1997 Lexus ES Problems, Recalls & Reliability
52 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1997 Lexus ES, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 9/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1997 Lexus ES has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1997 sits among all ES years
What owners report
Recalls (1)
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
49 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 1997 Lexus ES. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1997 Lexus ES reliable?
The 1997 Lexus ES drew 52 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 9/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 1997 Lexus ES problems?
The top reported problems for the 1997 Lexus ES are speed control (8 complaints), electrical (7), and seat belts (5).
Does the 1997 Lexus ES have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 1997 Lexus ES. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.