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Lexus ES300Model year report

1996 Lexus ES300 Problems

Complaints
37filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
109,000miles, 11 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
21 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl FWD · 18 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1996 Lexus ES300 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 37 consumer complaints for the 1996 Lexus ES300. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 11 complaints (30% of the total), followed by air bags (6) and electrical system (5). 11 of the complaints include a mileage, and 9% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 109,000 miles. Of all complaints, 9 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 9 an injury, 3 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 22 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 1 NHTSA investigation filed under the same part. Air bags complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seats (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “Engine check light intermittently on, blue exhaust in engine smoke, abnormal oil consumption, gelled oil or sludge present inside valve cover below oil filler cap. Called Lexus america, brought car into dealer, they tell me I must pay $2,071.06 for repairs and pretend not to know of this common 3.0l v-6 engine problem that is extensively documented on the internet and that Lexus has already started reimbursing car owners starting with 1997 models.”

NHTSA complaint #10029186, filed 2003-07, 98,000 miles

Air bags: “Airbag over-sensitivity defect. The consumer feels that the air bag was too sensitive. The vehicle was involved in an accident in which the drivers side bumper and quarter panel was damaged. Both front air bags deployed. An infant car seat , with the consumer child fastened inside, was in the front passenger's seat facing rearward. The impact of the air bag caused fatal injuries to the child.”

NHTSA complaint #10042056, filed 2003-10

Electrical system: “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. …”

NHTSA complaint #10491604, filed 2013-01, 158,000 miles

Steering: “Was driving home from shopping and went to turn left and all of a sudden the car did not respond smoothly and I almost lost control. Took it to the mechanic and had a lower control arm put in because of a bad bushing but was told the rack and pinion is also bad. There is a lot of play in the steering now.”

NHTSA complaint #10568716, filed 2014-03, 126,558 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

9% of the 11 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 93,000 and 145,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–259%25–500%50–7536%75–10036%100–15018%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (11 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 109,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’96’99’01’037’05’10’14
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1996 Lexus ES300. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
ES300 · sedan not rated5 / 3———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1996 Lexus ES300 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
ES 300 FWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic182621$3,200

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1996 Lexus ES300 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 22 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 22 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lexus ES300

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
201353,50005——Not enough data
200311634,9500—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200215330,0002—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20012960,0000—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20005677,0000—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19992788,0000—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19985278,5641—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199745100,0002—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199637109,0001—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199538103,2831—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199439110,0001—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19934396,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199237141,8181—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Lexus ES300 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1996 Lexus ES300 have?

NHTSA recorded 37 consumer complaints for the 1996 Lexus ES300 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1996 Lexus ES300 is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 11 complaints (30% of the total), followed by air bags with 6.

Has the 1996 Lexus ES300 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1996 Lexus ES300 get?

The EPA rates the 1996 Lexus ES300 (ES 300, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 18 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1996 Lexus ES300 reported?

Among the 11 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 109,000 miles and the middle half falls between 93,000 and 145,000 miles; 9% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.