Owners filed 34 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. It has been recalled 1 time.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Fuel/Propulsion System
8
0
0
0
Air Bags
6
4
0
7
Engine
5
0
0
0
Electrical System
3
0
0
0
Structure › Body
2
1
0
0
Service Brakes
2
2
0
0
Power Train
2
0
0
0
Unknown or Other
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Lane Departure › Blind Spot Detection
1
0
0
0
1 safety recall
Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Knee Bolster19V288000
Filed Apr 10, 2019564 vehiclesToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Lexus ES vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a driver knee air bag assembly mounted to the lower instrument panel (IP) that may have been improperly installed, possibly affecting the deployment of the knee air bag in the event of a crash.
Risk. In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the knee air bag does not deploy properly.
Remedy. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver knee air bag assembly, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 8, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are KLD and KLE.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Engine
Filed May 16, 2026GA
Vehicle suddenly stalled in traffic, check engine light illuminated and lost power.
Air Bags
Filed Apr 29, 2026TX
I've had my car for 3 years now and it randomly decided to throw a SRS airbag malfunction warning that will not go away. I know most of the last gen es350 had airbag recalls but the 2019 model year really didn't and I think its something similar. The car runs fine but the fact that my airbags wont deploy because of this warning makes it very unsafe.
Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera
Filed Apr 23, 202658,968 milesCA
The contact owns a 2019 Lexus ES 300H. The contact stated that while starting and operating the vehicle, the display screen frequently failed to operate as intended. The contact stated that occasionally the display screen activated as needed but intermittently the screen was black. The failure occurred consistently whenever the vehicle was turned off for longer than two hours. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V744000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,968.
Power Train
Filed Mar 6, 2026IL
I am reporting a potential transmission issue with my 2019 Lexus ES 350. At around 70,000 miles, the vehicle began developing a whining noise at low speeds when the accelerator pedal is depressed. The noise has persisted and appears to be gradually worsening. The symptoms match numerous complaints I have seen from other owners regarding premature failure of the UA80 transmission, particularly the whining sound during low-speed acceleration. This issue began approximately one year ago and raises concerns about a possible widespread defect affecting this transmission model. I want Lexus to repair my vehicle free of charge as it appears to be a manufacturing defect.
Suspension
Filed Dec 26, 2025AR
The component that failed is the Under Engine Cross Member. This is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk due to the Cross Member being bent so much that is didn't screw back in correctly, thus could have caused the engine to have fallen out of the car or worse. The problem was reproduced at Hendrick Lexus Kansas City. This concern was confirmed by the Technician along with a video. The vehicle was supposed to had been inspected the first time at Park Lexus to certify it as a Certified Pre Owned by Lexus, 200 point inspection. After a week of me owning the car, I sent it back to Parker Lexus for a rattling noise coming from the drivers side area. Parker Lexus said everything was fine with the underbody of the car. This is the second time. The third time. I took it back to Parker Lexus again for them to locate the noise again. Again they said everything was fine with the car. The fourth time I took it to Hendrick Lexus Kansas City for them to look for the issue. They verified the issue and said that the Cross Member, under the car, was bent all the way back and including the hole where the bolt was supposed to go. Hendrick Lexus also said that who ever had looked at it before had put Felt on the Cross Member to alleviate the noise coming from the under the car. No warning lamps, no other symptoms prior to failure. The problem first arose the day of buying the car 10/31/2025, driving it home.
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jul 24, 2025VA
Vehicle hesitates when gas pedal pressed; creating hazard to cross intersections, merging into traffic. In order to have car respond, hard press on gas pedal required, which creates another dangerous situation of unexpected leap! While no recalls are shown, 2 reports [XXX] are shown on NHTSA recall site. Owners of this vehicle report same problem for all model years, and indicate dealers cannot fix/do not fix. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed May 30, 2025100,000 milesIL
The contact owns a 2019 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while driving at 20-25 MPH, another vehicle entered his lane, and the contact collided with the other vehicle's front passenger's side. The air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered injuries to his right leg and arm. The contact's son suffered injuries to his chin and right knee. The contact and his son later received medical care and physical therapy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site. The vehicle was currently in the body shop for repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine
Filed Mar 7, 2025CA
Driving car experienced a loud thump. Lost all engine power. Pulled to side of road. Had a hybrid system unavailable warning. Called a tow. Checked oil level to find it below the low mark. Car left a huge puddle of oil when loaded. Got to dealership. They found a hole in the engine block. Engine seized. Looms like it was the rod for the first cylinder. This issue sounds like what was the 2020 model years recall. My car had 128k on it all maintenance was completed on time, at the dealership. I regularly check oil level, and it was within normal range.
Exterior Lighting
Filed Oct 6, 2024NH
I bought a 2019 Lexus ES350 F Sport in October 2023 with 41,000 miles. Almost a year later to the day I went to a touchless car wash and now have excessive condensation in both headlights. Lexus shows these lights at $2500 a piece, plus labor to install. With modest investigating for a remedy I see I’m not alone in this predicament. Due to high cost of replacement I believe this warrants looking into whether it should be a recall or at least a safety bulletin as moisture in an electric environment will quickly become a major issue.
Structure › Body
Filed Mar 25, 2024MD
I was stop not driving
Electrical System
Filed Dec 23, 2023CA
The DCM malfunctioning, its the SOS button in the car that call Lexus personnel in case of emergency. Its stuck in a loop and keeps calling the call center every 3 minutes or so. I've had to tell them it's not me and they report the malfunction and it call the next representative and same thing. It called the call center 15 times as I was driving (extremally distracting and almost ran a red) before getting to the dealership. I've seen the same complaint on a Lexus forum to a person in Florida.
Service BrakesCrash
Filed Aug 2, 2023CA
Which component or system experienced a failure or malfunction, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Pre-collagen system and emergency braking system failed. These components are available for inspection upon request at the dealership where the car has been undergoing manufacturer inspection since June 8th, 2023. How was safety compromised for you or others? While driving on the highway, the vehicle experienced Unintended Braking, causing it to swerve and spin across three lanes before crashing into the median, putting both my safety and the safety of others at risk. Has the issue been verified or confirmed by a dealer or an independent service center? The vehicle has been at the dealership for manufacturer inspection for 8 weeks, but there has been no response regarding the inspection results, thus the issue has not been confirmed yet. Has the vehicle or component undergone inspection by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or other parties? Yes, the manufacturer has conducted an inspection of the vehicle. Were there any warning signs, messages, or symptoms of the problem before the failure, and when did they first manifest? No, there were no prior warning lamps, messages, or indications of any malfunction in the system before the accident. The issue first occurred at the time of the accident.
Air BagsCrash4 injured
Filed May 28, 2023CA
None of the air bags deployed when my car was T-Bone at the driver door when the other car ran the red light. The other car air bags deployed and appears to be total loss My lexus EX300h has been repair but is available for inspection
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Mar 19, 2023AL
The vehicle stalls when I try to take off causing me to pull into traffic slower
Service BrakesCrash
Filed Sep 15, 2022GA
I was attempting to stop at an intersection. I pressed the brake pedal and an error message came up on the info screen and the car failed to stop. I ended up crashing into the rear of the vehicle in front of me.
Electrical System
Filed Jul 22, 2022GA
The first incident occurred sometime in late June/early July...indicator lights mentioned below came on and I cleaned off sensors and indicator lamps disappeared on this occurrence. On July 13 2022, I was driving on a busy local road when the following malfunction indicators were displayed: brake system warning, 'check' engine malfunction indicator lamp, electric power steering system warning, parking support brake system, and pre-collision system. As these indicators were displayed, simultaneously the vehicle decelerated to an almost complete stop on the road (though I was pressing gas pedal to floor) and then to a complete stop as I was able to blessedly pull over to a gas station without getting hit (the car sounded like putt, putt as it shut down). The vehicle would not start even though I cleaned off the sensors this time...I sat for about 15-30 minutes and the vehicle restarted and resume normal operations until I was able to get home safely. This happened again on 15 July 2022 while I was driving on I-75N, a truly busy interstate, I was switching lanes to get to the far right lane when all of a sudden, the aforementioned indicator lamps displayed and the vehicle decelerated to a complete stop as I was able to pull over onto the shoulder of the highway...I believe since I had a family member following me, that definitely kept an accident from occurring along with the oversight of the good Lord. While we sat and waited for tow services, I tried wiping the sensors to no a
Electrical System
Filed Feb 9, 2022CA
I leased a 2019 Lexus ES300H in March of 2019. About 1 year later, the vehicle started having serious mechanical issues related to the power of the vehicle and put my life in danger on 3 different occasions. The vehicle has a serious problem with losing power. The very first time that this problem occurred, I was in the left only lane attempting to make a left turn. When it was safe to do so and there was enough distance between me and the nearest vehicle driving in the opposite direction, I pressed on the accelerator to make a left turn and my vehicle suddenly lost almost complete power. I had the accelerator pressed all the way to the floor and the vehicle was barely moving like 3-5 miles per hour. Me and the other vehicle that was coming kind of fast in the opposite direction almost got into a head on collision. I would have very easily and safely, without even rushing, cleared the intersection and completed the left turn had this not happened. After collecting myself from the terrifying experience I just went through and having my life flash before my eyes, pulled over and called Lexus Roadside. They came and towed the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer kept the vehicle for some time, but was not able to duplicate the problem and told me that there is nothing with the vehicle. Regardless of how much I insisted that they do further tests, they refused and told me that the mechanic he driven it home at night and back in the morning and could not duplicate the issue and that
The contact owns a 2019 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that on three occasions while reversing into a parking space, the brakes engaged along with the automatic braking system without warning. While driving 55 mph while applying the brake pedal the vehicle vibrated and made an abnormal bumping noise. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where diagnosed the rotors needed to be shaved down and resurfaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was provided with a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000. The contact stated the failure was due to the automatic braking system.
Engine
Filed Sep 23, 2021CA
While at a stop sign or light, I have experienced on at least five separate occasions where I press the accelerator and the vehicle does not move. I took it in to the Lexus dealer last year and have set up another appointment again next Monday September 27. There response is that they will put it on their diagnostic machine.
Air BagsCrash
Filed Jul 9, 202118,400 milesNY
The contact's wife owns a 2019 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while attempting to park in between two vehicles with his foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The vehicle jumped the parking barrier and hit stanchion which caused the vehicle to stop. The airbags did not deploy and the vehicle's electrical warning sensors also failed to operate as needed. No injuries were reported at the scene. Both fire and police reported immediately to the scene and a police report was filed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer and the contact was given a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact agreed to have the black box inspected for an investigation. The contact was informed that an investigator would be sent to the dealer and that the investigation would last approximately two months. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 18,400.
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Apr 10, 2019. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.