Worst years for a Lexus ES
Owners have filed 862 complaints about the Lexus ES with NHTSA across model years 1996 to 2025. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.
Avoid
2005 Lexus ES75 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly transmission & drivetrain.
Every Lexus ES year, graded
The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.
| Year | Grade | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Median miles | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | 9 | 5 | 2 | — | Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance |
| 2024 | — | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance |
| 2023 | C | 12 | 5 | 0 | — | Electrical System |
| 2022 | — | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance |
| 2021 | B | 29 | 2 | 0 | — | Airbags |
| 2020 | C | 22 | 3 | 0 | — | Airbags |
| 2019 | D | 55 | 14 | 0 | 10,000 | Fuel & Propulsion |
| 2018 | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 2017 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 2016 | C | 13 | 4 | 0 | — | Other & Unspecified |
| 2015 | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | Airbags |
| 2014 | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | Brakes |
| 2013 | D | 49 | 6 | 0 | 45,000 | Brakes |
| 2012 | C | 36 | 6 | 2 | 62,500 | Airbags |
| 2011 | D | 60 | 12 | 0 | 47,000 | Airbags |
| 2010 | B | 47 | 2 | 0 | 70,000 | Airbags |
| 2009 | C | 29 | 4 | 0 | 88,000 | Airbags |
| 2008 | F | 78 | 9 | 0 | 53,000 | Airbags |
| 2007 | F | 164 | 19 | 1 | 75,000 | Airbags |
| 2006 | A | 12 | 0 | 0 | 115,000 | Airbags |
| 2005 | F | 75 | 18 | 0 | 8,875 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2004 | C | 21 | 7 | 0 | 135,000 | Acceleration & Cruise Control |
| 2003 | C | 37 | 17 | 0 | 125,000 | Acceleration & Cruise Control |
| 2002 | D | 48 | 15 | 13 | 110,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2001 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2000 | — | 9 | 0 | 5 | 144,250 | Electrical System |
| 1999 | — | 8 | 1 | 3 | 85,000 | Electrical System |
| 1998 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 1997 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 1996 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
What breaks on a Lexus ES
Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.
Worst in 2005
Worst in 2019
Worst in 2007
Worst in 2005
Exactly what failed on a Lexus ES
The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.
Complaints filed over time
Every complaint about every Lexus ES, by the month it reached NHTSA.
Lexus ES problems by state
Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.
Compare the Lexus ES
Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.