Lexus ES
Owners filed 665 complaints across 30 model years of the Lexus ES. The 2007 drew the most (125); the 1998 the fewest (1).
Model years30
Complaints665
Recalls11
Fires14
Deaths0
Every Lexus ES model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking | Routine | |
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | — | 2 | Lane Departure › Blind Spot Detection | Routine | |
| 2023 | 10 | 2 | — | 3 | Tires | Routine | |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | — | — | Back Over Prevention › Warnings | Routine | |
| 2021 | 28 | 1 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2020 | 18 | 1 | — | 3 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2019 | 34 | 1 | — | 7 | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | — | 1 | Structure › Body | Routine | |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Exterior Lighting | Routine | |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 | — | 2 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | — | 2 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | — | — | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2013 | 33 | 0 | — | 3 | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2012 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 5 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2011 | 46 | 0 | — | 6 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2010 | 41 | 0 | — | 2 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2009 | 28 | 0 | — | 4 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2008 | 68 | 0 | — | 7 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2007 | 125 | 0 | 1 | 9 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2006 | 12 | 0 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2005 | 58 | 0 | — | 13 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 2004 | 16 | 0 | — | 5 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2003 | 23 | 0 | — | 9 | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 2002 | 27 | 0 | 5 | 8 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 2000 | 6 | 0 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 1999 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 1998 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 1997 | 2 | 1 | — | — | Seats › Front Assembly › Seat Heater/Cooler | Routine | |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine |
Which Lexus ES years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2007 is the weakest year on record, with 125 complaints concentrated in the air bags.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.