Lexus ES problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
665 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
61,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 to 2025 model years. Data snapshot: . 293 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 223 of 665 complaints (33.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 93 | 14.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 38 | 5.7% |
| Steering behavior | 29 | 4.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 28 | 4.2% |
| Engine operation | 21 | 3.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 10 | 1.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 223 |
| Unknown Or Other | 91 |
| Electrical System | 48 |
| Engine | 48 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 48 |
| Service Brakes | 45 |
| Structure:Body | 45 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 30 |
Air Bags: 223; Unknown Or Other: 91; Electrical System: 48; Engine: 48; Vehicle Speed Control: 48; Service Brakes: 45; Structure:Body: 45; Fuel/Propulsion System: 30
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 65 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 51 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 52 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 30 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 58 |
| 150,000 and above | 37 |
Under 25,000: 65; 25,000 to 49,999: 51; 50,000 to 74,999: 52; 75,000 to 99,999: 30; 100,000 to 149,999: 58; 150,000 and above: 37
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (65). 372 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 18 |
| 2006 | 31 |
| 2007 | 20 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 14 |
| 2013 | 20 |
| 2014 | 40 |
| 2015 | 27 |
| 2016 | 47 |
| 2017 | 101 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 33 |
| 2020 | 47 |
| 2021 | 24 |
| 2022 | 22 |
| 2023 | 28 |
| 2024 | 54 |
| 2025 | 65 |
| 2026 | 44 |
2005: 18; 2006: 31; 2007: 20; 2008: 2; 2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 9; 2012: 14; 2013: 20; 2014: 40; 2015: 27; 2016: 47; 2017: 101; 2018: 15; 2019: 33; 2020: 47; 2021: 24; 2022: 22; 2023: 28; 2024: 54; 2025: 65; 2026: 44
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 93 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 38 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10157263 · 2006-05-11 (May 11, 2006)
THE FOLLOWING LETTER TO LEXUS & THEY DENIED FAULT OR OBLIGATION TO ASSIST ME: I SPOKE WITH HEATHER STAFFORD WHO ASKED ME TO CALL [phone removed] TO GET MY CAR INSPECTED BY A LEXUS IN CHARLESTON SC. I WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE SINCE THE CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SERVICE MNGR: DARYL WOULD CALL ME BACK BUT I NEVER HEARD FROM ANYONE. LIFE-THREATENING EXPERIENCE INVOLVED THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONING ON MY 1999 LEXUS ES300, THURSDAY, 3/9/06. I HAD SET MY CRUISE ON 50 MPH AND IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN UP…
Owner-reported narrative. 113,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157263 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10162264 · 2006-07-12 (July 12, 2006)
DURING A DRIVE HOME, THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKED COMING TO AN ALMOST COMPLETE STOP. THE PANEL LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE ABS. IT THEN RETURNED TO RUNNING SMOOTHLY> I RETURNED HOME WITHIN I MILE WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEMS, NO ODOR OR PANEL SIGNS SHOWING. THE CAR WAS PUT INTO OUR GARAGE AND TURNED OFF, WITHIN MINUTES MY HUSBAND SAW THE CAR ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT PUT OUT THE FIRE AND THE CAR BECAME A TOTAL LOSS. CALLS TO LEXUS AND FOLLOW-UP WITH TOYOTA WERE NOT ANSWERED AT ALL, NO COMMENT. HAS THERE BEEN A PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS WITH THAT MODEL CAR? THANK Y…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162264 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10514170 · 2013-05-29 (May 29, 2013)
I SMELLED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID OR ANTI-FREEZE. THE NEXT DAY MY WIFE SMELLED GAS AND SOME FRIENDS CALLED MY CELL TO TELL ME GAS WAS RUNNING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR. I COULD NOT FIND A LEAK UNDER THE CAR. I LIFTED THE HOOD AND FOUND GAS RUNNING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. AFTER TAKING THE LEXUS COVER OFF THE ENGINE, I FOUND GAS SHOOTING STRAIGHT UP INTO THE AIR. IT WAS COMING FROM A VACUUM LINE THAT HAD POPPED OFF. I RE-ATTACHED THE LINE AND STARTED THE ENGINE. THE LINE POPPED OFF AND GAS AGAIN SHOT STRAIGHT INTO THE AIR. I REPLA…
Owner-reported narrative. 235,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10514170 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10212960 · 2007-12-27 (December 27, 2007)
ATTEMPTING TO MERGE UNTO THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE (2001 LEXUS ES300) WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 35 MPH, FORCING ME TO GET OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING AS TO ANY PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION (WAS JUST FULLY SERVICED AT THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP IN AUSTIN 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO INCIDENT). HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS BEYOND REPAIR. AUTOMOBILE HAS ONLY 101,000 MILES. LEXUS REPAIR COST IS JUST UNDER 6000.00. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 101,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10212960 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10203696 · 2007-09-22 (September 22, 2007)
CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL; TOOK THE CAR TO WILKIE LEXUS DEALERSHIP IN ARDMORE, PA. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CAR NEEDS NEW STEERING SHAFT. CAR HAS 52000 MILES AND A PART LIKE THIS FAILING THIS EARLY IS NOT EXPLAINED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10203696 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10319149 · 2010-03-12 (March 12, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 LEXUS ES. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MAJOR INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10319149 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10192413 · 2007-06-04 (June 4, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LEXUS ES 300. HE STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON DECEMBER 28, 2001. APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS LATER HE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT HEATER GOT EXTREMELY HOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MINOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE HOWEVER; HE FELT THIS ISSUE WAS MORE SEVERE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN APPEARS TO BE INVALID. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10192413 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11443011 · 2021-12-07 (December 7, 2021)
Car surges during acceleration. Stall out and idle extremely high while driving under 60 mph
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11443011 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154949 · 2006-04-10 (April 10, 2006)
THIS VEHICLE HESITATES INTERMITTENTLY IN TRAFFIC AND HAS A DANGEROUS LOSS OF POWER. WHEN I PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC, OR TURN A CORNER, THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY LOSES POWER AND WILL NOT ENGAGE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, THEN THE VEHICLE WILL PROCEED. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY BLOW UP AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER, AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE DEALER HAS DENIED THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS, AND THAT I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT IS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10439276 · 2011-12-10 (December 10, 2011)
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH, MIDMORNING, WE HEARD A LOUD POP FROM THE CAR. WE SAW NOTHING ON THE ROAD AND NO ONE ELSE TRAVELING AROUND US EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS. WE WERE NOTIFIED BY A CAR TRAVELING NEXT TO US THAT WE WERE LEAKING GAS. WE PROCEEDED OFF THE HIGHWAY AT THE FIRST EXIT AND PULLED INTO A GAS STATION AND SHUT DOWN THE CAR. WITHIN 8-10 MIN, THE ENTIRE TANK OF GAS (WE JUST FILLED THE TANK UP APPROXIMATELY 20 MIN PRIOR) HAD LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED JUST IN CASE THE CAR …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,998 miles reported. Look up ODI 10439276 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11607669 · 2024-08-10 (August 10, 2024)
I started my vehicle and drove about 1/2 mile when the car started acting like it was running out of gas. I pulled over and got about 1gallon of gas in a gas can and put it in the vehicle. I turned the car back on and drove about 2 blocks when the vehicle started jumping like it was going to run out of gas again. The vehicle then shut down while I was driving it. I made it to the side of the road and put the vehicle in park and turned off the ignition with the push start button. I tried to start the vehicle again with the push start button and …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11607669 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2009: 0; 2010: 0; 2011: 0; 2012: 0; 2013: 0; 2014: 0; 2015: 0; 2016: 0; 2017: 0; 2018: 0; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 0; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2025: 1
Year-by-year records
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Change in recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | Not available |
| 1997 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | 58 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 125 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 68 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 41 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 46 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 34 | 1 | +1 |
| 2020 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | 28 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | -1 |
| 2023 | 10 | 2 | +2 |
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | -1 |