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1999 Lexus ES300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Lexus ES300 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 13 of 27 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 2 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 reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

2 reports
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100,000 miles · Feb 22, 2006
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING ON A RECENTLY OILED AND CHIPPED RURAL ROAD, I HAD TO VEER TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO AVOID AN ONCOMING VEHICLE DRIVING IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD. UPON SAID VEHICLE PASSING, I SLIGHTLY TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO FULLY RETURN TO THE ROAD. AT THIS POINT, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO "FISH TAIL" TERRIBLY, NO MA…

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WHILE DRIVING ON A RECENTLY OILED AND CHIPPED RURAL ROAD, I HAD TO VEER TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO AVOID AN ONCOMING VEHICLE DRIVING IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD. UPON SAID VEHICLE PASSING, I SLIGHTLY TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO FULLY RETURN TO THE ROAD. AT THIS POINT, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO "FISH TAIL" TERRIBLY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL, AND EVENTUALLY TURNED HEAD ON TOWARD THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD, DIRECTLY TOWARD TREES LINING THE OPPOSITE SIDE. I MUST HAVE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, AS THE NEXT THING I RECALL IS FACING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAT I WAS GOING, WITH THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE OF THE CAR RESTING AGAINST THE TREES LINING THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION I WAS TRAVELING. THE IMPACT HAD BEEN EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT, AS THE VEHICLE WAS ABSOLUTELY TOTALED, WITH THE FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE BEING THE AREAS OF PRIMARY DAMAGE. THIS VEHICLE HAD SIX (6) AIRBAGS, NONE OF WHICH DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY LOOKED AT BY LEXUS REPRESENTATIVES, WHO ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO, I.E., THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS ACCIDENT, WHICH I FIND DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND CONSIDERING THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OF SAID VEHICLE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT NHTSA TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10150951

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2003
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ODI #10001920

Official recalls

0

No 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

1

DP02004 · Engine Seizure

Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.