13 of the
147 complaints about the 2003 Lexus ES300 are about the
airbag system — 9% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
55,000 miles.
F
13
Complaints
9
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
Exactly what failed
AIR Bags
969.2%
Frontal
323.1%
Side/Window
17.7%
What owners said
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
at 80,000 milesTemecula, CA
AIR BAGS
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 INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11218107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 97,000 milesTemecula, CA
AIR BAGS
(XXXX) AIR/BAG BUSTING THRU DASH ( * NEED HELP ) (XXXX) YEAR: 2003 MAKE: LEXUS MODEL: ES3 PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11208366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40,000 milesSavage, MN
AIR BAGS
2003 ES 300 - AIR BAG SENSOR ISSUES: THIS ISSUE IS ONGOING AS OF NOV 2011 AND STARTED BACK IN 2005. WHY DOESN'T LEXUS OFFER A WAY FOR CONSUMERS TO FIX ERROR CODES ON THEIR OWN VEHICLES? I KNOW WHAT MY ERROR CODE IS - B1186 - THOUGH, LEXUS WOULDN'T TELL ME THIS. I HAD TO FIND OUT BY DOING MY OWN DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. DEPENDING ON WHO I SPOKE WITH, THEY TOLD ME DIFFERENT THINGS FROM NEEDING A DRIVER SENSOR REPLACED, TO THE PASSENGER SENSOR, TO THE CENTER SENSOR, TO THE DRIVER AIRBAG, TO NEEDING ALL OF IT REPLACED. EACH PERSON I SPOKE WITH WAS EXTREMELY RELUCTANT TO PROVIDE ME WITH ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND SAID THAT I NEEDED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK FOR THEM TO FIX. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, THEY SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $700 (2008). LAST MONTH, THEY SAID IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM $1500-$3500. I HAVE DONE MY SHARE OF RESEARCH, READING ALL I CAN ONLINE, INCLUDING CONSUMER FORUMS. I HAVE READ 100S OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT AIRBAGS - SENSOR ISSUES, LACK OF DEPLOYMENT, CHECK LIGHT ON, ETC.. IT APPEARS THAT LEXUS HAS HAD ISSUES WITH AIRBAGS FOR YEARS. YET, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY RECALLS OR EVEN CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS. I CAN'T SELL IT WITH THE LIGHT ON AND ITS NOT WORTH PUTTING THAT MUCH MONEY INTO IT. BUT, LEXUS WON'T OFFER ME ANOTHER SOLUTION EXCEPT TO FORK OVER ALL MY SAVINGS.
NHTSA complaint #10437720 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 100,000 milesGrand Prary, TXCrash2 killed
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 45 MPH AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A ROW OF BUSHES AND THEN STRUCK A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS UNDETERMINED. THE DRIVER AND A PASSENGER WERE KILLED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #10434902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 139,000 milesBoling Brook, ILCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 MPH MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE OF HER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER ARMS, LEGS AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 139,000.
NHTSA complaint #10410866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vega Baja, PRCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
I HAD A TOTAL LOSS CAR CRASH , A LEXUS ES 300 ON MY WAY TO COLLEGE , MY NECK AND BACK WERE AFFECTED AND NOT EVEN ONE AIRBAG OPENED TO PROTECT THE PASSENGERS , THAT THANK GOD I WAS THE ONLY ONE , THAT TRAGIC DAY. I BOUGHT THAT CAR , NOT FOR LUXURY BUT FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY IT OFFERED AND THAT IN MY CASE DIDN'T WORK. MY CAR HAS A DEFECT AND A VERY SERIOUS ONE. HOW MANY OTHER LEXUS MIGHT HAVE THE SAME DEFECT? DO SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO DIE TO SOLVE THIS.
NHTSA complaint #10351124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 65,000 milesLake ST. Louis, MOCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
OWNER OF THE CAR WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH ON INTERSTATE, CROSSING A BRIDGE, TAPPED BRAKES WHEN APPROACHING SLUSH AND SNOW, LEXUS ES300 WENT INTO A SPIN, SPUN AROUND ONCE, SPUN ONTO THE SHOULDER AND ROLLING DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, ROLLING OVER TWICE AND LANDING UPSIDE DOWN IN DRAINAGE DITCH. DRIVER WAS SUSPENDED UPSIDE DOWN, HANGING IN SEAT BELT THAT HAD DEPLOYED THE FULL LENGTH OF THE BELT. SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD DRIVER IN THE SEAT, WINDSHIELD, BACK GLASS AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED. NO FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DURING CRASH OR ROLL OVER. DRIVER SUSTAINED CONCUSSION, NECK AND SHOULDER INJURIES. CAR WAS DEEMED TOTALED BY INSURANCE CARRIER.
NHTSA complaint #10213300 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 45,000 milesFremont, CACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES FROM HITTING HIS HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10103434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 37,000 milesLAS Vegas NV, NVCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
I WAS IN A AUTO ACCIDENT AND WAS HIT ON THE LEFT FRONT OF MY 2003 LEXUS AND THE AIR CURTAIN DID NOT ACTIVATE. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE DRIVERS DOOR WINDOW. DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED OVER $3000.00 ON MY VEHICLE. I TRIED TO GET ANSWERS FROM THE DEALER BUT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE SENSOR WAS LOCATED AND WHY IT DID NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #10093831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 2,600 milesSherman Oaks, CACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. VEHICLE WENT OVER THE CURB, AND HIT A LIGHT POLE. FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10064706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Boylston, MACrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 4 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE HITTING AN EMBANKMENT HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION.
NHTSA complaint #10063075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 2,200 milesNEW Rochelle, NYCrash
AIR BAGS
WHILE WAITING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT AN INTERSECTION AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED THE VEHICLE. *AK THE DEALERSHIP INSISTED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE.
NHTSA complaint #10062896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pembroke Pines, FL
AIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE WAS DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALERSHIP RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE CONSUMER WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC LATER STATED THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT FOR A REPLACEMENT DASH TO ARRIVE. *PH
NHTSA complaint #10032267 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.