2013 Lexus GS

Routine

Owners filed 19 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the steering. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Steering4
000
Electrical System3
000
Visibility/Wiper2
000
Unknown or Other2
000
Service Brakes2
112
Air Bags2
202
Structure › Interior Panels › Dashboard1
000
Seats1
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
000
Engine1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 30, 2026AZ

Battery life is very short sometimes lasting no more than 9 months.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 3, 2026TX

2013 Lexus GS350, VIN [XXX], manufactured 04/2013. Mileage at repair was approximately 117,310–117,485 miles. During diagnosis for check-engine/EVAP codes, liquid gasoline was found inside the EVAP canister / Leak Detection Pump assembly. This EVAP component is intended to handle fuel vapor, and the presence of liquid fuel appears abnormal. The vehicle had multiple EVAP codes confirmed by both an independent scanner and the Lexus dealer’s Toyota TIS/Techstream system: P2401, P2402, P2419, P043E, and P043F. Park Place Lexus in [XXX] documented that the Leak Detection Pump was mechanically “stuck ON/OFF” and the Pressure Switching Valve was “stuck ON.” This appears consistent with fuel contamination or internal restriction of the EVAP canister/LDP assembly, not just a simple sensor or wiring issue. My safety concern is that liquid gasoline was present in or around an electrically actuated EVAP component located near the vehicle underbody. If fuel migrates further into the pump, connector, wiring, or surrounding area, it may create a potential fire safety risk. This component should not normally contain liquid gasoline. Park Place Lexus replaced the EVAP Emission Canister and Leak Detection Pump assembly, part #77740-30350, with 3.0 hours labor. The vehicle was dropped off XXX and ready XXX. Repair Order #1229991. After repair, the EVAP system re-test passed and the Texas emissions inspection passed. I paid $1,205.88 out of pocket; the repair was not covered by any recall or fre

Electrical System
Filed Mar 22, 2026AL

The servo motor is bad per Lexus dealership. There is a recall for this exact problem for newer models. Years 2013 - 2016 should be included. My daughter has a 2006 Lexus, and it has the exact same problem. Lexus has a problem with their HVAC systems. The air conditioning stalls when turning on and goes from cold to warm when car is is idling.

Steering
Filed Dec 19, 202571,000 milesCA

The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2013 Lexus GS 350. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle while making a right or left turn, and the steering wheel was moved all the way. The contact stated that it felt like the tires were driving over a bumpy road. In addition, the vehicle independently veered to the left while driving. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering wheel electronic control unit had failed. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V221000 (STEERING); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

Service Brakes
Filed May 30, 2025OR

Brake actuator or booster accumulator, always has been failing on Toyota/lexus hybrids, they need to do another bulletin or TSD because the malfunction is unsafe and many drivers are reporting it

Engine
Filed May 24, 2025CA

I started my car in the morning and when I started the engine it was an instant extreme rough idle with the engine light and traction control light blinking on my dashboard and the engine cuts out on its own. I have my car at a Toyota dealership since it’s closer than the Lexus dealership and they have ran an extensive testing diagnostic on my car resulting in a valve stuck open and a valve spring fell out. I have kept up the regular maintenance on my car, like every 5,000 miles fully synthetic oil changes, premium gas, regularly checking for recalls, always checking my fluids, correct tires and tire pressure, and I have in no way misused my car since it’s the only car I have to drive. I found that Lexus had a recall on the GS 350 for the 2007 to 2011 years for the problem I’m currently dealing with. In 2012 Lexus did not make a GS 350 but 2013 they were offered again and I feel like they didn’t resolve the engine problem before putting out the new production, at least for the 2013 year. Now as my car sits I have to pay $9,200 to fix the problem and I don’t have that type of money. I would have to sell my house to pay for my car to get fixed. Luckily the car didn’t stop running while I had my family in the car. I don’t feel that I did anything wrong to make the internal engine have a valve issue. This car should still be running at 148,100 miles.

Steering
Filed Jul 15, 2024SC

I own a 2013 GS350 RWD BASE MODEL. I have been having issues with the steering in this car since it was purchased in 2021 with100k miles. It seems to do great at lower speeds or on curvy roads, but when I drive on interstate going straight at around 70 to 80 mph is where it really becomes noticeable. The vehicle does not want to drive straight for anything. It does not pull in one certain direction; it is literally all over the road. I'd like to note that i have new shocks and upper shock mounts in the front, as well as tires all the way around, also replaced the sway bar linkages on the front and did an alignment. But the vehicle will veer from left to right with no rhyme or reason so bad that you cannot take your eyes off of the road to even adjust the ac or radio from fear of running into the concrete barricade or another vehicle. Something I'd like to add is that it really becomes prominent after about 10 to 15 min of interstate driving. I have taken it to two different Lexus dealerships and called Lexus directly. No one seems to know what I'm talking about; the first dealership told me to replace all of the parts that I previously mentioned. So, I did with no success. I have seen other GS owners complain about this online, so I know it is not just my car. This to me is a major safety concern because it had almost caused me to have several accidents personally not to mention it's just extremely annoying to buy a Lexus and to have to constantly pay attention and adjust the

Seats
Filed May 30, 2024FL

Customer notice deterioration of the seat and proceeding monitoring the seat it was observed in 2021, 2023 & 2014 that while utilizing the seat heating electrical component the seat developed cracks as the heat released a burning sensation to the skin.

Service BrakesCrashFire2 injured
Filed Jan 16, 2024IN

This was an unintended acceleration with non functional braking of a Lexus GS 350. This occured on December 18 around 8:00 AM. The driver noticed an orange triangular light in the dash while travelling slowly through a neighborhood less than a mile from the incident. While approaching a lighted intersection, the car suddenly accelerated when the brake pedal was depressed. The brake pedal was stiff and did not work. The driver tried to avoid another vehicle by veering right. The car hit a curb, travelled over a small hill and ended up in a parking lot after the ensuing damage disabled the car. The driver was able to escape from the drivers door before a fire erupted on the drivers side of the engine bay. The driver's safety and any other cars or persons in the vicinity were obviously put at grave risk.

Electrical System
Filed Mar 24, 2023SC

Clock inoperable Lumber Support Button/ Motor is inoperable. Lexus Dealership found that the cable is broken and needs to be replaced on the Driver and Passenger side. As the cable is broken it makes the driver side seat loose

Steering
Filed Mar 6, 2023WA

When driving at highway speeds for more than 10 minutes the steering becomes increasingly stiff until it starts locking the wheel in position. It takes quite a bit of force to get it to unlock and then whatever new position it's in it will lock that new position. It will lock in a straight line or in a turn so I could let go of the wheel and it will keep turning. This leads to a potentially dangerous ping ponging back and forth until I get it to lock in a position that matches the road to stay in my lane. If I slow down to below 40mph it resets back to a normal steering feel until I speed up again. The alignment and wheel balance are both good. The suspension components are not warn out to cause a change in alignment. The car does not have lane keep assist or anything that might do that on purpose. It seems quite a few other people are having this same issue and dealerships do not seem to know what it is or how to fix it. Some people have had success with replacing the steering rack and associated control unit. No warning lamps or messages appear when this happens and the steering feels perfect at lower speeds and at higher speeds for short durations. This is only a problem when I drive on the highway for an extended period. Some people think it is heat related but it happens to me in the winter as well.

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Mar 31, 2022IL

2013 Lexus GS 350 Stuck Wiper blades; DANGER LEVEL EXTREMELY HIGH - MAY AFFECT 2013-2015 AND 2016-2020 GS MODELS When using the wipes in either automatic mode or manual speed selection they can become stuck in the rain in the up position blocking the windshield's view. This is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. Deemed a MAJOR FLAW, the wiper blades can get stuck in any position while wiping. This occurs when the wiper blades are used and it is raining. This is very hard to replicate with windshield wiper fluid. To remedy the malfunction to survive in a LIFE or DEATH moment of LIMITED VISIBILITY, the driver must quickly push the wiper lever activator up and down to reset it and or pushing in the automatic rain sensing function button. Also, when stopped at a stoplight and resuming acceleration, the rain sensor does not pick up rain at low, medium, or heavy rain and does not engage the wipers. Again, the user must re-engage the wiper system by turning it on and off again multiple times while driving over and over again, multiple times during a trip. The car should not be driven on highways at high speed during when raining or above 20 MPH.

Structure › Interior Panels › Dashboard
Filed Jun 23, 2021FL

STICKY AND CRACKED DASHBOARD

Steering
Filed May 2, 202180,550 milesHI

NOTCHY STEERING FEEL AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE STEERING EXHIBIT AN INTERMITTENT NON-BINDING, NOTCHY STEERING FEELING AND/OR STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT SELF-CENTER CONDITION WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. LIFE THREATENING. VEERS TO LEFT OR RIGHT AND NEEDS QUICK CORRECTION.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 10, 202069,500 milesNJ

FUEL ECONOMY BECAME VERY POOR. FOLLOWING DAY HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR CAR RUNNING LEAN. WENT TO FILL UP CAR AT GAS STATION, AND AFTER IT WAS FILLED IT WOULD NOT START AND JUST CRANK. AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS AND THROTTLING THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND FINALLY STARTED. CAR WAS THEN PARKED AFTER MOVING TO A SAFE LOCATION.

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Oct 4, 202041,900 milesIL

WINDSHIELD WIPERS GET STUCK IN THE UP POSITION AND DO NOT WORK. MALFUNCTIONING WIPERS, NO ERROR CODE WITH NO FIX. VERY DANGEROUS UNDER EXTREME WEATHER CONDTIONS WHERE WIPERS ARE NEEDED. NOT WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM A TOYOTA PRODUCT. I DEMAND THIS BE FIXED AS I'VE HAD MUCH OLDER CARS WITH NO ISSUES OF WIPERS MALFUNCTION. I COULD CRASH, DIE OR INJURY SOMEONE BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 41,900 MILES ON IT AND THE WIPERS ARE BARELY USED. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING! IT IS NOT BECAUSE I DID SOMETHING TO THE WIPERS EITHER. I HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH AN AUTOMATIC CAR WASH AND EVEN IF I DID THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT. THIS IS A LEXUS, WHERE IS THE PERFECTION?

Electrical System
Filed Apr 27, 202082,000 milesSC

THE STRUTS ARE FAILING (LEAKING) AND THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ACROSS THE INTERNET. ALSO, THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS STOP WORKING PERIODICALLY. AND FINALLY, THE REAR DEFROSTER STOPED WORKING. I'VE OWNED MUCH CHEAPER CARS WITH WELL OVER 100,000 MILES AND NEVER EXPERIENCED THESE PROBLEMS. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 82,000 AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF AS I HAVE ANOTHER CAR THAT I LEASE AND THE LEXUS IS USUALLY IN THE GARAGE.

Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed Mar 21, 202060,698 milesCA

SEPTEMBER 27TH 2017 - 2013 LEXUS GS 350 FOR 26432 FROM SANTA MONICA LEXUS IN LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA SOLD THE CAR WITHOUT THE DEALER REVEALING RECALLS ON THE CAR BY CALIFORNIA LAW IT IS ILLEGAL TO NOT DISCLOSE INFORMATION ON NOVEMBER 2ND 2018 17 HE WAS MY ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED LATER I FOUND OUT THAT HER HAIR BACK WOULD NOT EVEN HAVE TO BELIEVE IN THE DEALER DID NOT DISCLOSE THAT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE WHICH IS A LOOFAH JANUARY 1ST OF 2019 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER TELLING ME TO RETURN A CAR BECAUSE OF DASHBOARD RECALL DEALERSHIP DEALERSHIP REFUSE TO FIX THE DASHBOARD SEND WITH A LATER ON I FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAVE PERFORMED TWO OR THREE SET TEMP TO FIX ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FLASH SOFTWARE TWICE FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THAT VOID YOUR WARRANTY I TURN MY CAR IN JANUARY 5TH 2019 SEND A RECEIPT TO RETURN MY CAR WITH THEY HAVE NO LEGAL RIGHT TO HOLD HE CLAIMED IT DONE WORK ON MY CAR BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE SERVICE RECORDS TO NOT THAT THEY DIDN'T WORK ON MY CAR AND I NEVER SIGNED ANY DOCUMENTS TO GIVE HIM PERMISSION TO WORK ON MY CAR

Air BagsCrash
Filed Jan 16, 202073,676 milesCA

AIR BAG OR SELT BELT DID NOT DEPLOY

19 of 19 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20200100Routine
20191100Routine
20182100Routine
20171100Routine
20165100Routine
20153000Routine
20143000Routine
2013 — this page19010Routine
20121000Routine
20113000Routine
201010000Routine
20092000Routine
200815000Routine
200725200Routine
200644601Fatalities reported
20051100Routine
20042100Routine
20034100Routine
20021100Routine
20013100Routine
20000100Routine
19994100Routine
19984100Routine
19961000Routine
19952000Routine

Compare every GS year →

Reading this record

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.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.