1998 LEXUS ES300 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
61
Owner Complaints
1
Recall
3
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 1998 LEXUS ES300
The 1998 LEXUS ES300 has received a total of 61 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There has been 1 recall campaign affecting this vehicle, covering issues with STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR. 3 technical service bulletins have been issued by Toyota Motor Corporation for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Air Bagsfrontal (8 complaints), Vehicle Speed Control (5 complaints), and Electrical System (3 complaints).
Recalls for the 1998 LEXUS ES300
NHTSA has recorded 1 recall for the 1998 LEXUS ES300, potentially affecting up to 540,037 vehicles.
Recall 99V307000 — STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
| 540,037 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1998 LEXUS ES300
61 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1998 LEXUS ES300. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
MAY 17, 2014 TRAVELING ON FLORIDA TURNPIKE AFTER TWO HOURS HAD TWO TIRES SEPARATE. REPLACED TWO TIRES IN PALM BEACH GARDENS AND CONTINUED ANOTHER HOUR WHEN A THIRD TIRE SEPARATED. TIRES WERE ALL COOPER CS4 P205/65R15. IN KEY WEST REPLACED THE REMAINING FAILED TIRE AND THE SO FAR FOURTH REMAINING COOPER TIRE. WAS NOT ABLE TO RETAIN THE SEPARATED TIRES AS WAS 200 MILES FROM HOME WITH PACKED CAR. *TR
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES HAVE FAILED. I AM UNABLE TO INSERT BELTS INTO THE BUCKLE. CLEANING AND LUBE HAD NO AFFECT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE ENGINE EVAP CANISTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ALL THE TAIL LIGHT WERE OFF AND I FOUND THE FUSE FOR TAIL LIGHT WAS BLEW. SO I REPLACED THE FUSE. NEXT DAY,WHEN I TURNED ON HEADLIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 680, THE "R" INDICATOR ON THE DASHBOARD BECAME ON AS WELL -- NOW BOTH "D" AND "R" WERE ON. IT PUZZLED ME FOR AWHILE SO I DECIDED TO TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHT. AS SOON AS THE HEADLIGHT WAS TURNED OFF , THE CAR "HESITATED" ON FREEWAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER FOR SERVICE WHO CLAIMED THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. AFTER 3 DAYS OF SERVICES, THEY SAID SOME WIRES WERE CROSSED AND CHARGED $581 FOR REPLACING THOSE FAULTY WIRES AND ONE CONTROLLER. THE CAR IS ONLY 13 YEAR OLD AND ABOUT 100 K MILES. I WOULD DEFINITELY CLASSIFY THIS ACCIDENT AS A DEFECT BY MANUFACTURE. I WANT TO FILE THIS COMPLIANT TO SEE ANY OTHER ES300 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SUCH PROBLEM. *TT
FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR (DAMPER) FAILED ALLOWING FUEL TO FLOW INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FUMES THROUGH AIR INTAKE INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS FIRE IF NOT DETECTED IN TIME AND REPAIRED.
Safety Rating for the 1998 LEXUS ES300
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1998 LEXUS ES300 in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1998 LEXUS ES300
Toyota Motor Corporation has issued 3 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 1998 LEXUS ES300. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
L-SB-002-01 - OB — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 7, 2014: This bulletin is now obsolete.
082503 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1998 ES300 WIRELESS DOOR LOCK CONTROL SYSTEM - REPAIR MANUAL CORRECTION - DIAGNOSTICS. *TT
BO00901 — SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
INFORMATION ON PREVENTING PARTICLE BUILDUP AND PRESERVE THE APPEARANCE OF THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR.*JB
NHTSA Investigations for the 1998 LEXUS ES300
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the LEXUS ES300
- 1993 LEXUS ES300 — 53 complaints
- 1994 LEXUS ES300 — 50 complaints
- 1995 LEXUS ES300 — 55 complaints
- 1996 LEXUS ES300 — 44 complaints
- 1997 LEXUS ES300 — 50 complaints
- 1998 LEXUS ES300 (current)
- 1999 LEXUS ES300 — 35 complaints
- 2000 LEXUS ES300 — 78 complaints
- 2001 LEXUS ES300 — 36 complaints
- 2002 LEXUS ES300 — 194 complaints
- 2003 LEXUS ES300 — 147 complaints
Other LEXUS Models
- LEXUS ES350 — 1,531 total complaints
- LEXUS RX — 1,154 total complaints
- LEXUS RX350 — 1,065 total complaints
- LEXUS IS 250 — 938 total complaints
- LEXUS RX300 — 849 total complaints
- LEXUS ES — 817 total complaints
- LEXUS IS — 765 total complaints
- LEXUS RX330 — 659 total complaints