12 of the 194 complaints about the 2002 Lexus ES300 are about the engine — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 98,771 miles.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE
LARGE CLOUD OF WHITE/GRAY SMOKE WHEN CAR SITS OVERNIGHT FROM PREVIOUS NIGHT DRIVING. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. THERE WAS A LAWSUIT FILED BECAUSE OF THIS. WHY NOT A RECALL????
NHTSA complaint #10864819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THERE WERE FLAMES AND A BLACK SUBSTANCE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR CENTER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10822093 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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
NHTSA complaint #10676182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
DEALER AND FINANCE COMPANY CLAIM CLEAN TITLE BUT DOCUMENTS REFLECT OTHERWISE.
NHTSA complaint #10609464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT APPROXIMATELY 3-4 FT. BEHIND A UTILITY TRUCK. SUDDENLY THE CAR SURGED FORWARD AND HIT THE REAR END OF THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME.
NHTSA complaint #10401859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR ACCELERATION WAS LIMITED. ERROR CODES P2121 AND P2128 INDICATED FAULTY "THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR" THE PART RETAILS FOR AROUND $100. LEXUS INSISTED THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. LEXUS CHARGED ME $764 TO REPLACE BOTH ASSEMBLIES. I BELIEVE LEXUS SHOULD HAVE COVERED THE COST OF ALL OF THE COST OF REPLACING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY. MY VEHICLE IS A 2002 LEXUS ES300.
NHTSA complaint #10346158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE A 2002 LEXUS ES300. IT STOPPED WHILE DRIVING RECENTLY. THERE WAS NO INDICATION. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD I FOUND THE SMALL PIPE CONNECTING THE AIR INTAKE TO THE ENGINE HAD COME OFF. I WAS LUCKY AS THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED. HOWEVER IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY, I POSSIBLE WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS COMPLAINT.
NHTSA complaint #10304641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED SMOKED UNDER THE HOOD. IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, FLAMES APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE PALM BEACH COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT FILED REPORT NUMBER 09-092367 AND FIRE REPORT NUMBER 09-50737. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 44,000.
NHTSA complaint #10273948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2002 LEXUS ES 300 AND NOT MUCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE INSIDE ETC. THE ACCELERATION AND THROTTLE THOUGH ARE A MAJOR PROBLEM. I ALMOST GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT GETTING ONTO 95 TRYING TO PASS A SEMI BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR " PAUSES" WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL. AFTER THE PAUSE IT STARTS TO ACCELERATE SO I BARELY MADE IT WITHOUT HITTING THE SEMI. THIS REALLY CONCERNS ME AND WANT LEXUS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. ITS JUST PLAIN UNSAFE.
NHTSA complaint #10257378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
UPON ACCELERATION IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC, SEVERE HESITATION WITH BRAKE-LIKE EFFECT, ENGINE REVIVING, WITH DRIVER THROWN FORWARD, THEN LURCHING INTO GEAR. SAID WAS FIXED WITH INSTALLATION OF TSIB TC004-3. NARROWLY BEING MISSED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN CAR BASICALLY STALLED. TSIB NOT A FIX. NOW ENGINE LIGHT ON. DANGEROUS IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC.
NHTSA complaint #10130430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
WHEN DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED*AK THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE SITUATION BUT DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THERE WAS EXCESSIVE BELT SQUEALING IN THE MORNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED AND THE KEY WOULD NO TURN IN THE IGNITION. *SC
NHTSA complaint #10063168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
IN DAY LIGHT HOURS WHEN SUN IS OUT CONSUMER CAN'T SEE DIALS ON SPEEDOMETER, UNABLE TO TELL HOW FAST VEHICLE WAS GOING. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE. *AK CONSUMER ALSO CAN NOT SEE THE FUEL GAUGE, ENGINE SPEED AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE.
NHTSA complaint #8010890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.