Most common 2002 Lexus ES300 problems
Share of the 153 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus ES300 complaints by model year
Best ES300 years: 2013, 1999, 2001. Years to avoid: 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
2002 Lexus ES300 recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with a three-spoke style steering wheel. During air bag deployment, it is possible that the bottom seam of the front driver's side air bag module cover (horn pad) could be torn away allowing the bottom portion of the cover to completely detach from the air bag module.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side air bag module. Owner notification began December 28, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The left front brake tube May have been deformed prior to vehicle delivery due to improper installation of a coil spring spacer that was installed to prevent damage to the vehicle during transportation.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front brake line and, if necessary, replace the line. Owner notification began January 1, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2002 Lexus ES300:
Throttle control system
The Lexus models were the subject of defect petition (dp) 04-003.twelve odi complaints are duplicative to Toyota reports, including the two minor crashes.the v6 equipped solara models have been excluded because they do not contain the subject throttle control system.Toyota introduced electronic throttle control (etc) on the subject vehicles beginning in model year (my) 2002.odi opened the investigation to determine…
Unwanted and unintended acceleration
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened dp09-001 on April 8, 2009, to evaluate a defect petition requesting additional investigation of potential throttle control system defects unrelated to floor mat interference with accelerator pedals in model year (my) 2007 Lexus es 350 vehicles.the petitioner referenced an earlier odi investigation concerning floor mat interference with accelerator pedal return…
Vehicle speed control
In a letter dated July 8, 2005, and after experiencing two incidents (and one crash) where he alleges his model year (my) 2002 camry accelerated without driver input, mr. Jordan ziprin petitioned the national highway traffic safety administration?s (NHTSA) office of defects investigation (odi) to commence a proceeding to determine the existence of a defect within the etc system in my 2002 to 2005 Toyota and Lexus…
Throttle control system
The population number noted above is estimated.in the January 15th, 2004 petition request letter to the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA), the petitioner identified 37 voq complaints as related to vehicle speed control issues similar to those the petitioner allegedly experienced in their own vehicle on multiple occasions (as described in the petition request letter).during it's consideration of…
What 2002 Lexus ES300 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 52 →
When the accelerator is pressed for the purpose of passing or for merging into traffic at varying speeds between 25-50 MPH, the vehicle "lags" or encounters a dead spot before responding (by suddenly speeding off). The vehicle seems to be attempting to decide how to respond to the action of the accelerator being pressed (whether to remain in the current gear, or down-shift for quick acceleration). The 'rpms' will rise extremely high, before the transmission figures out what gear to shift into in order to comply with the request of the driver's action. This 'lag period' is an extremely dangerous time for the vehicle's occupants as the vehicle does not respond like normal vehicles confronted with a "wide-open-throttle" request do. …
Transmission gets confused when shifting into and out of the lower gears, then spends too long trying to figure out what gear to be in. This causes dangerous delays in acceleration, the effect is the same as a momentary engine stall. We have had this happen on several occasions, freeway ramp entrances are certainly the most dangerous place that this has occurred. Dealer acknowledges that there have been complaints about the shifting delays but they say no fix is available. This is our third ES300, the previous models used a cable between the gas pedal and the throttle, this new one uses what is called "fly by wire", a position sensor on the accelarator that a computer is supposed to use to figure out what to tell the engine and transmission. It isn't working very well. …
Speed control & acceleration all 50 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Lexus ES300. The contact stated as she came to a stop with her foot on the brake pedal, there was a bump in the road and the vehicle lurched and accelerated forward. The contact stated as the vehicle accelerated it hit another vehicle and there was extensive damage to both vehicles. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was repaired and checked by a mechanic who stated there was no problem and everything was normal with the accelerator pedal. The mechanic also did a computer check showing no code problem. The failure mileage was 92,388. Updated 03/04/10. The consumer received a letter from Toyota stating upon examination of the vehicle, it was discovered that the after market floor mat that was on top of the factory floor mat was preventing the accelerator from reaching the floor. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Lexus ES300. The contact stated that while at a stand still and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The vehicle continued to accelerate until crashing into the vehicle in front of the contact. As a result, the contact experienced pain on the right shoulder, chest and upper arm. The driver of the vehicle that was crashed into was transported by ambulance to the hospital because she experienced back pain. The police reported to the scene and a report was filed. The vehicle sustained damage to the front end and was towed to an auto body shop. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a complaint was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000. Updated 08/30/11 the consumer also stated the air bags failed to deploy. Updated 11/30/11
Brakes
Lexus es 300 year 2002, I was pulling into a parking space, traveling at slow speed, 5-8 miles an hour, when the car would not stop, despite applying the brake. The car engine appeared to have a low hum and appeared to be in overdrive. The car jumped over a concrete divider, over a sidewalk, through a brick wall and plate glass window. The car was in a furniture store. The front of the car was extensively damaged. I ( the driver) hit my head ( left side) and the left side of my body hit the side of the car. The accident was reported to Lexus. They had access to evaluate the car and said that the brakes were fine. This type of accident has happened to other drivers of this make and year of car. I hope it will be evaluated carefully. I have suffered as a result of this accident. Just because Lexus could not find a problem , does not mean that it does not exist. …
I had just left my doctor's office and gone to a parking structure where I had parked my car for the visit. I paid the parking charge, got back my validated ticket, and inserted the ticket in the gate-arm machine. The gate lifted, and I put my foot lightly on the accelerator to exit from the parking structure into the street. The car then picked up speed, well past what it should have picked up based on the light pressure I had put on the accelerator, and the brakes had no effect. The car went faster and faster, crossed a street, and crashed into a concrete wall. On impact, the airbags were deployed. I suffered serious back pain, and my wife was in the hospital for three nights with two broken ribs. The car was totaled.
2002 Lexus ES300 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Lexus ES300 a good car?
Based on 153 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 ES300 rates avoid: 4.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the ES300 at the same age. It is one of the ES300 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Lexus ES300?
The transmission & drivetrain — 52 complaints, 34% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the speed control & acceleration (50) and brakes (14).
How many recalls does the 2002 Lexus ES300 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2002 Lexus ES300, the most recent from December 11, 2001 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus ES300?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 1999 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002 and 2003. See the full Lexus ES300 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Lexus ES300 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 30,000 miles; 64% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.