IllustrationFUEL 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.
1998 Lexus ES300
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
00–25K
125–50K
1050–75K
475–100K
5100–150K
2150K+
22 reports with mileage · 30 unknown
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.
- Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
3 reportsOVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE PERIODICALLY COMPLAINED TO MY TOYOTA OF TUCSON (AUTO MALL) SERVICE DEPT. THAT MY '98 ES300 PERIODICALLY PRODUCES INTENSE GASOLINE ODOR IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, MANY MONTHS APART. THE FUMES SEEM TO BE SWEPT IN THROUGH A/C OR HEATING VENTS, AND CAN CONTINUE FOR THE DU…
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OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE PERIODICALLY COMPLAINED TO MY TOYOTA OF TUCSON (AUTO MALL) SERVICE DEPT. THAT MY '98 ES300 PERIODICALLY PRODUCES INTENSE GASOLINE ODOR IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, MANY MONTHS APART. THE FUMES SEEM TO BE SWEPT IN THROUGH A/C OR HEATING VENTS, AND CAN CONTINUE FOR THE DURATION OF A LOCAL DRIVE, ONLY TO DISAPPEAR THE NEXT TIME THE CAR IS STARTED. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO FOLLOW ANY PATTERN -- NOT JUST AFTER FILL-UP; NOT JUST AT START-UP; NOT JUST WHEN ENGINE HOT OR COLD. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND HAS OFFERED NO FIX. NOW, WITH LONG-KNOWN TOYOTA PROBLEMS BEGINNING TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE COMPANY, I AM WONDERING IF THERE IS, IN FACT, SOME CORPORATE OR NHTSA AWARENESS OF A GAS LEAK ISSUE. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION GASOLINE WAS POURING OUT ONTO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THE FUEL PRESSURE DAMPER WAS …
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION GASOLINE WAS POURING OUT ONTO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THE FUEL PRESSURE DAMPER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.*AK UPDATED 03/17/06. *JB
Official recalls
199V307000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Nov 1, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
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
1DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.