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Lexus ESModel year report

2004 Lexus ES Problems

Complaints
16filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
89,000miles, 11 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Lexus ES (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2004 Lexus ES. The part named most often is vehicle speed control, with 5 complaints (31% of the total), followed by air bags (4) and engine (2). 11 of the complaints include a mileage, and 45% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 89,000 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 12 technical service bulletins for this model year.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Vehicle speed control: “While stopped at a traffic light, with my foot on the brake pedal, the car lurched forward. I was able to maintain control by pressing firmly on the brake pedal. This has happened 3 times in the last 2 weeks. The 1st 2 times, I thought it might be me, maybe my foot slipped had off the brake pedal and hit the accelerator pedal. Today, however, that notion was dispelled. I was paying attention to my foot location on the brake pedal, my foot being firmly on the brake pedal, when the car lurched forward of it's own accord.”

NHTSA complaint #10592203, filed 2014-05, 155,000 miles

Air bags: “Vehicle was parked overnight in garage. Though not noticed immediately, sometime during the morning I noticed my dashboard vinyl around the passenger side airbag looked swollen , and upon examination, it showed a split in the vinyl also. I took it to a reputable auto repair shop and was told it would cost thousands to fix, but that a dealership might be able to help. So I went to the local toyota deal who said some vehicles had recalls but mine did not. As time goes on, the vinyl seems to have pressure building behind it, and the split is more obvious. …”

NHTSA complaint #11338671, filed 2020-07, 165,000 miles

Engine: “I had a car accident approximately one month ago due to sudden unintended acceleration and loss of steering in a 2004 Lexus es330. I am the only owner of the car and I had it serviced regularly over the past 13 years. The night of my accident I lost complete control of my car as I attempted to merge on to the local lanes of an interstate highway in northern, nj. The car accelerated to the left and crossed sped across 8 lanes of the highway, including over a median before it spun around and jerked to a stop in the left lane of the west bound lanes facing east. …”

NHTSA complaint #10956681, filed 2017-02, 135,000 miles

Other or unknown: “This car -- purchased in 2003 -- has never left florida. It resides in a humid, hot area, parked outdoors. Are the airbags in this car safe? Will they be recalled? If so, when? What should I do in the meantime? Thank you.”

NHTSA complaint #10875024, filed 2016-06, 27,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

45% of the 11 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 25,000 and 155,000 miles.

9%0–109%10–2527%25–500%50–759%75–10018%100–15027%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (11 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 89,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

200732014201620192022
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2004 Lexus ES in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 12 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 12 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lexus ES

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20255—1525—Too new
2024910,1002526—Too new
20231050,0902544—Too new
2022116,8320528—Not enough data
20212838,000152848 · TypicalRising
20201827,6901544—Rising
20193411,0001544100 · MoreFalling
201852000—40—Not enough data
20169115,5000—40—Not enough data
20155115,0000—40—Not enough data
20133445,0000—4054 · TypicalStable
20123166,3160——36 · TypicalStable
20114647,0000——82 · MoreRising
20104170,0000——11 · FewerStable
20092879,0000——36 · TypicalRising
20086862,0000——52 · TypicalRising
200712580,1230——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200612115,0000———Not enough data
2005598,8500——Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20041689,0000———Falling
20032368,0000———Rising
20022796,1500——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20006140,0000———Not enough data
1999885,0000———Not enough data

All Lexus ES model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Lexus ES have?

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2004 Lexus ES as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 Lexus ES is reported most often?

Vehicle speed control is named most often, in 5 complaints (31% of the total), followed by air bags with 4.

Has the 2004 Lexus ES been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Lexus ES reported?

Among the 11 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 89,000 miles and the middle half falls between 25,000 and 155,000 miles; 45% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.