Lexus ES350 Problems by Year
Lexus ES350 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical ES350 year: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2007 ES350: 539 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2008 ES350: 255 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2011 ES350: 153 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2023 ES350: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2022 ES350: 2 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2018 ES350: 5 complaints, 2 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Lexus ES350 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 867 | 11 | 43 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 213 | 13 | 83 |
| Structure | 84 | 12 | 7 |
| Electrical System | 57 | 12 | 4 |
| Power Train | 38 | 5 | 2 |
| Visibility | 30 | 9 | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 26 | 13 | 13 |
| Exterior Lighting | 25 | 7 | 0 |
| Engine | 22 | 8 | 4 |
| Visibility/wiper | 21 | 7 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 | 5 | 3 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 17 | 3 | 3 |
| Steering | 17 | 8 | 5 |
| Equipment | 15 | 5 | 4 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 11 | 7 | 3 |
| Tires | 10 | 9 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Seats | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| Suspension | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Wheels | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Lexus ES350 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
All Lexus ES350 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ES350 | 1 | 0 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | |
| 2022 ES350 | 2 | 0 | 5★ | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2021 ES350 | 5 | 0 | 5★ | Wheels | |
| 2020 ES350 | 5 | 1 | 5★ | Air Bags | |
| 2019 ES350 | 5 | 2 | 5★ | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2018 ES350 | 5 | 2 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | |
| 2017 ES350 | 22 | 1 | 5★ | Structure | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2016 ES350 | 21 | 1 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2015 ES350 | 16 | 1 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2014 ES350 | 28 | 1 | 5★ | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2013 ES350 | 23 | 1 | 5★ | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2012 ES350 | 89 | 3 | 3★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2011 ES350 | 153 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2010 ES350 | 137 | 5 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2009 ES350 | 145 | 5 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2008 ES350 | 255 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 ES350 | 539 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Lexus: all Lexus models · Lexus VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Lexus ES350 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2007 (539), 2008 (255), 2009 (145), 2010 (137), 2011 (153), 2012 (89) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical ES350 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Lexus ES350?
Air Bags, with 867 complaints across 11 model years.
How many recalls does the Lexus ES350 have?
11 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.