Selling a junk Lexus ES300
Any ES300 sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Lexus ES300
NHTSA has 713 owner complaints on file for the Lexus ES300, model years 1995 to 2013, the 339th-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are speed control (143, 20%), transmission and drivetrain (107, 15%), engine and cooling (64, 9%). 194 complaints involved a crash, 23 a fire, and 6 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 60,000 miles. The 2002 model year has the most complaints (194). Data as of 2026-10-12.
The guides below explain how each kind of fault changes what a buyer pays.
Lexus ES300 by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 55 | Electrical system | 12 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1996 | 44 | Engine and cooling | 10 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 1997 | 50 | Speed control | 6 | 2 | 2 | — |
| 1998 | 61 | Air bags | 15 | 1 | 1 | 68,000 |
| 1999 | 35 | Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 78 | Visibility and wipers | 23 | 1 | 0 | 88,500 |
| 2001 | 36 | Speed control | 14 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 194 | Transmission and drivetrain | 50 | 6 | 2 | 44,000 |
| 2003 | 147 | Speed control | 52 | 6 | 0 | 40,000 |
| 2005 | 1 | Speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 4 | Lights | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 8 | Visibility and wipers | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Lexus ES300 recalls
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for brakes (2), steering (1), air bags (1). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 2002 model year, air bags (campaign 01V372000, Dec 2001): 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…
- 2002 model year, brakes (campaign 01V371000, Dec 2001): 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…
- 1995 model year, steering (campaign 99V307000, Nov 1999): VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
- 1997 model year, brakes (campaign 97V156000, Sep 1997): VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN,MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW Y…
What a Lexus ES300 is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk ES300 on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
How to sell a car that doesn't run 
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Catalytic converters and junk cars 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them Other Lexus models
- Lexus ES350 1,629
- Lexus RX350 1,109
- Lexus RX 1,088
- Lexus IS 250 938
- Lexus RX300 849
- Lexus ES 837
- Lexus IS 804
- Lexus RX330 659
Questions people ask
- What is a junk Lexus ES300 worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same ES300 gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Lexus ES300 that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Lexus ES300?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Lexus ES300 numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.