2009 Lexus ES Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other ES years
- Far more complaints than other years 9th of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Lexus ES. That ranks 9th out of 30 ES model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (14 complaints, 50%), typically at around 93,500 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 1 injury. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
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- 28owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 Lexus ES problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 14 | 50% | 93,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 11% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 7% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 4% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 4% | 124,300 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 4% | 61,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 Lexus ES recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2009 Lexus ES.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Experienced unintended acceleration when pulling into a parking space. My vehicle went over the curb and into a ditch. The bushes and embankment of the ditch stopped the vehicle. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of a problem.
On Monday, Oct. 27, 2025 at approximately 11:50 am, my vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. I was pulling into a parking spot and suddenly accelerated and jump the barrier into a ditch. Luckly there were bushes to stop me. I was standing on the brake. There were no prior indications there…
The contact owns a 2009 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently accelerated upon releasing the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that recently upon entering the garage, the vehicle suddenly accelerated after releasing the brake pedal…
The contact owns a 2009 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the dashboard had become sticky and had started to melt. Over time, the contact stated that glare had started to reflect from the windshield onto the dashboard, obstructing visibility while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken…
Dashboard is sticky, shiny, and melting from the heat. All lint, dust and cloth sticks to the sticky dashboard. Shiny dashboards can pose safety hazards that affect visibility with a glare bouncing off the windshield, and overall health issues since melted dashboards can emit harmful odors. Lexus…
Other Lexus ES years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 ES | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 ES | 9 | 2 |
| 2023 ES | 10 | 2 |
| 2022 ES | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 ES | 28 | 1 |
| 2020 ES | 18 | 1 |
| 2019 ES | 34 | 1 |
| 2018 ES | 5 | 0 |
| 2017 ES | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 ES | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 ES | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 ES | 4 | 0 |
| 2013 ES | 34 | 0 |
| 2012 ES | 31 | 0 |
| 2011 ES | 46 | 0 |
| 2010 ES | 41 | 0 |
| 2009 | 28 | 0 |
| 2008 ES | 68 | 0 |
| 2007 ES | 125 | 0 |
| 2006 ES | 12 | 0 |
| 2005 ES | 58 | 0 |
| 2004 ES | 16 | 0 |
| 2003 ES | 23 | 0 |
| 2002 ES | 27 | 0 |
| 2001 ES | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 ES | 6 | 0 |
| 1999 ES | 8 | 0 |
| 1998 ES | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 ES | 2 | 0 |
| 1996 ES | 1 | 0 |
See all Lexus ES problems by year, every Lexus model, or the Lexus VIN decoder.
Similar Lexus models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Lexus ES?
Owners most often report air bags, vehicle speed control, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Lexus ES?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2009 Lexus ES a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other ES model years, the 2009 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.