2017 Lexus ES350: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
22 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
9,100 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure:Body is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 22 complaints (13.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 6 | 27.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 4.5% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 4.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Structure:Body | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Service Brakes | 2 |
| Suspension | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Software | 1 |
Structure:Body: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Visibility/Wiper: 3; Air Bags: 2; Service Brakes: 2; Suspension: 2; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Software: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 15 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 15; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 3 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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 2 |
2017: 7; 2018: 6; 2019: 1; 2020: 3; 2021: 3; 2022: 2
Pattern summary
Structure:Body leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10954431 · 2017-02-14 (February 14, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 LEXUS ES350. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK RAPIDLY AND THE BALL JOINT DETACHED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE STRUT TO SNAP OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL, STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND LANDED IN A DITCH. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES ON THE FOREARM, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A POLICE IMPOUND PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 352.
Owner-reported narrative. 352 miles reported. Look up ODI 10954431 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10980006 · 2017-04-23 (April 23, 2017)
THE TACH AND SPEEDOMETER FADE DURING DAY SUNLIGHT TO THE EXTENT THE READING CANNOT BE DETERMINED. WHEN THE SUN REFLECTS ON THE ON THOSE TWO ITEMS THEY FADE AND CANNOT BE READ, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD; THE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION AND OCCURS ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAY. IT ALSO OCCURS WHEN TURNING AND BRAKING. THE FADING OF THE TACH AND SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY CANNOT BE READ UNDER THE ABOVE CONDITIONS WHEN THE SUNLIGHT ENTERS THE CAR. SINCE YOU CANNOT READ THE SPEED MARKINGS WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT IS CREATING A SAFETY H…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10980006 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10995120 · 2017-06-14 (June 14, 2017)
MONDAY, JUNE 5TH,I BOUGHT THE LEXUS ES350 AT 6502 5TH AVE IN BROOKLYN. IT HASN'T BEEN A WEEK YET, AND ON FRIDAY THE 9TH, THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. I WAS DRIVING FROM STATEN ISLAND TO FLUSHING TO PICK UP MY FRIEND TO GO BACK TO MY HOME. ALONG THE 495 HIGHWAY, WE WERE DRIVING AROUND 45-50 MPH AND SUDDENLY A WARNING POPPED UP ON THE ABS SYSTEM SAYING THAT THE "BREAKER IS ON." WE BECAME REALLY NERVOUS SO WE WANTED TO CHECK OUT WHY THAT MESSAGE CAME ON. THERE WAS A CAR ABOUT 100 METERS IN FRONT OF US, SO I STEPPED ON THE BREAKS, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO S…
Owner-reported narrative. 113 miles reported. Look up ODI 10995120 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11005612 · 2017-07-17 (July 17, 2017)
***** WHEN VENTILATED SEAT FEATURE IS TURNED ON, THERE IS TREMENDOUS HEAT THAT BEGINS TO BUILD IN THE MIDDLE/LOWER SEAT BACK. HEAT IS ALSO BEING FELT ON THE UPPER RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE BOLSTER. THIS IS CAUSING SUCH AN ISSUE THAT I AM HAVING TO LEAN FORWARD WHILE DRIVING TO AVOID THE HEAT BUILD-UP THAT 2 ACCIDENTS HAVE ALMOST OCCURRED. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE SEAT MAY CATCH FIRE !!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY!!!! THIS HAPPENES AT ANYTIME WHETHER DRIVING OR STATIONARY.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11005612 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11044187 · 2017-11-07 (November 7, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 LEXUS ES350. WHILE AT A STOP, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG ERROR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES THAT NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DRIVER'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TOWED TO NORTHSIDE LEXUS (17925 NORTH FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77090) WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE M…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11044187 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11047949 · 2017-11-21 (November 21, 2017)
THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CAR REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT WITHOUT WARNING AND BRAKE ASSIST BY PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM AS LEXUS CLAIMED. IT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. LEXUS HAS PERFORMED THE INVESTIGATION AND EXTRACTED DATA FROM EDR. THEY CONCLUDED NO DEFECT FOUND. I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE CAR PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM DID NOT WORK AT ALL AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PREVENT THE COLLISION AS EXPECTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 670 miles reported. Look up ODI 11047949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11057432 · 2017-12-29 (December 29, 2017)
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON A SUNNY DAY (45 DEGREES) THE FRONT PANORAMIC SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED. IT WAS ABOUT 2 PM EST. THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND ME OR ANYTHING ABOVE. IT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AROUND TO SEE WHAT THE NOISE WAS. IT WASN'T UNTIL I LOOKED UP THAT I SAW THE HOLE IN THE SUNROOF. GLASS DID NOT COME DOWN, IT WENT OUT.
Owner-reported narrative. 10,241 miles reported. Look up ODI 11057432 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11078384 · 2018-03-09 (March 9, 2018)
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR AT 6:45 PM ON TUESDAY, MARCH 6TH, MY SUNROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODED AND GLASS FRAGMENTS FELL INSIDE MY VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION, THERE WERE NOT ANY CARS AROUND MY VEHICLE NOR DID I HIT ANY OBJECT ON THE ROAD INCLUDING A POTHOLE. THE EXPLOSION SOUNDED AS IF A GUN WENT OFF NEAR MY HEAD AND THE GLASS IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO SPLIT INTO SMALL PIECES. OTHER THAN HAVING SOME RINGING IN MY EARS AS A RESULT OF THE EXPLOSION NOISE, I DID NOT SUFFER ANY OTHER PHYSICAL DAMAGE. I TO…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11078384 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
17V415000 · Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly
Reported: 2017-06-29 (June 29, 2017)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017 Lexus ES350 vehicles. The right-hand side tie rod lock nut may loosen over time.
Consequence: If the lock nut loosens, the tie rod may separate causing a loss of steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lock nut and, if it is found loose, replace the lock nut, steering gear assembly, and tie rod assembly, free of charge. The recall began on July 26, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is HLC.
NHTSA campaign record ↗