IllustrationTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 LEXUS ES 300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT HOOD RELEASED IN AN OPEN POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. IMMEDIATELY, THE SUN ROOF GLASS SHATTERED. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED FOR THE MALFUNCTION AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142366.
1992 Lexus ES300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Lexus ES300 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all ES300 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: 8 of 37 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.
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. 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.
4 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports
Latches/locks/linkages complaints
4 reportsDRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 55-60 MPH WHEN THE HOOD SUDDENLY POPPED OPEN DAMAGING THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD. *TR
DURING OIL CHANGE MECHANIC NOTICED HOOD LATCH WAS FAILING, THERE IS A RECALL BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT AFFECTED DUE TO VIN. *AK
RECALL 94V039 000/HOOD ASSEMBLY:LATCHES: HOOD UNLATCHED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 45 MPH, CAUSING HOOD TO FLY OVER WINDSHIELD AND DAMAGE WINDSHIELD, ALSO, DAMAGES WAS DONE TO THE ROOF AND FENDER. DEALER NOTIFED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
Official recalls
194V039000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Feb 23, 1994
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MECHANISM HAS A NARROW CLEARANCE BETWEEN INTERNAL PARTS WHICH, OVER TIME, ACCUMULATE DUST OR OTHER FOREIGN MATTER AND CAUSE THE LATCH TO NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS AND THE PRIMARY LATCH IS NOT PROPERLY ENGAGED, THE HOOD COULD OPEN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING, BLOCKING THE VISION OF THE DRIVER, WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: LEXUS DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH.
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.