Lexus ES problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 150 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls for the Lexus ES. That averages 3.5 complaints per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (index 0.09 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Luxury sedans segment it ranks #1 of 6 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 4.9.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 38% below the 2018 and 2019 models (6 early complaints per model year versus 10).
The 2021 model year has the highest rate (6.0 complaints per year) and the 2018 model year the lowest (1.7). The 2021 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 3.5 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. The 2018 model year runs at least 40% below this model's average of 3.5 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Airbags & seat belts (30.7% of complaints), followed by Engine (9.3%) and Brakes (9.3%). Airbags & seat belts complaints are 8.1 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 25 complaints (16.7%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 19 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 28 complaints versus 35 in the previous 12 months — down 20%. The 2023 model year generated the most recent reports (6). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 33 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 6 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2020 (2). 1 NHTSA investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
It has fewer complaints per year than every other tracked model among Luxury sedans, including BMW 5 Series, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Fewest complaints | 15 | 1.7 | 0.04 | 1 | 2 | Engine | View › |
| 2019 | 34 | 4.4 | 0.11 | 0 | 1 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2020 | 24 | 3.5 | 0.09 | 5 | 1 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2021 ▲50%+ | 35 | 6.0 | 0.15 | 3 | 1 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2022 | 16 | 3.3 | 0.08 | 5 | 0 | Wheels, tires & suspension | View › |
| 2023 | 12 | 3.2 | 0.08 | 6 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 | 9 | 3.2 | 0.08 | 3 | 2 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 5 | 2.8 | 0.07 | 5 | 1 | Electrical | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 28 · Previous 12 months: 35 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Airbags & seat belts ›
46 · 30.7% · 8.08 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Engine
14 · 9.3% · 0.42 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Brakes
14 · 9.3% · 1.55 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Fuel system
14 · 9.3% · 2.15 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Electrical
13 · 8.7% · 0.55 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Unspecified or other
12 · 8.0% · 0.89 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
10 · 6.7% · 1.16 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
9 · 6.0% · 2.39 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
5 · 3.3% · 1.8 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
4 · 2.7% · 1.72 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Body & structure
4 · 2.7% · 0.29 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Transmission / powertrain
3 · 2.0% · 0.17 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
2 · 1.3% · 0.21 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 33 months
What owners report
On or July 28, 2026, I experienced a safety incident involving the driver’s side power window on my 2021 Lexus ES. The vehicle was running, and I reached through the driver’s side window to retrieve an item being handed to me.
The contact owns a 2023 Lexus ES 300h. The contact stated that while sitting idle with the engine powered off in a local parking lot, the vehicle suddenly began to roll back independently into the nearby underground garage and crashed into the rear end of…
I purchased this vehicle about a month ago and i have a problem and issue with the Gas Pedal It makes loud noise and snaps back when the foot is lifted off the gas pedal.
I am reporting a potentially serious front suspension failure involving my 2022 Lexus ES 350 with approximately 65,000 miles.
The latest incidence happened in [XXX] of city [XXX] on XXX. The engine intermittently stalls automatically after I backed up in Reverse for a very short distance. The engine was still running but the car was locked, and red warning lights appear.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Luxury sedans
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexus ES | 150 | 3.5 | 0.09 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 6 | Airbags & seat belts |
| 2 | BMW 5 Series | 190 | 3.6 | 0.09 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 1 | Airbags & seat belts |
| 3 | BMW 3 Series | 225 | 4.3 | 0.11 | Stable | Rising | 1 | Engine |
| 4 | Audi A4 | 253 | 4.9 | 0.12 | Worsening | Falling | 12 | Electrical |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 242 | 6.0 | 0.15 | Stable | Rising | 0 | Electrical |
| 6 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 341 | 7.0 | 0.17 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 0 | Engine |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 6
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (2) · 2019 (1) · 2020 (1) · 2021 (1) · 2022 (0) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (1)
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…