LexusModel report

Lexus ES Problems by Model Year

NHTSA recorded 658 consumer complaints across the 24 model years of the Lexus ES (1999–2025) that have at least 5 complaints. 2007 has the most, with 125. Across all years, the part named most often is air bags (227 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.

Best and worst ES years →

All ES model years

Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.

Year	Complaints	Median mi	Recalls	TSBs	Score (50 = typical)	Trend
2025	5	—	1	25	—	Too new
2024	9	10,100	2	34	—	Too new
2023	10	50,090	2	68	—	Too new
2022	11	6,832	0	37	—	Not enough data
2021	28	38,000	1	48	48 · Typical	Rising
2020	18	27,690	1	31	—	Rising
2019	34	11,000	1	57	100 · More	Falling
2018	5	200	0	13	—	Not enough data
2016	9	115,500	0	13	—	Not enough data
2015	5	115,000	0	13	—	Not enough data
2013	34	45,000	0	48	54 · Typical	Stable
2012	31	66,316	0	43	36 · Typical	Stable
2011	46	47,000	0	55	82 · More	Rising
2010	41	70,000	0	49	11 · Fewer	Stable
2009	28	79,000	0	43	36 · Typical	Rising
2008	68	62,000	0	45	52 · Typical	Rising
2007	125	80,123	0	29	Not compared (before 2008)	Falling
2006	12	115,000	0	31	—	Not enough data
2005	59	8,850	0	30	Not compared (before 2008)	Rising
2004	16	89,000	0	12	—	Falling
2003	23	68,000	0	24	—	Rising
2002	27	96,150	0	24	Not compared (before 2008)	Falling
2000	6	140,000	0	20	—	Not enough data
1999	8	85,000	0	12	—	Not enough data

Parts named most often, all years

Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.

Air bags227 35%
Other or unknown90 14%
Body and structure74 11%
Electrical system57 8.7%
Vehicle speed control56 8.6%
Transmission and drivetrain54 8.3%
Brakes48 7.4%
Engine46 7.1%

Example complaints

One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

2019: “This vehicle stops suddenly and wont start. There is still no solution on how to fix this car . As asked from Lexus still they have no clue when this recall can be fixed. It has stopped many times behind traffic light on many occasions I am driving a loaner car but if I making payments I want my own car back I believe this car needs to be lemoned”

NHTSA complaint #11321470, filed 2020-04, 11,000 miles

2000: “Electrical systems is fried, draining every battery I buy ( about a total of 15 or more bought) I've changed the starter and alternator multiple times as well. If I turn the A/C on the lights dim and the car slows down dangerously before completely shutting down! My car is a risk on the road so I haven't been able to drive it since finding out, yet, I still have to pay insurance every month on it.”

NHTSA complaint #11405105, filed 2021-03, 245,000 miles

2007: “My dashboard is melting. There was a customer support program that expired in 2017. I never received any information about taking my car in for a dashboard replacement. When it's hot outside the glare is so intense that I am not able to drive the car because I am afraid of having an accident. I am not able to clean the dashboard. It has so much debris on it that can't be removed.”

NHTSA complaint #11252184, filed 2019-08, 150,000 miles

Other Lexus models

Lexus ES350
1,448 complaints Lexus RX
962 complaints Lexus RX350
833 complaints Lexus RX300
719 complaints Lexus IS 250
718 complaints Lexus ES300
677 complaints Lexus IS
579 complaints Lexus RX330
524 complaints

All Lexus models →

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology