AI Damage1997 Lexus ES300: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Lexus ES300 filed 45 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 45
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 18% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 7% of all complaints
- 7 Seats 7% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 8 complaints (18% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Seat belts: 5 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 3 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 45 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The front passenger's seat was fully reclined on the track frame with the occupant being secured with the seat belt as the crash occurred. The front passenger was killed.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 lexus es300. The contact stated that while shifting into drive, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into a tree. The driver received bruises from the air bag deployemnt and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the contact was advised that the accelerator pedal had…
Tl contact owns a 1997 lexus es300. While driving 30 mph up hill, he noticed that the vehicle would not stop accelerating even when the brakes were applied. The failure caused the contact to crash into a building. The contact sustained injuries to his neck and ribs during the crash.
Seat belt doesn't retract when removed after crash repair. Dealer claims this is normal when car gets old! Belt must be manually pushed back into retractor after each time it's used. I'm afraid belt may not work properly in a severe crash.
Vehicle steered to the left when hit by an object. When the driver tried to steer vehicle straight it went out of control, resulting in a collision and minor injuries. Manufacturer has been notified.
The steering wheel comes completely off the column while driving on the freeway. Then again when turning. The car could not be steered at all. The horn and power steering no longer work.
Firestone fr380 bl p205/65r15 92s tread seperated at highway speed. Single tire replaced with primewell ps830/850 bl 205/65r15 94h.
The contact stated that the seat belt has been unable to retract ever since the vehicle was purchased. The vehicle has not been diagnosed due to the warranty. The failure mileage was 17,708 and current mileage was 73,000. Updated 03-09-09 the seat belt did not retract when it was unlocked.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 5,630 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the ES300 has 43 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 45, about average.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Lexus ES300?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 45. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (11%), A/C or heater (7%), knocking, grinding or other noise (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Lexus ES300?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Lexus ES300 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.