Illustration1) PASSENGER DRIVER SIDE DASH AIR BAG LOOKS AS IF IT IS READY TO BURST. 2) TRANSMISSION OFTEN HAS SLIGHT SLIP WHILE DRIVING. I NOTICE AT CERTAIN GEAR CHANGE WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATIC VEHICLE.
2003 Lexus Es
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Es years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 17 of 23 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports
Power Train complaints
5 reports1. THE VEHICLE HESITATES WITH INITIAL ACCELERATION (SLOW OR QUICK ACCELERATION). 2. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALSO HESITATES. I SUSPECT THAT OUNCE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM IS FIXED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WOULD BE FIXED. 3. I HAVE GONE TO THE LEXUS DEALER TO UPDATE THE COMPUTER WITH A NEW CHIP TO HELP …
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1. THE VEHICLE HESITATES WITH INITIAL ACCELERATION (SLOW OR QUICK ACCELERATION). 2. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALSO HESITATES. I SUSPECT THAT OUNCE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM IS FIXED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WOULD BE FIXED. 3. I HAVE GONE TO THE LEXUS DEALER TO UPDATE THE COMPUTER WITH A NEW CHIP TO HELP RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS WITH NO SUCCESS. 4. I HAVE DISCOVERED ON THE INTERNET THAT HUNDREDS OF LEXUS OWNERS HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. IN SOME CASES THE DEALERS HAVE THE AUDACITY TO SUGGEST THATS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED! WHY ISN'T LEXUS LISTENING TO ALL THE COMPLAINTS? THANKS *TR
THE CAR CHANGES GEAR WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP OR COASTING. WHEN I APPLY THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR MAY HESITATE AND THE SNAP INTO GEAR AND LUNGE FORWARD OR IT MAY QUICKLY GO BETWEEN TWO GEARS UNTIL IT FINALLY JERKS INTO GEAR AND LUNGES FORWARD. I TOOK THIS CERTIFIED CAR TO THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE UPDATED T…
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THE CAR CHANGES GEAR WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP OR COASTING. WHEN I APPLY THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR MAY HESITATE AND THE SNAP INTO GEAR AND LUNGE FORWARD OR IT MAY QUICKLY GO BETWEEN TWO GEARS UNTIL IT FINALLY JERKS INTO GEAR AND LUNGES FORWARD. I TOOK THIS CERTIFIED CAR TO THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE UPDATED THE COMPUTER PROGRAM BUT IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS BEFORE. THE CAR HAS NOW STARTED TO HESITATE WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AS IF WAS CHANGING GEARS BUT DOESN'T NEED TOO. T HE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY BUT I AM DISCOURAGED BY MY FIRST SERVICE EXPERIENCE. *JB
I OWN A LEXUS 2003 ES. THE TRANSMISSION IS PERFORMING UNSAFELY! 1. AT STOP LIGHTS, WHILE HOLDING THE CAR STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE, THE TRANS WANTS TO GO AND THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD. 2. AT LOW SPEEDS (20 -30 MPH) THE CAR DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GEAR TO BE IN. THE TRANS WILL JUMP DOWN CAUSING THE RPMS TO SUDDENLY INCREASE THEN SLAM INTO…
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I OWN A LEXUS 2003 ES. THE TRANSMISSION IS PERFORMING UNSAFELY! 1. AT STOP LIGHTS, WHILE HOLDING THE CAR STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE, THE TRANS WANTS TO GO AND THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD. 2. AT LOW SPEEDS (20 -30 MPH) THE CAR DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GEAR TO BE IN. THE TRANS WILL JUMP DOWN CAUSING THE RPMS TO SUDDENLY INCREASE THEN SLAM INTO THE NEXT GEAR LUNGING THE CAR FORWARD. 3. MY BIGGEST CONCERN DRIVING DOWNHILL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE TRANS JUMPS OUT OF OVERDRIVE INTO 4TH GEAR LUNGING THE CAR FORWARD! I AM AFRAID OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN WHEN THE ROAD IS WET! *NM
I HAVE A 2003 LEXUS ES300 WITH 41000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND ACTUALLY HESITATES THEN JERKS. I AM AFRAID THIS WILL LEAD TO A BREAK DOWN AT SOME POINT. THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THERE ARE NO UPDATES AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION. *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.