1998 Lexus ES300 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1998 Lexus ES300, and owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1998 Lexus ES300
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The steering wheel set nut may not have been sufficiently tightened causing steering vibration and looseness.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the steering wheel set nut.
52 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 Lexus ES300 have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA; 13 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 11 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 91,427 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 19 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“May 17, 2014 traveling on florida turnpike after two hours had two tires separate. Replaced two tires in palm beach gardens and continued another hour when a third tire separated. Tires were all coope”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 24, 2014 · Tires
“Both left and right rear seat belt buckles have failed. I am unable to insert belts into the buckle. Cleaning and lube had no affect. *tr”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 23, 2013 · Seat belts
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1998 Lexus ES (ES 300). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 20 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17 / 25 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Lexus ES300 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Lexus ES300 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 Lexus ES300 | 1 | 37 |
| 1993 Lexus ES300 | 0 | 43 |
| 1994 Lexus ES300 | 1 | 39 |
| 1995 Lexus ES300 | 1 | 38 |
| 1996 Lexus ES300 | 1 | 37 |
| 1997 Lexus ES300 | 2 | 45 |
| 1998 Lexus ES300 | 1 | 52 |
| 1999 Lexus ES300 | 0 | 27 |
| 2000 Lexus ES300 | 0 | 56 |
| 2001 Lexus ES300 | 0 | 29 |
| 2002 Lexus ES300 | 2 | 153 |
| 2003 Lexus ES300 | 0 | 116 |
| 2005 Lexus ES300 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 Lexus ES300 | 0 | 3 |
| 2013 Lexus ES300 | 0 | 5 |
Checking a specific 1998 Lexus ES300
How do I know if my 1998 Lexus ES300 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1998 Lexus ES300; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Lexus dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 99V307000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Lexus models
- ES3501,365 complaints
- RX957 complaints
- RX350808 complaints
- RX300722 complaints
- IS 250719 complaints
- ES668 complaints
- IS596 complaints
- RX330526 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.