MY 2001 LEXUS GS300 EXPERIENCED ENGINE BUCKING AND ENGINE CUT OUT DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS--THROTTLE ADJUSTER AND PEDAL SENSOR. THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS WERE REPLACED BY THE LEXUS CO AT 70K MILES UNDER THE ENGINE WARRANTY. THIS ENGINE CUT OUT IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO PEOPLES LIVES. *AK
2001 Lexus GS300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all GS300 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: 10 of 17 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 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
17 reportsI AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 LEXUS GS300, WITH IT WANTING TO "PULL/FOLLOW/WANDER" WHEN DRIVING ON CERTAIN ROADS. I HAVE ADDRESSED THIS CONCERN WITH LEXUS, BUT THEIR HELP WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THEY TELL ME THAT THIS IS THE NATURE OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN WHEN ANOTHER LEXUS GS300 (2003) DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THIS PRO…
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I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 LEXUS GS300, WITH IT WANTING TO "PULL/FOLLOW/WANDER" WHEN DRIVING ON CERTAIN ROADS. I HAVE ADDRESSED THIS CONCERN WITH LEXUS, BUT THEIR HELP WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THEY TELL ME THAT THIS IS THE NATURE OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN WHEN ANOTHER LEXUS GS300 (2003) DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED MY LEXUS. WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR THE 1000 MILE CHECK-UP- I BROUGHT UP THE CONCERN, BUT WHAT I GOT WAS THAT THE STEERING LOOSENS, A LITTLE AS THE CAR AGES. WHEN I MENTIONED THIS TO ONE LEXUS DEALER- HE INDICATED THAT THAT WAS NOT TRUE AND THAT WAS AN UNACCEPTABLE ANSWER. TODAY, I CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT HAS NOT BEEN AN ADDRESS BY LEXUS, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THEY SAY ITS THE NATURE OF THE CAR. THIS CAR CURRENTLY HAS LEXUS OEM 17 WHEELS FROM A LEXUS GS430- THE GS300 HAS 16 WHEELS, BUT EVEN WITH THESE ITS A PROBLEM. THANKS DANNY ZAMORA. *AK
I HAVE A 2001 LEXUS GS300. MY VEHICLE FLIPPED THREE TIMES ON A TURN AND NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NOT THE SIDE, FRONT OR CURTAIN AIR BAGS. *NLM
I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE STEEING ON MY 2001 LEXUS GS300 AND I'VE ONLY HAD IT FOR A YEAR. IT IS SO LOOSE IT IS ALMOST SCARY. I CAN TURN IT ALMOST A HALF TURN AT SAY 5 MPH WITH ALMOST NO CHANGE IN DIRECTION OF THE CAR, THAT AND THE FACT THAT I CAN DO THIS WITH ONE FINGER ON THE WHEEL. I'VE HAD AN INCIDENT, WHERE I LO…
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I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE STEEING ON MY 2001 LEXUS GS300 AND I'VE ONLY HAD IT FOR A YEAR. IT IS SO LOOSE IT IS ALMOST SCARY. I CAN TURN IT ALMOST A HALF TURN AT SAY 5 MPH WITH ALMOST NO CHANGE IN DIRECTION OF THE CAR, THAT AND THE FACT THAT I CAN DO THIS WITH ONE FINGER ON THE WHEEL. I'VE HAD AN INCIDENT, WHERE I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING (SHAKING STEERING WHEEL) AND CAUSE ME TO HIT THE CURB ON A LOCAL STREET. I HAVE BEEN READING THE POSTS ON CLUBLEXUS ABOUT THE L-TUNED STEERING ECU AND FIGURED THAT HAD TO BE A SOLUTION (EVEN THOUGH HALF THE POSTS ONLY SAY IT AFFECTS HIGH SPEED FEEL). HOWEVER, I RAN INTO A FRIEND TODAY WITH A 2000 GS400. I TEST DROVE HIS CAR AND THE DIFFERENCE WAS AMAZING (AND WE BOTH HAVE THE EXACT SAME 17" TIRES). HIS STEERING WAS FIRM AND DIRECT AND IS COMPLETELY STOCK WITHOUT THE L-TUNED ECU. NOW MY QUESTION - HOW IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO CONVINCE MY DEALER THAT I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR'S STEERING? I KNOW THERE IS AN ADJUSTMENT THAT CAN BE MADE, BUT FROM OTHER POSTS IT SEEMS AS IF DEALERS ARE RELUCTANT TO DO THIS.
THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS NOT MANUFACTURER PER SE. A RAT OR OTHER RODENT TYPE ANIMAL ENTERED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ATE AND/OR CHEWED THROUGH HOSES, HARNESSES, AND PLASTIC COMPONENT COVERS CAUSING FLUIDS TO LEAK OUT AND THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE MAY BE MANY SIMILAR INCIDENTS DUE TO SOMETHING THAT IS IN T…
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THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS NOT MANUFACTURER PER SE. A RAT OR OTHER RODENT TYPE ANIMAL ENTERED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ATE AND/OR CHEWED THROUGH HOSES, HARNESSES, AND PLASTIC COMPONENT COVERS CAUSING FLUIDS TO LEAK OUT AND THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE MAY BE MANY SIMILAR INCIDENTS DUE TO SOMETHING THAT IS IN THE COMPONENTS. MY BMW WAS PARKED IN THE SAME PLACE FOR 2 YEARS AND DID NOT HAVE ANY TROUBLES. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN SHARE ON THIS ISSUE. THANKS, JIM BOUZIANE. *AK
ALL BALL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE FIRST WEEK AFTER WE GOT THE CAR THE FRONT BERRING WAS REPLACED SENT IT BACK THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE BACK BEARING WAS REPLACED CAR TAKEN BACK THE OTHER TWO BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. OTHER INCIDENT CALL WAS BACK TO THE DEALER FOR BRAKE LIGHT ON AND SMELL OF RUBBER BURNING NOW I PUT THE CA…
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ALL BALL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE FIRST WEEK AFTER WE GOT THE CAR THE FRONT BERRING WAS REPLACED SENT IT BACK THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE BACK BEARING WAS REPLACED CAR TAKEN BACK THE OTHER TWO BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. OTHER INCIDENT CALL WAS BACK TO THE DEALER FOR BRAKE LIGHT ON AND SMELL OF RUBBER BURNING NOW I PUT THE CAR IN PARK TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND THE CAR JERKS.*AK
EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING, IT ALSO OCCASIONALLY BECOMES DEPRESSED WITHOUT TOUCHING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. *SLC
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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