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2013 Lexus ES300

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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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: 5 of 5 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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

1 reports
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2,100 miles · Apr 1, 2014
Air BagsSeat BeltsService BrakesCrashInjury

CAR HAS BRAKE PEDAL CHARACTERISTIC WHICH ALLOWS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO REACH FULL STOP OF THE END OF FULL MECHANICAL TRAVEL (VS. HYDRAULICALLY LIMITED BY BRAKE PRESSURE) AND THE BRAKES ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO APPLY MORE BRAKING FORCE. THIS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS CAR MODEL IS DIRECTLY LINKED WITH THE CAUSATION OF THE COLLISION AND WAS …

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CAR HAS BRAKE PEDAL CHARACTERISTIC WHICH ALLOWS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO REACH FULL STOP OF THE END OF FULL MECHANICAL TRAVEL (VS. HYDRAULICALLY LIMITED BY BRAKE PRESSURE) AND THE BRAKES ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO APPLY MORE BRAKING FORCE. THIS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS CAR MODEL IS DIRECTLY LINKED WITH THE CAUSATION OF THE COLLISION AND WAS CERTAINLY A MAJOR SURPRISE TO THE OWNER AS THIS EVENT WAS OCCURRING. NO SUCH WARNING PROVIDED TO CONSUMERS WITH THIS PARTICULAR BRAKING ISSUE IN LEXUS ES300H. CHARACTERISTIC IS ENDEMIC TO THE MODEL AS TESTED IN OTHER IDENTICAL MODELS BY THE OWNER. STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG (ONE OF SEVERAL THAT DEPLOYED IN THIS TOTAL LOSS ACCIDENT) DID NOT PREVENT OWNER FROM PHYSICALLY STRIKING THE STEERING WHEEL EVEN THOUGH HE WAS UTILIZING THE SEAT BELT. CHEST FORCEFULLY STRUCK STEERING WHEEL, WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED AND SHOULD BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF THIS SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM. THE OWNER WAS NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED FROM IMPACTING THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH INFLICTED SERIOUS BODILY INJURY. FURTHERMORE, HE WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE THE ENGINE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE FOLD UP DURING THE IMPACT AND SO NO VISUAL OBSTRUCTION OCCURRED IN THE MOMENTS OF IMPACT AND AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE AIR BAG DID NOT PROPERLY COVER THE STEERING WHEEL TO PREVENT STEERING WHEEL BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA. SEAT BELTS SHOULD HAVE RESTRAINED THE OWNER FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH IT DID NOT DO. THE OWNER ALWAYS HAD THE SEAT POSITIONED WELL AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THROUGH A COMBINATION OF THE AIR BAG DESIGN, AND THE SEAT BELTS AND BRAKES NOT WORKING IN A MANNER THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DO SO, THE OWNER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE BRAKES ON THE CAR FEATURE TYPICAL ANTI LOCK CAPABILITY, WHICH WOULD MAKE THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATE UPON ACTIVATION. NO SUCH PULSATION OCCURRED DURING THIS PRE-ACCIDENT AND ACCIDENT DECELERATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576579

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.