1996 Lexus ES300 problems
The 1996 Lexus ES300 has 44 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (30%) concerns engine. After that come steering (16%) and air bags (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 44 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 30% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 10 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 10 and 4
- Typical mileage
- 115,000 miles 14 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 0 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 1 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 5 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 1 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 14 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 115,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 10 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 10 injuries reported; 4 deaths reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 99% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 6th most-complained-about out of 12 model years of the Lexus ES300 with enough data (21 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Lexus es300 left road and flipped one time. Driver's door came open and buckled seatbelt did not hold driver in car. Driver's head ended up under the driver's side roof door jammed and killed instantly.
Airbag over-sensitivity defect. The consumer feels that the air bag was too sensitive. The vehicle was involved in an accident in which the drivers side bumper and quarter panel was damaged. Both front air bags deployed. An infant car seat , with the consumer child fastened inside, was in the front passenger's seat facing rearward. The impact of the air bag caused fatal injuries to the child.
Steering wheel locked . Luckily while parked. Car towed to lexus of marin. Bill 3000. Mileage on car between 40-50000
My oil light came on in march. I took the car to the lexus dealer on 141 in norcross because I knew my 3 year warrenty ran out in may. The lexus dealer told me that the oil was not flowing properly. He suggested the previous owner did not change the oil and the oil became caked to the engine. The oil was then braking up in pieces and clogging the engine. He said I needed to get another car. I still had payments left (around 6k) and could not afford it. In october, the engine broke.