There are 40 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2003 Lexus ESin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, IN MOTION IN REVERSE
DRIVING OUT OF MY GARAGE USUALLY SLOWLY AND WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS WHILE IN REVERSE TO PULL OUT THE CAR JUST FLEW OUT INTO THE STREET. THE IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO BRAKE AND COULDN'T WORK. WHEN I HIT A TRUCK IN THE STREET BEHIND ME THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. I HAD NO CONTROL. THIS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, A FIRST TIME AND A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. THE CAR IS AT THE LEXUS AUTHORIZED BODY SHOP WAITING FOR THE LEXUS INSPECTOR TO GO OVER THE CAR. I WOULD BE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN THE FUTURE THINKING THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN ANYTIME. I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND FELT THIS IS THE BEST CAR I EVER OWNED UNTIL NOW. *TR
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. *TR
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. I HAD MY SPARK PLUGS CHANGED AND NEW COILS , NEW AIR FLOW HOSE TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THE ISSUES. THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST SO I TOOK IT TO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHERE THEIR SUGGESTION IS THE PROBLEM IS IN THE THROTTLE BOTTLE. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON LINK WITH THE ACCELERATION ISSUE AND THE SAME SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FROM THE MECHANICS TO FUEL INJECTION , TO SPARK PLUGS TO SEEMING LIKE TRANSMISSION ISSUE AND ITS THE THROTTLE BODY / PLEASE HAVE LEXUS FIX THESE ISSUES.. THEY ARE EXPENSIVE FOR THE OWNER TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE TROUBLE SHOOTING AND RANGE OF . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
BACKING UP INTO MY DRIVEWAY MAKING TURN TO STRAIGHTEN CAR OUT AND ALL OF SUDDEN THE CAR JUST SPEED UP IN REVERSE. CAUSING CRASH INTO SIDE OF MY HOUSE. AFTER THAT I TRIED TO BACK CAR INTO DRIVEWAY BUT DUE TO DAMAGE WAS UNABLE TO. I PULLED CAR OVER TO STREET PARKING. WHEN I PULLED CAR ONTO STREET THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. RIGHT AFTER INCIDENT I CHECKED TO SEE IF GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK I DONT BELIEVE IT WAS. I WAS STARTLED AND IN SHOCK. REPORTED INCIDENT TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE INCREASED ACCELERATION UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REDUCE SPEED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A FENCE. THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM A FRACTURED RIGHT ARM AND SUSTAINED BRUISES TO THE BODY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
ON 9/4/2011 AT APPROX. 1: 41 PM, I WAS PULLING MY 2003 LEXUS ES300 (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE) INTO A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING SPACE WHEN IT SUDDENLY SURGED, THEN ACCELERATED OVER THE CURB AND ONTO A SIDEWALK WHERE PEOPLE WERE DINING AT TABLES. AS THE CAR ACCELERATED OVER THE CURB, I PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE AND TRIED TO STEER THE CAR AWAY FROM THE DINERS. AS THE LEXUS GOES OVER THE CURB AND ONTO THE SIDEWALK, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE LIKE IT WAS BEING PULLED, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUMPER HIT A TABLE OF DINERS. THREE PEOPLE ARE INJURED; ONE WITH COMPOUND FRACTURE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AS I CONTINUED TO PUSH ON THE BRAKE, TRYING TO WILL THIS CAR TO STOP. IT HIT TABLES AND CHAIRS AS PEOPLE JUMPED OUT OF THE WAY OF THIS RUNAWAY CAR! THE CAR DEFLECTED OFF A BUILDING AND CAME TO A STOP ON THE SIDEWALK. MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. TIRE MARKS FROM THE BRAKING WERE VISIBLE ON THE CURB AND SIDEWALK AS LOCAL NEWS STATIONS RECORDED AND AIRED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE WEATHER AND VISIBILITY WERE CLEAR. AROUND 10/4/2011, ONE MONTH AFTER THE WRECK, A TOYOTA INVESTIGATOR INSPECTED THE CAR'S ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND FOUND IT "OPERATED SMOOTHLY AND RETURNED TO ITS IDLE POSITION WITHOUTANY BINDING OR STICKING...[IT WAS] CORRECTLY ALIGNED...NO DAMAGE OBSERVED. THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WAS IN PLACE AND SECURE....A DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM CHECK SHOWED THAT THERE WERE NO TROUBLE CODES RELATING TO THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE." BUT MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. AS OF 3/12/2012: PROPERTY DAMAGE: $20,000. LEXUS BODY DAMAGE:$9000. PERSONAL INJURIES: ONE SETTLED, ONE COUNTERED, ONE TALKING WITH A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER. I NO LONGER OWN THE CAR. I WAS TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SUDDENLY BECAME STUCK AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE RAILROAD. THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD INVESTIGATIE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 118,000.
PLACE OF ACCIDENT - ST. JOSEPH CHURCH PARKING LOTMACON, GA 31201. I WAS TURNING TO GET INTO THE AVAILABLE PARKING SPACE AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT NO REASON AT ALL. THE CAR FLEW AND HIT THE ELECTRIC POST IN FRONT OF ME. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN A SPLIT OF A SECOND. LUCKILY, THE CAR SIDE SWEPT THE ELECTRIC POST OTHERWISE, I WOULD HAVE CRASHED INTO CAR(S) AND THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF ME. THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. *TR
ON JANUARY 13, 2010 WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR LEXUS ES 300, THE CAR ACCELERATED AS SHE WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, CAUSING THE CAR TO COLLIDE WITH A POLE IN THE PARKING LOT. THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE (LEXUS OF LOUISVILLE) WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT CLAIMED THE CAR WAS NOT ONE OF THE MODELS RECALLED. WE REPAIRED DAMAGE TO THE BODY AT A COST OF $2500, BUT ARE NOW CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
TL* CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. WHILE COASTING TOWARD AN INTERSECTION AT SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AT A RAPID RATE OF SPEED. SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO VEER TOWARD A NEARBY WOODED AREA. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO APPROXIMATELY 3 TREES BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. AS A RESULT, SHE SUFFERED UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAD SINCE BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS 39,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MPH. THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN AFTER THE CRASH OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AT THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,972. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE IN SMALL PARKING LOT, CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. WOULD NOT STOP WHEN STEPPED ON BRAKE AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER CARS. REPORTED TO DMV IN CA, WHERE CAR REGISTERED, ALTHOUGH ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN NEVADA. CAR SEVERELY DAMAGED AND REPAIRED BY INSURANCE CO. LEXUS DEALER CHECKED CAR AFTER REPAIR AND BLAMED FLOOR MATS BUT WE DISAGREE. IF ANYONE HAD BEEN BEHIND CAR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR INJURED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER WAS SHIFTING INTO REVERSE GEAR, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HE LOST CONTROL OF IT. THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS ACCELERATION FAILURES. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT THEY COULD SEE NOTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD HER THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST HER BECAUSE THEY HAD NO RELATED REPORTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,094. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,916. UPDATED 04/19/10. *JB
2003 LEXUS ES300 WITH UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN JOLTED FORWARD. SHE STATES NO MATTER HOW HARD THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED IT KEPT ACCELERATING UNTIL IT HIT A BRICK COLUMN. *KB *JB
PULLING INTO PARKING SPOT ON LEFT ,ABOUT STOPPED AND THE CAR ACCELERATER VERY FAST FOR ABOUT 30 FEET. BEENING THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, I WAS AWARE OF WHERE MY FOOT WAS, ON THE BRAKE. LAST OCT. PULLING INTO PARKING SPOT TO LEFT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. JUST FELT LIKE A NUT. THIS TIME I AM SURE IT WAS THE CAR. *TR THE CONTACT WANTED TO ADD THAT THE DRIVERS FLOOR MAT WAS IN THE TRUNK.
THE 2003 LEXUS ES300 SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, GO COMPLETELY ACROSS THE STREET, UP ONTO THE SIDEWALK, AND HIT POLES/FENCE, CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES. THE GAS PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED DOWN HARD AT THE TIME, AND THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION FOR THE RAPID ACCELERATION. *TR
I WAS IN THE DRIVE THROUGH AT THE DUNKIN DONUTS IN GERMANTOWN, MD GIVING MY ORDER IN THE SPEAKER. I REMEMBER HEARING A ROARING SOUND LIKE A TRAIN AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SHOT FORWARD AND HIT THE BACK OF THE CAR AT THE SERVICE WINDOW. IT WAS QUITE STRANGE. I AM CONVINCED I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE EMS AND POLICE SAID I MUST HAVE HIT THE ACCELERATOR BY MISTAKE. I AM NOT CONVINCED IN MY OWN MIND THAT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABOVE 80 MPH WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO 6 VEHICLES. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. THE POLICE CONFIRMED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING AT 86 MPH DUE TO THE UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD INCREASED AT THAT SPEED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 41,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS 300 ES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE STOPPED ONLY AFTER IT JUMPED A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE CONTACT HAS THE REPAIR INVOICE AND PICTURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 50,313.*AK
Showing 1–20 of 40 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 25, 2026