Model year record
The 1994 Lexus ES300 has 1 safety recall and 39 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is seat belts (10 complaints).
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
| City / highway | 16 / 22 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Seat beltsFront › Buckle assembly; Front › Anchorage | 10 | — |
| SuspensionFront; Rear | 5 | — |
| Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal | 4 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Foundation components | 4 | — |
| VisibilityGlass, side/rear; Power window devices and controls | 4 | — |
| Power trainAutomatic transmission; Axle assembly | 4 | — |
| Electrical system12v/24v/48v battery › Cables | 4 | — |
| Air bagsFrontal | 3 | — |
| Tires | 3 | — |
| SteeringSteering wheel/handle bar; Linkages › Knuckle › Spindle › Arm | 3 | — |
| Fuel system, otherDelivery | 1 | — |
| SeatsFront assembly › Recliner | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
2004 LEXUS ES330-CAR HESITATES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. VERY UNSAFE WHEN TRYING TO MERGE INTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. ALMOST HAD SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. COMPUTER CHIP FOR TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX PROBLEM. USED PREMIUM GAS AS SUGGESTED BY MECHANIC- NOTHING HELPED. *TR
1994 LEXUS ES300 INSTRUMENT PANEL (SPEEDOMETER,TACHOMETER,FUEL,AND TEMP),NEEDLES HAVE GONE OUT AND IMPOSSIBLE TO READ GAUGES AT NIGHT OR IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS. *TR
BOUGHT LEXUS ES300 IN 1994. KEPT FOR CAR FOR 5 YEARS. EVEN BRAND NEW IT WOULD OCCASIONALLY LUNGE FORWARD WHEN MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO DEALERSHIP OVER AND OVER; WROTE LETTERS; KEPT COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SPORADIC LUNGING FORWARD OF THE CAR BUT I WAS NOT EVEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY. AT A STOP LIGHT I WOULD HAVE TO STAY 10+ FEET BEHIND THE CAR IN FRONT JUST IN CASE MY LEXUS LUNGED FORWARD EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I FINALLY GOT RID OF THIS CAR SINCE I FELT IT WAS A NOT SAFE AND THE DEALERSHIP NOR THE COMPANY TOOK ME SERIOUS ABOUT THIS RACING OF THE ENGINE AND THE LUNGING FORWARD. *TR
1994 LEXUS ES300. ELECTROLUMINESCENT GAUGES FOR SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER FAIL TO ILLUMINATE. THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE (ESPECIALLY WITH GLARE OR AT NIGHT) TO DETERMINE RPM'S OR SPEED. A SEARCH ON THE WEB WILL SHOW THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG 1992 - 1996 ES300'S. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE REVIEWED. *TR
DRIVER'S SEATBELT ASSEMBLY REPEATEDLY UNLATCHES ARBITRARILY POSING SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. HAS OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. FLOW LEXUS OF KERNERSVILLE, NC, REFUSES TO MAKE COMPLIMENTARY REPAIR.*AK
FRONT SEAT BELT MAY NOT LATCH PROPERLY AND CAN UN-LATCH ITSELF. HAS OCCURRED OCCASIONALLY WITHOUT WARNING SINCE THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT DATE. *JB
PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL EXTEND OUTWARD, BUT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK IN PLACE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BATTERY IS LEAKING ACID THROUGH POSITIVE POST. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.