2003 Honda Accord vs 2003 Lexus ES300
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2003 Honda Accord | 2003 Lexus ES300 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,987 | 116 |
| Recall campaigns | 13 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 382 | 77 |
| Investigations | 5 | 4 |
| Crash reports | 153 | 43 |
| Fire reports | 18 | 4 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 21–26 | 21 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 90,000 mi | 40,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Honda Accord | Lexus ES300 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 924 | 27 |
| Air Bags | 318 | 13 |
| Electrical System | 142 | 10 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 143 | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 81 | 48 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 95 | 11 |
| Steering | 90 | 2 |
| Structure | 73 | 3 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 104 | 0 |
| Shifting problems | 92 | 5 |
| Vibration / shaking | 75 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 68 | 36 |
| Airbag warning light | 58 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 45 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 31 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 20 | 0 |
2003 Honda Accord
2003 Lexus ES300
Compare all Honda Accord vs Lexus ES300 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.