There are 41 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2002 Lexus ESin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
IN A COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT, I SHIFTED FROM R TO D TO EXIT A PARKING SPACE AND, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY LEXUS SUDDENLY SPED FORWARD AND RAMMED A PARKED CAR, DRIVING IT INTO A 3RD CAR.
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 EXCELLERATING
SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP SIGN...CAR SURGES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHEN HE DROVE OUT OF THE PARKING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HE BEGAN TO PANIC AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE AND A FENCE. THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN HE CRASHED INTO A TREE AND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF. HE RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE POLICE REPORT IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT AN ENGINEER WILL EXAMINE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58,000.
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE CAR ENGINE REVVED HIGHER AND CAR JUMPED FORWARD. MY FOOT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE SO I PRESSED BRAKE ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE CAR STOPPED BUT THE ENGINE KEPT REVVING AT JUST OVER 3000RPM. I PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ENGINE REMAINED AT JUST OVER 3000RPM. I THEN PUT CAR IN PARK AND ENGINE RPM SHOT TO OVER 6000 AT WHICH I IMMEDIATELY TUNED KEY TO OFF. I NEVER TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKE DURING THIS TIME. I THEN TURNED CAR BACK ON AND EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND WE HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE NEW FROM DEALER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED AS HE BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. NO ONE WAS INJURED. A POLICE REPORT IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED IN THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO CONTACT'S HOME AND LATER TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND NOW THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A REPRESENTATIVE TO RETURN HIS CALL. THE CONTACT STATED PRIOR TO THE CRASH HE HAD THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LEXUS DEALER THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE BUT FOUND NO FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,200.
I OWNED A 2002 LEXUS ES 300 WHICH IN JANUARY 2010 BEFORE THE CRAZE OF THE ACCELERATION BECAME POPULAR, IT TOOK OFF, WITHOUT PROVOCATION, SHIFT LOCKED, ACCELERATION LOCKED, AND BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. I FILED A BBB.ORG COMPLAINT, I FAXED, EMAILED, FACEBOOKED, AND TWITTERED TOYOTA LEXUS CONCERNING MY CONCERNS, AND THE FACT THAT AS A DISABLED VET, WHO SPENT HIS ENTIRE EARNINGS ON A CAR FOR HIS FAMILY, AND THAT VEHICLE CRASHED WITHOUT PROVOCATION, AND ASKED FOR THEIR HELP. THEY NEVER ANSWERED THE BBB COMPLAINTS WITH THE USA LOCATION OR NORTH AMERICAN, FROM FACEBOOK, THEY SAID TO CONTACT THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DEPARTMENT, WHICH I DID. WHEN CONTACTING THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DEPARTMENT, THEIR JOBS ARE TO ATTEMPT TO TALK FAST, IN THE ATTEMPT TO SAY IT WAS DRIVERS ERROR. I TOLD THEM THAT I WASN'T INTERESTING IN SUING, WASN'T INTERESTED IN PLACING BLAME, JUST INTERESTED IN THEIR HELP IN ASSISTING ME IN REPAIRING MY GARAGE, AND THEIR ASSISTANCE IN ME GETTING A NEW USED VEHICLE, THAT'S ALL. I INFORMED THEM THAT WHILE HURT BY THE ACCIDENT, I WASN'T NOR DIDN'T SEEK A ATTORNEY, OR LEGAL REPRESENTATION, AND THAT I WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO ASSIST THIS VETERAN AS A ACT OF KINDNESS. I ONLY ASKED THAT THEY ASSIST IN MY HOME REPAIRS, AND GETTING ANOTHER SAME LIKE VEHICLE, IN ALTERNATE, HELPING ME WITH MY HOME REPAIRS DEDUCTIBLE AND ASSISTING ME IN GETTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AS A LAST ALTERNATIVE, I ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD ISSUE A NON-QUALIFYING CERTIFICATE SO OTHER THAN INCOME, I COULD PURCHASE A VEHICLE FROM THEM, TO ACCOMODATE MY FAMILIES NEEDS, THEY JUST IGNORED ME, NOW I WANT JUSTICE, BECAUSE MY REQUEST WERE NOT OUTRAGEOUS. IF THEY WOULD HELP ME GET ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR MY FAMILIES NEEDS, I WOULD BE TOTALLY SATISFIED, I DON'T BELIEVE IN ALWAYS GOING THROUGH THE COURTS WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO. *TR
2002 LEXUS ES200. ATTORNEY WRITES ON BEHALF OF CLIENT IN REGARDS TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE ATTORNEY STATED HIS CLIENT WAS INJURED WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO WALL AND METAL FENCE, EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED. *JB
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. AND IT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED TO STACK FLOOR MATS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BECAUSE OF INTERFERENCE WITH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS. UPDATED 04/06/10.*JB
I EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AFTER MY 90,000 SCHEDULED MAJOR MAINTENANCE. ON 11/22/09, I RETURNED TO MY CAR AND FOUND THE WINDOWS AND SUN ROOF WERE OPENED. I HAD NOT ENGAGED THE REMOTE TO DO THIS. I GOT IN THE CAR AND CLOSED THE WINDOWS AND SUN ROOF. I DROVE APPROX ONE AND A HALF MILES. I SLOWED THE CAR TO PREPARE TO PARK. I TURNED INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD CROSSING OVER A CURB AND STRIKING A PARKED CAR. WHILE AT THE BODY SHOP A LEXUS TECHNITION WENT IN TO CHECK THE CAR AND SAID HE FOUND EVERYTHING TO BE WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY PHONE BUT THE ACCOUNT WAS NOT COMPLETE. *TR
2002 LEXUS ES300 WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, IT ACCELERATED QUICKLY AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES 300. WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT INTENTION. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER THE SIDE-WALK AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. AFTER HITTING THE VEHICLE, SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, BUT THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED INTO A TREE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 45,000. UPDATED 12/16/09 *BF PICTURES RECEIVED. UPDATED 12/16/09
MY EXPERIENCE HAPPENED ON JULY 14, 2009. I WAS EASING INTO MY PARKING PLACE AT THE COLLEGE WHERE I TEACH, GOING ABOUT ZERO MILES PER HOUR, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS PLUMMETED INTO A TREE LESS THAT FIVE FEET IN FRONT OF ME SO HARD THAT IT TOTALED MY 2002 LEXUS. THE FORWARD MOVEMENT FELT LIKE AN AIRPLANE IN TAKEOFF MODE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH OUT OF A PARKING SPACE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FOLLOWED BY AN UNINTENDED INCREASE IN SPEED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO THE RESIDENCE HOME AND A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE POLICE WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND IT WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO COLLISION FACILITY. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
SUDDEN ACCELERATION LEADING TO IMPACT WITH HOME. POLICE REPORT DATED 10-22-07 INDICATES SUDDEN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION. SCARED TO DRIVE VEHICLE AGAIN. *TR
SUDDEN ACCELERATION LEADING TO IMPACT WITH HOME. POLICE REPORT DATED 10-22-07 INDICATES SUDDEN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION. SCARED TO DRIVE VEHICLE AGAIN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF A VEHICLE.THE CONTACT AND A WITNESS WERE SURPRISED THAT THE WHEELS CONTINUED TO SPIN AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD STOPPED MOVING. A WEEK LATER THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A BANK. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78409, THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF 2002 LEXUS ES 300 . MY WIFE WAS OPERATING HER VEHICLE WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 95 MPH THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AND MY WIFE APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. FORTUNATELY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT ON THE WB 101 W/OF 405 FWY IN LOS ANGELES CA SHE PULLED ON THE SHOULDER PASSING NUMEROUS VEHICLES SHE PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND WITH FULL BRAKE APPLICATIONS THE CAR SLOWED AFTER A FEW MILES. I CONTACTED LEXUS DEALER WHO ADVISED ME THIS VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC AND I AM APPALLED AT THIS IT OCCURRED ONCE AND I FEEL ITS ELECTRONIC THE MAT WAS NOT A FACTOR. *TR
SUDDEN ACCELERATION FROM A STOP IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC RESULTED IN COLLISION WITH VEHICLE IN FRONT. VEHICLE WAS 2002 LEXUS ES 300. SEVERAL PRIOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION EVENTS HAD PREVIOUSLY OCCURRED. CONTACT WITH LEXUS DEALER RESULTED IN NO ASSISTANCE. *TR
WHEN MY VEHICLE IS IMMEDIATELY PUT IN DRIVE GEAR FROM REVERSE GEAR, FOOT TAKEN OFF THE BRAKE AND TAP THE GAS PEDAL, MY VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD AS IF IT IS IN FULL THROTTLE. AS RESULT, MY VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB AND IMPACTED A BRICK WALL. I SUFFERED A BLOODY NOSE AND A CUT ON MY HAND. THE VEHICLE SUFFERED FRONTAL DAMAGE AND IS UNDRIVEABLE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE AUTO MANUFACTURER. THEY WILL TOW AND INSPECT IT. *JB
Showing 1–20 of 41 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026