2002 Lexus ES300

No clear pattern

19.6% of complaints about the 2002 Lexus ES300 arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2002 vehicle, but with only 148 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is power train (43 complaints), typically at 2.6 yr or about 4,108 miles.

Complaints: 148
Median age at failure: 2.6 yr
Median mileage: 22,000 n=94
Crash / fire / tow: 29.1% of reports
Safety recalls: 2

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

01V372000 2001-12-11

Air bags:frontal

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THREE-SPOKE STYLE STEERING WHEEL. DURING AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE BOTTOM SEAM OF THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG MODULE COVER (HORN PAD) COULD BE TORN AWAY ALLOWING THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE COVER TO COMPLETELY DETACH FROM THE AIR BAG MODULE.

IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DETACHED BOTTOM PORTION MAY STRIKE THE DRIVER CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY.

01V371000 2001-12-11

Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE TUBE MAY HAVE BEEN DEFORMED PRIOR TO VEHICLE DELIVERY DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF A COIL SPRING SPACER THAT WAS INSTALLED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE DURING TRANSPORTATION.

IF THE BRAKE TUBE IS DEFORMED SIGNIFICANTLY, IT COULD CONTACT THE INNER FENDER PANEL, AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE TUBE DUE TO VIBRATION DURING DRIVING. BRAKE TUBE DAMAGE COULD ALSO LEAD TO BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE AFTER EXTENDED USE OF THE VEHICLE.

In owners’ own words

Power train mileage not reported 8 mo in service

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. *TT

Power train mileage not reported 11 mo in service

WHILE DRIVING AT 20MPH AND WITH NO WARNING MAKING A TURN AND VEHICLE WILL STALL. IT WILL BE HARD FOR CONSUMER TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Power train 150 mi 1.3 yr in service

THE TRANSMISSION HAD A JERK IN THE TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER IT WAS THE DESIGN THE OF THE VEHICLE. *TS *JB

Speed control mileage not reported 11 mo in service crash / fire / tow

WHILE PULLING INTO PARK WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT A TREE. ALSO WHILE DRIVING IN CRUISE CONTROL, TAPPED ON BRAKES TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED.*AK DEALER CHECKED VEHICLE AND COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. *SLC

Other ES300 model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2002 Lexus ES300

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other ES300 model years

How to read this