- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The steering wheel set nut may not have been sufficiently tightened causing steering vibration and looseness.
- The risk
- THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
- The fix
- DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
Vehicle safety record
1994 Lexus ES300 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 39 complaints about the 1994 Lexus ES300 with NHTSA, most often about the seats & seat belts (9) and the acceleration & cruise control (4). Those complaints describe 6 crashes and 2 injuries. It is covered by 1 recall, the latest in November 1999 for the steering wheel / handle bar. For comparison, the 1993 has 43 and the 1995 has 38.
NHTSA data checked
BFewer problems than a typical ES300 year, for its age
#90 most complained-about 1994 vehicle
- Complaints
- 39
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes
- 6
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 1994 Lexus ES300 problems
Share of all 39 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
1994 Lexus ES300 recalls 1
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
What owners say
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
39 complaints about the 1994 Lexus ES300
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 2.
2004 Lexus es330-car hesitates when attempting to accelerate. Very unsafe when trying to merge into highway traffic. Almost had serious accident because of this problem. Computer chip for transmission has been replaced that was supposed to fix problem. Used premium gas as suggested by mechanic- nothing helped. *Tr
1994 Lexus es300 instrument panel (speedometer,tachometer,fuel,and temp),needles have gone out and impossible to read gauges at night or in low light conditions. *Tr
Bought lexus es300 in 1994. Kept for car for 5 years. Even brand new it would occasionally lunge forward when my foot was on the brake. Reported the problem to dealership over and over; wrote letters; kept complaining about this sporadic lunging forward of the car but I was not even taken seriously. At a stop light I would have to stay 10+ feet behind the car in front just in case my lexus lunged forward even with my foot on the brake. I finally got rid of this car since I felt it was a not safe and the dealership nor the company took me serious about this racing of the engine and the lunging forward. *Tr
1994 Lexus es300. Electroluminescent gauges for speedometer and tachometer fail to illuminate. This makes it very difficult or impossible (especially with glare or at night) to determine rpm's or speed. A search on the web will show this is a common problem among 1992 - 1996 es300's. It is a safety hazard and is something that should be reviewed. *Tr
Driver's seatbelt assembly repeatedly unlatches arbitrarily posing serious safety concern. Has occurred while vehicle is stationary and in motion. Flow lexus of kernersville, nc, refuses to make complimentary repair.*Ak
Front seat belt may not latch properly and can un-latch itself. Has occurred occasionally without warning since the original incident date. *Jb
Passenger's side seat belt will extend outward, but will not retract back in place. Consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and mechanic replaced the seat belt mechanism. *Ak
Consumer states that the battery is leaking acid through positive post. Consumer states that the vehicle would shut off without warning. Dealer notified.*Ak
While backing up the vehicle suddenly accelerated into a chain fence then the gear changed and the vehicle accelerated forward into a wall. *Nlm *scc
While car was running battery exploded.*Ak consumer had driven the vehicle and parked in a parking lot. The vehicle sat for about 30 minutes before consumer attempted to start the vehicle again. Consumer inserted the key and hwen turning the ignition the battery exploded creating fumes and smoke. All the electrical power was gone. The dealer made the necessary repairs. A few days later the electrical system warning light illuminated. *Jg
Seatbelt will not retract, causing it to fail in the event of a vehicle crash. Cause unknown. Dealer notified.*Ak consumer states the entire seat belt assembly had to be replaced. *Jb
The 4 inch piece that connects the rr arm assembly stripped, causing the wheel to buckle inward - the piece had to be welded together just to pull to car into the garage.*Ak
While pulling into a parking space traveling less than 5 mph, engine accelerated unexpectedly, and crashed into a concrete wall at an unknown speed. Both frontal air bags deployed, and consumer sustained no injuries. Insurance company categorized vehicle as a total loss, and no determination has been made as to cause of problem. Please provide any additional information / documentation.*Ak
Dealership sent consumer recall 99v307000 notice. Vibration was felt inside of vehicle. *Ak
While driving at approx 25-30 mph left rear window shattered for unknown reason. Dealer notified, and was unwilling to assist with this matter. Feel free to provide any further information.*Ak
EXCESSIVE SMOKING AND ENGINE RUNNIG ROUGHLY. *AK
Had a side blowout ( ripped 180 degrees on the side where the sidewall is), or the wheel axle had collapsed. Also the nut to steering wheel (due to recall) locked tighter at about 1000 prior to accident.
The plastic lens covers are so opague as to make seeing at night difficult and no other japaneses car has that problem, at leat the honda. Dangerous to drive and now it is barely able to relfect light, dealer wants $1000 pllus labor to rreplace whle units!!
FRONT AXLE BROKE, CAR FLIPPED OVER
The driver's side seatbelt would arbitrarily unbuckle. It would happen while the car was stationery or moving. It did not seem to be prompted by a sudden stop or a bump. After it would unsnap, I would rebuckle and try to pull the buckle undone, but I could not pull it open. *Ak
Rear passenger's window blew out in the middle of the night. Vehicle parked in garage. Was no warning. Nothing had hit it window. Taking vehicle to dealership. *Ak
The nut fastning a side rod to a knuckle arm came off when driving on a freeway. The nut is suppose to be securely placed with a cotter pin. It could be possible that the pin was not installed at all.
Request you provide any information you have available as to whether this vehicle has ever been crashed/wrecked.
Passenger-side seat belt unlatched under hard braking.
A connection between the external door handle and the door latch fails and the door won't open from the outside. Three of the doors on this car have failed. Two happened under warranty. The last happened after the warranty expired at a cost of $90. Why is the manufacturer not responsible (financially) for replacing all of these defective parts, that are breaking, at each point of use? *Ak
Lexus ES300: every year compared
All ES300 years1994 Lexus ES300 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 Lexus ES300 | 39 | 1 | B | |
| 1994 Lexus LS400 | 68 | 0 | D | Compare |
| 1994 Lexus GS300 | 9 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 1994 Lexus LS | 4 | 0 | B | Compare |
| 1994 Lexus SC400 | 2 | 0 | B | Compare |
| 1994 Lexus SC300 | 2 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 1994 Lexus GS400 | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1994 Lexus ES300
Does the 1994 Lexus ES300 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 1994 Lexus ES300: steering wheel / handle bar (November 1999). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 Lexus ES300?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the seats & seat belts (9), acceleration & cruise control (4), electrical system (4).
How many complaints has the 1994 Lexus ES300 had?
39 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on February 15, 1995 and the latest on June 25, 2010. Of these, 6 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 2 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 1994 Lexus ES300 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 62 out of 100 (grade B: fewer problems than a typical Lexus ES300 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Lexus ES300 years have the most complaints?
2002 (185), 2003 (140), 2000 (63). See every Lexus ES300 year compared.
What should I do if my 1994 Lexus ES300 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data