MATTER IF THE SEIZE WAS CAUSED BY THE GELLING OR NOT, BECAUSE THE CAR HAD SO MANY MILES ON IT THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO "ASSIST". BEWARE OF LEXUS OF SEATTLE - THEY ARE CROOKS! *NM

NHTSA ODI #10170986

Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER 1998 LEXUS 300 ES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED KNOCKED AND DIED WHILE PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE HAD COMPLETELY SEIZED. THE REPAIR FACILITY RECOMMENDED A NEW ENGINE. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED IN DEC 2004, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED ON FEBRUAR…

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CONSUMER 1998 LEXUS 300 ES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED KNOCKED AND DIED WHILE PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE HAD COMPLETELY SEIZED. THE REPAIR FACILITY RECOMMENDED A NEW ENGINE. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED IN DEC 2004, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED ON FEBRUARY 11, 2005 AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED OIL LEAKS AROUND THE VALVE COVER AND OIL PAN AREAS. THE BRAKES AND CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10161558

70,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. DECREASED PERFORMANCE.

NHTSA ODI #10068888

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NATIONAL CALL BACK. *MR *SCC *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10037857

Official recalls

1

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.

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.