NHTSA vehicle safety data
2003 Lexus ES300 Recalls, Ratings & Complaints
We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2003 Lexus ES300 right now, so this page doesn't state a recall count — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for current campaigns. 116 owner complaints are on file.
NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2003 Lexus ES300, plus NCAP crash-test ratings.
2003 Lexus ES300 owner complaints
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lexus ES300, describing incidents dated October 22, 2002 to April 20, 2019.
Most-cited components
- Vehicle Speed Control 48 complaints
- Power Train 27 complaints
- Engine 16 complaints
- Air Bags 13 complaints
- Electrical System 10 complaints
- Service Brakes 7 complaints
Of the 116 complaints on file, 43 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 116 complaints, owners report 18 injuries and 2 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Newest complaints
ODI #11223156 · Filed
SIR/MADAM, I AM TRYING TO HELP MY FRIENDS (XXXX) AND (XXXXX), LONG TIME RESIDENTS OF HUNTINGTON BEACH AND A VERY SWEET COUPLE. PEGGY WAS DRIVING HER HUSBAND TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND DUE TO A FAULT IN THE ENGINE (THERE IS A RECALL AND THEY WERE NOT INFORMED), THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IF IT…
ODI #11222432 · Filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, WHEN SHE SAW SMOKE AND FIRE IGNITING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE FAILED AND TURNED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO…
ODI #11218107 · Filed
VIN: (XXXXXX) YEAR: 2003 MAKE: LEXUS MODEL: ES300 (XXXX) AIR/BAG BUSTING THRU DASH ( * NEED HELP ) (XXXX) YEAR: 2003 MAKE: LEXUS MODEL: ES300 AIRBAG IS BULGING -SEE PICTURES ELECTRICAL DRAIN ON THE BATTERY OFF AND ON SINCE. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE…
Owner-reported
2003 Lexus ES300 mileage at failure
81 of the 116 complaints on file for the 2003 Lexus ES300 give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.
| Component | Median | Middle half | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | Median 35,000 miles | Middle half 3,000–75,000 miles | Based on 36 complaints |
A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.
Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.
These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.
Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out
NHTSA defect investigations
NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2003 Lexus ES300 in 4 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
- Defect Petition DP09-001: UNWANTED AND UNINTENDED ACCELERATION
Closed October 29, 2009
- Defect Petition DP05-002: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Closed January 5, 2006
- Preliminary Evaluation PE04-021: THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM
Closed July 22, 2004
- Defect Petition DP04-003: THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM
Closed March 5, 2004
Other Lexus ES300 model years
Check your 2003 Lexus ES300 VIN
Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Lexus ES300 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Check a Lexus VIN