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Lexus ESModel year report

2020 Lexus ES Problems

Complaints
18filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
27,690miles, 2 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
44 mpgcombined, 2.5L 4-cyl · hybrid FWD · 43 city / 44 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2020 Lexus ES (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2020 Lexus ES. The part named most often is air bags, with 8 complaints (44% of the total), followed by other or unknown (4) and brakes (3). 2 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 27,690 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 31 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the occupant classification filed under the same part. Other or unknown complaints overlap with 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

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

Air bags: “Lexus has open recall on 2020 Lexus es350 since dec 2023 with no remedy provided. It is extremely negligent of them to have no solution while drivers of their vehicles are putting their passengers in extreme risk of their safety for air bag sensors not working properly.”

NHTSA complaint #11658801, filed 2025-05

Other or unknown: “Car has been stalling, jerking and revving of the engine! Transmission service was done around 100,000 miles, about 30000 miles later, car was taken back to dealer and they were unable diagnose a problem. Issue got worse until it became undriveable. Car towed back to dealership only to be told I need a transmission on a pre owned certified car!”

NHTSA complaint #11722630, filed 2026-03

Brakes: “Not sure if I have the right things checked. Starting about december 2022 i experienced the car lunging forward upon putting the car into drive, After having backed out of a parking space. It continued to do this off and on even through today. It seems to do it most after the car has been sitting for a good length of time.Perhaps overnight, or while i've been in a shopping mall 2-3 hours. I have four invoice tickets from the lexus dealer where I brought the car in specifically for this problem. …”

NHTSA complaint #11754220, filed 2026-08

Forward collision avoidance: “I was driving on a freeway. I had my adaptive cruise control turned on. The car in front of me slowed down. My adaptive cruise control did not slow me down so I applied the breaks. The breaks did not work. The breaks did not slow me down or stop me. My pre-collision system did not activate. I collided with the rear end of the car that was in front of me. I got displays on my car screen stating Pre-Collision System Malfunction , Breaking Power Low , and Cruise Control Malfunction . The safety of ourselves and others definitely put the safety of ourselves and others at risk. …”

NHTSA complaint #11724316, filed 2026-03

Mileage when problems were reported

100% of the 2 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 25,379 and 30,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–25100%25–500%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (2 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 27,690 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

2024720252026
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.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2020 Lexus ES. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
ES 300H · sedan FWD★★★★★5 / 4554 · 10.5% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2020 model year: forward collision warning not available, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking not available.

Neighbouring years: 2019: same overall rating; 2021: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2020 Lexus ES version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
ES 300h FWD2.5L 4-cyl · hybridCVT434444$1,500

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2020 Lexus ES → · Check a 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. 31 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 31 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 2020 Lexus ES have?

NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2020 Lexus ES as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2020 Lexus ES is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 8 complaints (44% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 4.

Has the 2020 Lexus ES been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2020 Lexus ES do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2020 Lexus ES 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2020 Lexus ES get?

The EPA rates the 2020 Lexus ES (ES 300h, 2.5L 4-cyl · hybrid) at 44 mpg combined, 43 city and 44 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,500 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2020 Lexus ES reported?

Among the 2 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 27,690 miles and the middle half falls between 25,379 and 30,000 miles; 100% 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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.