The 2002 Lexus Es300 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 21,284 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 194 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the vehicle speed control. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC01V3710002001-12-111,697 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
IF THE BRAKE TUBE IS DEFORMED SIGNIFICANTLY, IT COULD CONTACT THE INNER FENDER PANEL, AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE TUBE DUE TO VIBRATION DURING DRIVING. BRAKE TUBE DAMAGE COULD ALSO LEAD TO BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE AFTER EXTENDED USE OF THE VEHICLE.
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 RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-888-333-9376.
AIR BAGS01V3720002001-12-1119,587 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DETACHED BOTTOM PORTION MAY STRIKE THE DRIVER CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY.
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 WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-888-333-9376.
Complaints by component
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
37
24crashes11injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
36
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
13
6crashes1injuries
POWER TRAIN
12
1crashes1injuries
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
9
1fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
6
1crashes2fires
TIRES
6
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
5
5crashes5injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
5
Total complaints194
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I replaced the battery on my lexus and it would no longer idle you take your foot off the accelerator and the engine dies.. The computer lost the idle parameters this is dangerous as I turned left off one road to another took my foot from accelarator to brake engine died and I lost power steering…”
“2002 lexus excelerated on it's own.I was getting on freeway I stepped on gas to go with flow of traffic , then traffic started backing up so I went to use brakes to slow down but car kept excelerating. I had to use both feet to try to stop ,then I felt a pop from gas pedal at that time it stopped…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 lexus es300. While the contact was stopped in traffic, the vehicle was rear ended at 45 mph by another vehicle. Both the front driver and passenger seats collapsed. As a result, the rear passengers sustained traumatic brain injuries that required medical attention. The…”
“While driving on a freeway the car made a sudden & brief shutter immediately followed by loss of response by the accelerator pedal. I immediately began to move off the freeway knowing that something was wrong with my car. Upon getting o the off ramp I saw flames coming from around the front left…”
“While driving on a freeway the car made a sudden & brief shutter immediately followed by loss of response by the accelerator pedal. I immediately began to move off the freeway knowing that something was wrong with my car. Upon getting o the off ramp I saw flames coming from around the front left…”
“Side airbags near windshield are leaking when it rains. At first it was a slow leak, but really pours in now”
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 lexus es300. While driving 30 mph, there were flames and a black substance coming from the engine compartment of the vehicle. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed…”
“Large cloud of white/gray smoke when car sits overnight from previous night driving. After researching online this seems to be a common problem. There was a lawsuit filed because of this. Why not a recall????”
Defect investigations
InvestigationDP04003 Opened 2004-02-17 · closed 2004-03-05
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…
InvestigationDP05002 Opened 2005-08-05 · closed 2006-01-05
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…
InvestigationDP09001 Opened 2009-04-08 · closed 2009-10-29
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…
InvestigationPE04021 Opened 2004-03-03 · closed 2004-07-22
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)…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2002 Lexus Es300 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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