LexusGS3001993Overview/lexus/gs300/1993/base/

1993 Lexus GS300

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 GS300.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1993 Lexus GS300 arrived as an automatic-only model equipped with a four-speed transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 16 city, 21 highway, and 18 combined mpg, with service specifications calling for 5.7 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API oil. Its reliability footprint is notably light, with just seven owner complaints filed over the model's documented lifetime and a single recall on file, with Visibility emerging as the top complaint area. Set against the GS's broader 1993–2019 complaint history — which peaks at 69 issues in 1998 and bottoms out at a single complaint in 2013 — this model year sits firmly on the dependable end of the spectrum and helps anchor the nameplate's reputation for long-term reliability.

Model year201920182006200520042003200220011993

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/21/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses 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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1
Engine air filter1780150020
Fuel filter2330050050
Spark plug9008091184
Front wiper blades852221G090 alt 8521217071
Serpentine belt9091602310
Thermostat9091603093 alt 1632562010

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length194.9 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase109.4 in
Curb weight3671 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 21 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.7 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.9 Pints
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.7 qt

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 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (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 1993 Lexus GS300 sits at the front end of the first-generation federal record (1993–1997) and posts a relatively clean profile: 7 complaints, 1 recall, 0 investigations, and 24 TSBs — the lowest TSB count of any first-gen year, which makes sense given fewer service bulletins had time to accumulate. Complaint volume across the first generation remains modest, ranging from 0 in 1997 to a peak of 20 in 1995, so the target year's 7 places it below the gen peak and only marginally above 1996's 5. The complaint mix is diffuse — Visibility and Steering tied at 2, plus single entries in Fuel System: Gasoline and Fuel System: Other — with no concentration in a single subsystem, one crash complaint, and zero fire complaints, though the data does not specify the underlying causes. Stepping outside the generation, the 1998 model (next generation) shows a dramatic spike to 69 complaints, which underscores how comparatively quiet the 1993–1997 cars were by contrast. Bottom line: within the first-generation arc, 1993 is one of the cleaner entries and a defensible used buy, provided the single unspecified recall has been completed.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
24
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
7
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 7 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Visibility2
Steering2
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Fuel System, Other1
Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V072000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball JointReported 03/04/1995

THE SPHERICAL PORTIONS OF CERTAIN LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD FINISHED SURFACES THAT WERE NOT SMOOTH CAUSING FRICTION WITH THE SURFACE OF THE BALL JOINT CAP. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 24 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 GS300. 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 1993 GS300 take?

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

Does the 1993 GS300 have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the GS300 get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 21 highway / 18 combined mpg.