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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.

About this comparison →
27Owner complaints

Model-year median: 38

0Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
37
199645
199752
199827
199956
200029
2001153
2002
Compare all ES300 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
10Power Train
3Air Bags
2Electrical System
2Seat Belts
2
All reported categories
Unknown Or Other
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Child Seat
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Service Brakes, Air
1Steering
1Suspension
1Visibility
1Wheels
1

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

Power Train complaints

3 reports
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88,000 miles · Apr 26, 2008
Power Train

COMPLAINED TO DEALER ABOUT IMPROPER SHIFTING OF TRANSMISSION WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE, BUT CHANGED THE FLUID ANYWAY. I STILL CONTINUED TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER NOT TO COME BACK. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDATIONS…

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COMPLAINED TO DEALER ABOUT IMPROPER SHIFTING OF TRANSMISSION WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE, BUT CHANGED THE FLUID ANYWAY. I STILL CONTINUED TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER NOT TO COME BACK. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDATIONS AND NOW AT 88,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. THIS IS AN U140E TRANSMISSION, WHICH HAS HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10225778

80,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Power TrainUnknown Or Other

THE LEXUS SPECIALIST AT THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER ES 300 MODELS AS WELL AS THE RL MODELS AT ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE. THE ONES WITH THE TOYOTA CAMRY ENGINES HAVEN\\\\\\'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS. THERE IS A TSB ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND I HAVE ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT THERE.

NHTSA ODI #10070114

81,000 miles · Mar 18, 2003
Power Train

JUST BOUGHT A 1999 LEXUS ES 300, TOOK IT TO BE CHECKED OUT BECAUSE THE ENGINE SOUNDED ROUGH IN THE REVERSE GEAR. FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING BADLY AND HAS TO BE REPLACED, THE LEXUS SPECIALIST SAYS HE HAS SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSIONS IN THE ES 300 MODELS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE RL MODELS BUT HAVE NOT HEARD O…

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JUST BOUGHT A 1999 LEXUS ES 300, TOOK IT TO BE CHECKED OUT BECAUSE THE ENGINE SOUNDED ROUGH IN THE REVERSE GEAR. FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING BADLY AND HAS TO BE REPLACED, THE LEXUS SPECIALIST SAYS HE HAS SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSIONS IN THE ES 300 MODELS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE RL MODELS BUT HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY RECALLS. INFORMATION IS FOUND REGARDING THIS PROBLEM IN THE TSB DATABASE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10010655

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.