Most common 2003 Lexus ES300 problems
Share of the 116 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 →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2003 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 2003 Lexus ES300 owners say
Speed control & acceleration all 48 →
I was pulling out of the garage slowly to pause on the driveway to close the garage door and when I step on the gas in reverse the car flew out of the garage and I couldn't stop it with the brakes. There was a small roofing across the street which stopped the car. No one was nearby so no one was hurt. The accelerator seemed stuck for this incident to happen. However, Lexus had an inspector check the car and didn't find anything wrong that showed on the computer so they won't take responsibility for this occurrence and they closed the case. I tried to speak to someone to send this to arbitration but no one would speak to me. Case closed. This was a very frightening experience with no control in the car.
My car over the last couple of years started experiencing abnormal acceleration . There were times it uses to surge or sound like it was ramping up to go fast, even with my foot on the break, you could hear the acceleration trying to ramp up like if my foot wasn't on the break it would just take off. Then the opposite started to happen. My car idle would just drop and basically when I would go to take off from a stop, the car would not accelerate at all. It was inconsistent so sometimes it would over accelerate and sometimes under. There was no accident, but I've had a few close calls and some people to get aggravated at my car.I took it to the pep boys they thought it needed flushed maybe injection cleaning like all other scenarios I am just now reading about. After that, it seemed to work for a short while, but then the issue start occurring again. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 27 →
I purchased a used 2003 Lexus es30from used car dealer. After a couple days of driving it I noticed it was shifting gears innormally. It would surge up to 4000rmp before shifting to 2nd gear and at one point wasn't moving while I hit the gas the acceleration very fast out of nowhere. My mother also had this same year make and model vehicle a few years back and it had the same problem before the transmission went out. I did some research online and found many other Lexus customers experienced the same problem. I found a web site that claimed that there was a TSB put out for this vehicle and that the Lexus/Toyota dealerships would fix this problem with an upgrade. I was wondering if this upgrade is still available and if my vehicle would qualify? And if so how would I go about this process.
The Lexus ES300 has had a serious hesitation problem since delivery in March 2003. I have had it in for service several times before the accident complaining about this problem. On May 8th,2006, my wife was trying to make a left turn at an intersection and upon accelerating through the turn the car hesitated/lagged and was struck by an oncoming auto. After contacting Lexus direct, they came out to test drive the auto. I was contacted several days later and was told that my Lexus has no problem. Since this problem still exists, I took the car back in for service on May 26th, 2006 and again was told that my car had already received a transmission computer update and their final words were "vehicle is operating as designed at this time". This car still has the problem.
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Lexus ES300. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, when she saw smoke and fire igniting from the hood. The contact stated the engine failed and turned off in the middle of the road. The contact stated no injuries were sustained. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire, but no report was filed. The police was called to the scene but no report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to impound lot. The contact called local dealer Lexus USA located at 6565 headquarters dr, plano, tx 75024, [phone], and where notified of failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired as of yet. The manufacturer had been informed of failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Lexus ES300. While driving at an unknown speed, smoke was noticed coming from the engine compartment. The contact managed to pull the vehicle over as it was stalling. The contact exited the vehicle, lifted the hood, and noticed flames coming from the battery. The contact called the fire department who extinguished the fire. The contact mentioned that the fire department cut the battery cord and informed the contact that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 156,000.
2003 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 2003 Lexus ES300 a good car?
Based on 116 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 ES300 rates avoid: 3.1× 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 2003 Lexus ES300?
The speed control & acceleration — 48 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year, most often about accelerator pedal. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (27) and engine & cooling (16).
How many recalls does the 2003 Lexus ES300 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2003 Lexus ES300. You can still confirm with your VIN using our 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 2003 Lexus ES300 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 65% 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.