10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
165,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1996 Lexus ES 300 electrical problems

electrical problem

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1996 Lexus ES 300 Owner Comments

problem #2

Aug 172011

ES 300

  • 158,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car exploded and started fire in the garage after the car had been parked for approximately 20 minutes. Got home from work and stop at grocery store. Parked car in garage and brought in some groceries. About 10 - 15 minutes later went out to get paper products (tp and paper towels) out of trunk. There was nothing out of the ordinary, no smoke, no fire, no noise. Went in side put away everything and started to cook. Heard loud explosion noise. Went to the garage and opened the door. Hot, heavy black smoke and chemical odor came pouring into the house. I could see flames to the left. It was very hot and there was some liquid mixed in, and the garage was pitch black yet it was a very sunny day with the sun pointing at the garage. Because it was so dark, it looked like the garage doors were closed, but actually, one side was open, but I didn't know because it was so black. Couldn't see anything, and my arm was so hot trying to open garage door at wall switch, burned all the hair off my arm. I then left house, 911 was on the way. Garage caught on fire, everything in garage burned or melted, including my car. Interior hall, all fixtures in hall and bath burnt or melted, extensive smoke damage to entire home. Thousands of dollars and almost 10 months in a hotel. Cars are not supposed to explode or start fire when they are off, parked for 20 minutes in your garage.

- Mckinney, TX, USA

problem #1

Oct 012005

ES 300 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 172,000 miles
: the contact stated the panel in the dash failed and nothing in the dash could be seen. The vehicle was taken to a dealership were a diagnostics test was performed. It was determined that the instrument cluster panel needed to be replaced. No repairs were made. The manufacturer has been alerted. Updated 3/9/2006 -

- Mount Vernon, NY, USA

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