Lexus ES problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 137 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls for the Lexus ES. That averages 3.4 complaints per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (index 0.08 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Luxury sedans segment it ranks #1 of 6 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 5.1.
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 flat. 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 are within 16% of the 2018 and 2019 models (6 early complaints per model year versus 7).
The 2021 model year has the highest rate (6.2 complaints per year) and the 2018 model year the lowest (0.6). The 2021 model year runs at least 50% above the model's own average — the one to research most carefully. The 2018 model year sits well below the model's average.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Airbags & seat belts (32.1% of complaints), followed by Fuel system (10.2%) and Brakes (9.5%). Airbags & seat belts complaints are 8.4 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Recurring terms in owner reports: “notification air”, “air bags”, “bags recall”, “tool confirms” and “reasonable”. 23 complaints (16.8%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 17 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 28 complaints versus 41 in the previous 12 months — the pace is falling. The 2020 model year generated the most recent reports (6). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 35 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 4 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2019 (1). 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (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 | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Fewest complaints | 5 | 0.6 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | Engine | View › |
| 2019 | 34 | 4.4 | 0.1 | 15 | 0.19 | 0 | 1 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2020 | 24 | 3.6 | 0.09 | 2 | 0.04 | 6 | 1 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2021 Years to research carefully | 35 | 6.2 | 0.15 | 5 | 0.08 | 4 | 1 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2022 | 14 | 3.0 | 0.07 | 6 | 0.08 | 4 | 0 | Driver-assist systems | View › |
| 2023 | 12 | 3.3 | 0.08 | 6 | 0.07 | 6 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 | 9 | 3.4 | 0.08 | 6 | 0.09 | 3 | 2 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2025 | 4 | 2.4 | 0.06 | — | — | 4 | 1 | Electrical | View › |
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: 41 Falling
Problem areas
Airbags & seat belts ›
44 · 32.1% · 8.41 vs. all vehicles · Falling
- notification air21
- bags recall19
- air bags22
- tool confirms19
Fuel system
14 · 10.2% · 2.37 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- fuel10
- pump6
- recall9
- gasoline4
Brakes
13 · 9.5% · 1.56 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- brake pedal6
- braking system4
- backing3
- police4
Electrical
13 · 9.5% · 0.6 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- foot brake3
- space3
- contact's3
- deploy3
Engine
11 · 8.0% · 0.36 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- tow3
- accident4
- lane4
- left4
Interior & equipment
10 · 7.3% · 0.81 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- safety3
Driver-assist systems
10 · 7.3% · 1.27 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- bumper3
- right4
- undisclosed3
- side4
Wheels, tires & suspension
8 · 5.8% · 2.34 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- tire6
- bridgestone3
- low4
- less3
Body & structure
4 · 2.9% · 0.32 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Transmission / powertrain
3 · 2.2% · 0.19 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
3 · 2.2% · 1.4 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
2 · 1.5% · 0.23 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
2 · 1.5% · 0.81 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- notification air21
- air bags29
- bags recall19
- tool confirms21
- reasonable26
- confirms available18
- received notification25
- amount recall24
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 35 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…
When i open the trunk of my 2022 Lexus ES 350 vehicle, the lid pop out and bounce back, hitting my head and causing a minor concussion and bleeding on my forehead; I believe the trunk strut was malfunctioned
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.
The car was taken into Lexus under warranty January 2026. There a loud noise coming from the car when it is going down the road. Lexus tried to say it must be the tires. The car was under 3 years old. I replaced the front tires any way.
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 | 137 | 3.4 | 0.08 | Stable | Falling | 4 | Airbags & seat belts |
| 2 | BMW 5 Series | 184 | 4.0 | 0.09 | Improving | Steady | 1 | Airbags & seat belts |
| 3 | BMW 3 Series | 219 | 4.6 | 0.11 | Stable | Rising | 1 | Engine |
| 4 | Audi A4 | 251 | 5.6 | 0.13 | Worsening | Falling | 12 | Electrical |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 230 | 5.9 | 0.14 | Stable | Steady | 0 | Electrical |
| 6 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 331 | 7.5 | 0.18 | Improving | Steady | 0 | Engine |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 4
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (0) · 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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Lexus ES model year has the most complaints?
The 2021 model year has the highest rate (6.2 complaints per year) and the 2018 model year the lowest (0.6).
Is the Lexus ES getting better or worse?
The trend is flat. 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 are within 16% of the 2018 and 2019 models (6 early complaints per model year versus 7). In the last 12 months owners filed 28 complaints versus 41 in the previous 12 months — the pace is falling.
What are the most common Lexus ES problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Airbags & seat belts (32.1% of complaints), followed by Fuel system (10.2%) and Brakes (9.5%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “notification air”, “air bags”, “bags recall”, “tool confirms” and “reasonable”.
How does the Lexus ES compare with other Luxury sedans?
Within the Luxury sedans segment it ranks #1 of 6 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 5.1. 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.
Does the Lexus ES have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 4 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2019 (1). 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).