LexusES3001996Overview/lexus/es300/1996/base/

1996 Lexus ES300

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 ES300.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Lexus ES300 is a passenger car featuring a 4-speed automatic transmission and an engine that utilizes 5 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API oil. This model achieves an EPA-rated fuel economy of 18/26/21 mpg across city, highway, and combined cycles. With 40 total owner complaints—primarily regarding engine and engine cooling—and one recall, this year sits well below the 186-complaint peak recorded in 2002 during the model's 1990-2005 production run.

Model year200320022001200019991998199719961995

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/26/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 360 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnHEADOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-65VR15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1
Engine air filter1780103010
Fuel filter2330029045
Front wiper blades8521217071 alt 852221G090
Serpentine belt909160238683 alt 9091602401
Thermostat90916A3003 alt 1632562010

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 26 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume92 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs12 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts243 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts61 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.21-.33 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance6400-11,100 ohms

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.87 lbs
Optional BCI Group Number24F
Optional BCI Cranking Performance585 cca
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression145-218. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure43-78 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM3000 rpm

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 79 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle34 ft-lbs / 76 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in / 0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in / 0.354 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
116 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9016 ft. lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
110MM Bolts14 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The Lexus ES300 experienced a general upward trend in complaints and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) across its production run, rising from 10 complaints and 24 TSBs in 1990 to a peak of 186 complaints and 108 TSBs in 2002. The 1996 model year sits within a stable mid-generation arc, reporting 40 complaints, 1 recall, and 1 investigation. This represents a slight decrease from the 44 complaints recorded in both 1994 and 1995, though it precedes an increase to 48 complaints in 1997. For 1996, the primary complaint areas were Engine & Engine Cooling (11), Air Bags (5), Electrical System (4), and Steering (4), with the data not specifying the root causes for these issues. Because its volume of complaints and recalls remains low compared to the significant spikes seen in later years, 1996 is a good year to buy.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
36
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
40
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 40 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling11
Air Bags5
Electrical System4
Steering4
Suspension4
Vehicle Speed Control2
Visibility2
Fuel/Propulsion System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

99V307000Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle BarReported 01/11/1999

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.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 36 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
Safety Recall 222022-04-13EquipmentLexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022
Lexus PRO19-02 -2022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
Lexus Safety Re2020-05-01EquipmentSafety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
L-SB-0179-17 Obs2020-04-06EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…
L-SB-0008-202020-04-06EquipmentTSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific ES300. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 ES300 take?

5 qt of ABOVE 0 F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 100 F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 ES300 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the ES300 get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined mpg.