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    2003
    New 2019
    Used 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

    Lexus ES Change Vehicle

    The redesigned-for-2002 ES300 is an easygoing, quiet, comfortable cruiser. With a nicely-furnished, accommodating cabin, it offers a well-rounded package, with very few flaws. As a result, it scored very high in its class.
    2003
    New 2019
    Used 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

    Lexus ES

    Reliability
    See All
    Owner Satisfaction
    See All
    Crash and Rollover Tests
    IIHS Front Moderate Overlap Good
    IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver NA
    IIHS Side Crash NA
    NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Driver
    NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Passenger
    See All

    Road Test Results

    Performance
    Acceleration Acceleration Acceleration tests are conducted on a smooth, flat pavement straightaway at the track. Time, speed, and distance measurements are taken with a precise GPS-based device that’s hooked to a data-logging computer.
    0 to 60 mph 0 to 60 mph (sec.) The time in seconds that a vehicle takes to reach 60 mph from a standstill with the engine idling.
    Transmission Transmission Transmission performance is determined by shifting smoothness, response, shifter action, and clutch actuation for manual transmissions.
    Fuel Economy Fuel Economy We perform our own fuel-economy tests, independent of the government's often-quoted EPA figures and the manufacturers' claims. Using a precise fuel-flow measuring device spliced into the fuel line, we run two separate circuits to represent city and highway consumption.
    CR's Overall Mileage CR's Overall Mileage CR's overall mileage is a composite of measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course and highway cruising; and CR's 150-mile test trip of mixed driving, if tested. In recent road tests, we've discontinued the 150-mile trip test.
    CR's City Mileage CR's City Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course.
    CR's Highway Mileage CR's Highway Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed highway cruising.
    Annual Fuel Cost Annual Fuel Cost The cost and amount of fuel used in 12,000 miles and is calculated from CR's overall mileage.
    Braking Braking The braking rating is a composite of wet and dry stopping distances and pedal feel. Braking distance is from 60 mph, with no wheels locked.
    Emergency Handling Emergency Handling Several factors go into the rating, including the avoidance maneuver speed and confidence, as well as how the vehicle behaves when pushed to its limit,
    Comfort / Convenience
    Ride Ride Our expert judgment of how well the suspension isolates and absorbs road imperfections and how steady it keeps the body on various road surfaces.
    Noise Noise Our expert judgment of the vehicle's interior noise level in everyday driving.
    Front Seat Comfort Front Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the front seat is for drivers of various heights.
    Rear Seat Comfort Rear Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the rear seat is for two passengers to sit across.
    Interior Fit and Finish Interior Fit and Finish An expert evaluation of the interior quality and craftsmanship.
    Trunk/Cargo Area Trunk/Cargo Area Our rating is based on the amount of luggage or cargo space that a vehicle has in the trunk or cargo area.

    Owner Reports

    Worse Better
    Reliability History Reliability History The reliability charts are based on responses on hundreds of thousands of vehicles from our latest Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles during the past 12 months that they considered serious because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime, in any of the trouble spots included in the table below. The results are presented relative to the average model that year. Extra weight is given to the more serious areas such as major engine or transmission problems. Based on this data and further analysis, we predict reliability for the latest year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
    2000
    2001
    NA
    2002
    2003
    2004
    2005
    2006
    2007
    2008
    2009
    2010
    2011
    2012
    2013
    2014
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    Reliability Trouble Spots
    Engine Major Engine Major Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.
    Engine Minor Engine Minor Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.
    Engine Cooling Engine Cooling Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.
    Transmission Major Transmission Major Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, clutch replacement.
    View all Reliability
    Owner Satisfaction Owner Satisfaction To learn about satisfaction, CR has collected survey data from our annual survey on more than half a million vehicles. Our subscribers provide great insights into their satisfaction by answering one simple question: If they had it to do all over again, would they definitely buy or lease the same model? In addition, respondents also rate their cars in six categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio, and climate systems. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
    2000
    2001
    2002
    2003
    2004
    2005
    2006
    2007
    2008
    2009
    2010
    2011
    2012
    2013
    2014
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    Driving Experience Driving Experience Includes acceleration and handling
    Comfort Comfort Includes seats, climate control, noise, and ride
    Value Value Did you get what you wanted relative to the price you paid?
    Styling Styling How it looks inside and out
    View all Owner Satisfaction
    Safety Equipment
    ABS and side air bags standard. Head protection air bags standard from 2002. Rear side air bags available from 2007. ESC available, standard from 2007.
    Road Test

    The redesigned-for-2002 ES300 is an easygoing, quiet, comfortable cruiser. With a nicely-furnished, accommodating cabin, it offers a well-rounded package, with very few flaws. As a result, it scored very high in its class.

    Seating
    2 front, 3 rear
    Drive Wheels
    Front
    Warranty

    In most cases, automotive warranties are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the warranty will be valid regardless of ownership. The dealership can tell you exactly how much warranty is left.

    Read more about extended warranties
    Body Styles
    sedan
    Transmissions Available
    • 5-speed Automatic
    Engines Available
    • 3-liter V6 (210 hp)

    Owner Reported Trouble Spots

    The Reliability score is based on our latest subscriber survey of 2003 Lexus ES owners. The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.

    Engine Minor

    Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

    What Owners Say

    Engine mounts

    “4 engine mounts replaced”

    Anonymous, CA (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)
    Oil leaks

    “engine valve covers and/or head gaskets and or pan gasket leaking oil with and estimate of $600-$700 to fix”

    Hank M., FL (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    “my engine is slowly leaking oil but the cost to fix is over $5000 because they need to remove the engine to fix it...or something like that!”

    Anonymous, CA (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    “Sorry, not in last year”

    Patricia T., CA (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)
    Load more

    Suspension

    Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

    What Owners Say

    Alignment

    “I guess the alignment keeps getting misaligned due to the shocks struts issue”

    Anonymous, TX (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)
    Shocks or struts

    “The shocks and struts have gone bad a few years ago and I am sensible driver”

    Anonymous, TX (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    “The back of the car seemed to bounce up and down on the freeway and my mechanic fixed the problem”

    Anonymous, CA (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    In-car Electronics

    CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

    What Owners Say

    CD player

    “ACD jammed in the multi disc player. And I haven't been able to un jam it”

    Anonymous, SC (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    “Player froze while loaded with 6 CDs inserted. Unable to load, unload, or play CDs”

    Randall D., AZ (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    “CD's are stuck inside and will no longer play”

    Catherine L., IL (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Electric System

    Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

    What Owners Say

    Headlights

    “Low beam would not function. Toyota dealer charged $900 for a new headlight”

    Emmett M., TN (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)
    Warning lights

    “tracking and esc”

    Anonymous, NJ (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)
    Wiper motor or washer

    “motor is noisy and needs to be replaced”

    James G., CA (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Power Equipment

    Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, remote engine start, alarm or security system

    What Owners Say

    Alternator

    “Alternator was not charging”

    Karl V., CO (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)
    Coil

    “do not remember”

    Anonymous, IL (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Fuel System

    Check engine light, sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor), emission control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, engine computer, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel injection system, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

    What Owners Say

    Emission control devices (includes EGR)

    “The emission control device is defective and is supposed to be replaced at a cost of over $1,200. Currently I am driving w/o having it repaired”

    Anonymous, IL (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    “Minor leaks that turn on warning light”

    Anonymous, CO (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Engine Cooling

    Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.

    What Owners Say

    Antifreeze leaks

    “A radiator hose split. engind overheated”

    Anonymous, CA (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)
    Thermostat

    “Thermostat was stuck in the open position giving an engine warning light. Original thermostat”

    G W., NE (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Climate System

    Blower (fan) motor, A/C compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate control, refrigerant leakage, electrical failure.

    What Owners Say

    Refrigerant leaks

    “Hose popped off”

    Anonymous, MN (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Paint/Trim

    Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling), loose interior and exterior trim or moldings, rust.

    What Owners Say

    Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling)

    “paint old and fading”

    Anonymous, NJ (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Body Hardware

    Power or manual windows, locks and latches, tailgate, hatch or trunk, doors or sliding doors, mirrors, seat controls, safety belts, sunroof, convertible top.

    What Owners Say

    Windows

    “pass rear window does not work”

    Anonymous, NJ (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Drive System

    Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.

    What Owners Say

    Traction control

    “warning lights came on”

    Anonymous, NJ (2003 Lexus ES 300 3.0-L V6)

    Body Integrity

    Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals and/or weather-stripping, air and water leaks.

    Exhaust

    Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, leaks.

    Brakes

    Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure or wear.

    Transmission Minor

    Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.

    Engine Major

    Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.

    Change Vehicle