All makes / Lexus

Lexus problems by model

Owners have filed 6,010 complaints with NHTSA about the 15 Lexus models with enough data to profile here, covering 31 model years from 1999 through 2011. The ES350 draws the most at 1,270, 21.1% of the make's total.

Models15

Model years31

Complaints6,010

Crashes707

Deaths22

Read this first

Complaint volume tracks how many cars a make sold as much as how they held up, and NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports rather than confirmed defects. Nothing on this page compares Lexus against another manufacturer. Use it to find the model, then the model year, then read what owners of that year actually filed.

Every Lexus model

Model	Model years	Complaints	Most-reported year	Top system that year
ES350	5 2007–2011	1,270	2007 529	Air bags (35.9%)
RX300	4 1999–2002	810	1999 268	Power train (49.3%)
IS 250	3 2006–2008	691	2007 282	Structure (21.3%)
RX350	4 2007–2010	607	2007 210	Engine (17.1%)
RX330	2 2004–2005	563	2004 353	Power train (20.1%)
IS	3 2006–2008	499	2006 185	Structure (23.8%)
ES300	2 2002–2003	341	2002 194	Power train (28.4%)
RX Hybrid	1 2006–2006	214	2006 214	Electrical system (13.6%)
ES 330	1 2004–2004	188	2004 188	Power train (33.0%)
ES330	1 2005–2005	176	2005 176	Vehicle speed control (29.0%)
ES	1 2007–2007	164	2007 164	Air bags (20.7%)
GS300	1 2006–2006	164	2006 164	Exterior lighting (21.3%)
IS 350	1 2006–2006	116	2006 116	Structure (25.9%)
RX	1 2010–2010	107	2010 107	Engine (18.7%)
LS460	1 2008–2008	100	2008 100	Service brakes (31.0%)

Model years shown are those with at least 100 complaints on file, the gate every page on this site has to clear.

Reading the numbers

Across every Lexus model year on the site, air bags are the system named most often — 1,135 complaints, 24.3% of those filed under a named system. Individual model years diverge from that sharply, which is the reason to read the year rather than the badge.

The three most-reported Lexus models — ES350, RX300 and IS 250 — account for 46.1% of the make's complaint volume. The rest is spread across the other 12 models. Bear in mind that a nameplate selling in the millions will out-file a niche one whatever its record.

Of the 6,010 complaints, 707 describe a crash, 83 describe a fire and 22 report a death.

Most-reported Lexus model years

2007 Lexus ES350 529 complaints · 35.9% air bags 1999 Lexus RX300 268 complaints · 49.3% power train 2007 Lexus IS 250 282 complaints · 21.3% structure 2007 Lexus RX350 210 complaints · 17.1% engine 2004 Lexus RX330 353 complaints · 20.1% power train 2006 Lexus IS 185 complaints · 23.8% structure 2002 Lexus ES300 194 complaints · 28.4% power train 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid 214 complaints · 13.6% electrical system 2004 Lexus ES 330 188 complaints · 33.0% power train

The single heaviest model year of each Lexus nameplate, 1999–2011. Heaviest is not worst — read it alongside the model page.