FaultScore report
Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 2002 Lexus GS300 with NHTSA between 2002 and 2015. The largest single group is the acceleration & cruise control. Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 8 worst.
FaultScore 45/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Lexus GS300.
How this is worked out15
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1 complaint reports a death.
31,500 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
50%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 23,000 miles
Median failure at 55,000 miles
Median failure at 105,000 miles
Median failure at 40,000 miles
Median failure at 65,000 miles
Median failure at 12,000 miles
1 crashes, 0 fires
Median failure at 5,000 miles
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER STATES WHILE HIS SON WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A POLE, FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND DRIVER DIED, DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #8019219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FEED BROKEN LOOSE.
NHTSA complaint #10717643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TIRE: INNER SIDEWALL BLOWOUT WHILE PARKED. NO EXTERNAL CAUSE. TIRE IS 80,000 MILE TIRE WARRANTY, WITH 40,000 MILES USED AND HAS 6/32 TREAD DEPTH REMAINING. MAY BE A STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10552057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TIRE: INNER SIDEWALL BLOWOUT WHILE PARKED. NO EXTERNAL CAUSE. TIRE IS 80,000 MILE TIRE WARRANTY, WITH 40,000 MILES USED AND HAS 6/32 TREAD DEPTH REMAINING. MAY BE A STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10552057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SUDDEN ACCELERATION AFTER TURNING A CORNER. I SLOWED DOWN TO TURN A CORNER TO APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH AND AFTER NEGOTIATING THE TURN ACCELERATED MODERATELY TO ABOUT 20-25 MPH. AT THAT INSTANT THE MOTOR STARTED TO RACE. THE CAR ACCELERATED RAPIDLY IN A FEW SECONDS TO APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND GOT THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN TO 20-25 MPH. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED THE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE AGAIN AT AN ACCELERATING RATE. I THE DECIDED TO ABORT THE ACCELERATION AND STOP THE CAR THIS TIME BY THROWING THE SHIFT INTO "PARK." WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO DO THAT THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT WENT ONLY AS FAR AS NEUTRAL. I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT BEING IN NEUTRAL WAS OK AND APPLIED THE BRAKE AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED THE DEALER. THE DEALER PICKED UP THE CAR. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS/MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE FLOORMAT SLIDING UNDER THE ACCELERATOR. I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THE FLOORMAT IF IT GOT UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CONSTANT ACCELERATION. IN BOTH CASES THE CAR ACCELERATED AT AN ACCELERATING RATE. I ASKED THE DEALER TO CALL LEXUS TO SEE WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THIS. EVENTUALLY WHEN I SPOKE TO THEM THEY TOLD ME LEXUS CONFIRMED THEIR DIAGNOSIS. THEY KNEW OF NO OTHER CAUSE FOR THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10320348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
UNCONTROLLED EXCESSIVE ENGINE SPEED UP THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES ON TWO OCCASIONS THERE WAS HIGH WIND FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN COLD WEATHER. I WONDER IF THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL WAS FOOLED. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT MUST BE THAT I WAS NOT USED TO A ELECTRONIC GAS PEDAL!!!
NHTSA complaint #10313099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
UNCONTROLLED EXCESSIVE ENGINE SPEED UP THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES ON TWO OCCASIONS THERE WAS HIGH WIND FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN COLD WEATHER. I WONDER IF THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL WAS FOOLED. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT MUST BE THAT I WAS NOT USED TO A ELECTRONIC GAS PEDAL!!!
NHTSA complaint #10313099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
LOWER BALL JOINTS ON LEXUS GS300 ARE VERY WEAK AND SUBJECT TO BREAK AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DAMAGE TO THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10254453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HESITATION WHILE DRIVING TO THE INTERSECTION, AND VEHICLE WILL NOT GO FORWARD WITH ANY POWER. CONSUMER PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, BUT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE WITH ANY FORCE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT RECEIVED NO ASSISTANCE.
NHTSA complaint #10105160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE FAULTY BRAKES CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT ROTORS WERE WARPED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10075691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE JERKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10067419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10063520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LURCH FORWARD. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *SC
NHTSA complaint #10063306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
LEXUS GS300/2002. DUNLOP SPORT TIRES 5000 MILES ONLY. LEFT REAR TIRE.SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF TIRE, PLUS NEW WHEEL/DISC.INVESTIGATION BY LEXUS SHOWED LARGE PUNCTURE HOLE ON TIRE. BUT TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE IT EXPLODED APART?
NHTSA complaint #10030695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER STATES WHILE HIS SON WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A POLE, FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND DRIVER DIED, DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #8019219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION HEADLIGHTS SHORT OUT, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8003392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.