THE VEHICLE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER SOON FOUND OUT THE CAR HAD A SLUDGE PROBLEM WHICH EVENTUALLY CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL, ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT. NLM
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 →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: 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.
What owners actually said
27 reportsI RECENTLY BOUGHT A DEALER LOW MILEAGE EXTENDED TO 100K WARRANTY 1999 ES300 LEXUS, MY MID AGE DREAM CAR. IT IS TRULY A NICE AUTO, EXCEPT. THE BEAST HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES FOR "MAID SERVICE" NOT GENUINE PROBLEM UNTIL FROST/FREEZE PUTS THE PROBLEM AGAINST MY REQUIREMENT OF WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER FOR VISION. MICE HAVE A FREE…
Read full complaint
I RECENTLY BOUGHT A DEALER LOW MILEAGE EXTENDED TO 100K WARRANTY 1999 ES300 LEXUS, MY MID AGE DREAM CAR. IT IS TRULY A NICE AUTO, EXCEPT. THE BEAST HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES FOR "MAID SERVICE" NOT GENUINE PROBLEM UNTIL FROST/FREEZE PUTS THE PROBLEM AGAINST MY REQUIREMENT OF WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER FOR VISION. MICE HAVE A FREE RUN OF THE ENTIRE AIR INTAKE SYSTEMS...AIR CONDITIONING/HEATER AND ENGINE AIR FILTER/FUEL INJECTION. I HAVE PHONED AND E-MAILED THE TOYOTA/LEXUS FOLKS BOTH AT WEBSITE AND CALIFORNIA MULTIPLE TIMES WITH LITTLE RESPECT TOWARDS CONSUMER COMMUNICATION. THE RESPONSE FROM MY AGITATION RELIEVED ME OF THE LAST $BILL PRESENTATION, YET THE ONLY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE: "GET MOTH BALLS,GET A CAT, GET AN EXTERMINATOR..". MY CAR SITS ON CONCRETE IN A RURAL CARPORT 1/2 THE TIME..YET WHEN MY HUSBAND TOOK ME TO YET ANOTHER TOYOTA SERVICE SHOP TO ASK..WHAT IF THIS PROBLEM EXIST FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THEM? ONE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAS DEALT WITH AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS EVERY WHICH WAY SINCE 1990..AND NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR THE COMPLAINT! HE PERSONALLY HAS A CAMRY THAT IS PARKED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN A CLOSED GARAGE, WITH CAR COVER, 5 CATS AND LIBERAL DOUSING OF RAT POISON..AND HAS 3 TIMES HAD TO CLEAN OUT THE SAME PROBLEM. HE ALSO SAID IT IS NO EASY FEAT TO GET AT THE CAR FRAME TO CLEAN ...INCLUDING DEAD RODENTS,MICE & SNAKES..AND DISINFECT; SOME OF THESE ARE LUXURY AUTOS?! YET NO CORPORATE INTEREST TO ACKNOWLEDGE NOR RECTIFY THE INCONVENIENCE AND EXPENSE AND PERHAPS DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN WINDSHIELD VISION MAY BE MORE THAN IMPAIRED DUE TO NO AIR CONTROL TO THE FRONT AUTO GLASS BECAUSE MOUSE ?!@#$% AND NEST CRAP JUST GOT SUCKED INTO THE "SOPHISTICATED" AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM. APPARENTLY THIS IS A ROUTINE SITUATION FOR MANY THAT DO NOT RESIDE IN A CONCRETE JUNGLE ENVIRON. *TR
AT START UP AND ACCELERATION BLUE SMOKE COMES FROM TAIL PIPE.ALSO, THERE IS EXCESSIVE USE OF OIL, AND PCV VALVE IS CLOGGED UP. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE BASED ON NO EVIDENCE OF DEFECT
DURING EARLY MORNING STARTS WHEN ACCELERATING RPMS WERE AROUND 1700 TO 2300. CONSUMER HEARD A VERY LOUD PITCH., UNSURE OF THE LOCATION OF THE NOISE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT HOLD CHILD'S SAFETY SEAT FIRMLY. YH
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, IT WOULD SWERVE RIGHT OR LEFT INTO ANOTHER LANE VERY QUICKLY. WOULD HAVE NO PRIOR WARNING WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN. PROBLEM COULD HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER & WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A COMMON CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY A PIECE OF METAL OR STEEL PUNCTURED THE GAS TANK. ACCORDING TO CONSUMER, THERE WAS NO PROTECTION FOR GAS TANKS. A SIMILAR PROBLEM COULD HAPPEN TO THE FORD. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN EXPLOSION. *AK
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
1DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
Illustration