Lexus ES Best and Worst Years (2005–2025)
Avoid the 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2019 Lexus ES years, which carry complaint indexes from 75 to 100, mostly airbag non-deployment reports. The 2018 and 2022 model years score best, with complaint indexes of 20 and 15.
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.
Avoid 2005Avoid 2007Avoid 2008Avoid 2011Avoid 2012Avoid 2019Best 2018Best 2022
- Model years
- 21
- 2005–2025
- NHTSA complaints
- 580
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Crashes reported
- 72
- Fires reported
- 3
- Top problem area
- Airbags
ES Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Lexus ES problems and recalls by year
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recalls | Top issue | MPG | NCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Avoid | 85 | 58 | 13 | 0 | 0 | Transmission & Powertrain | — | — |
| 2006 | Good | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Airbags | — | — |
| 2007 | Avoid | 100 | 125 | 9 | 1 | 0 | Airbags | — | — |
| 2008 | Avoid | 90 | 68 | 7 | 0 | 0 | Airbags | — | — |
| 2009 | Caution | 55 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Airbags | — | — |
| 2010 | Caution | 50 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Airbags | — | — |
| 2011 | Avoid | 75 | 46 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Airbags | — | — |
| 2012 | Avoid | 80 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | Airbags | — | — |
| 2013 | Good | 45 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Brakes | 40 | — |
| 2014 | No verdict | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Brakes | 40 | — |
| 2015 | Good | 30 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Airbags | 40 | — |
| 2016 | Good | 25 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Brakes | 40 | — |
| 2017 | No verdict | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Electrical System | 40 | — |
| 2018 | Best | 20 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Airbags | 40 | — |
| 2019 | Avoid | 95 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 1 | Fuel System | 44 | — |
| 2020 | Caution | 70 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | Airbags | 44 | — |
| 2021 | Caution | 65 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Airbags | 36 | — |
| 2022 | Best | 15 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 36 | — |
| 2023 | Good | 40 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2 | Brakes | 36 | — |
| 2024 | Good | 35 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Airbags | 36 | — |
| 2025 | Caution | 60 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Collision Avoidance & Cameras | 36 | — |
ES years to avoid: what went wrong
2007 Lexus ES Index 100 · 125 complaints · 0 recalls
The 2007 ES ranks worst overall with a complaint index of 100 and 125 complaints, including 9 crashes and 8 injuries. Airbags top the problem list at 27%, followed closely by Structure & Body complaints at 25%. Owners reported airbags failing to deploy in impacts and unexpected acceleration events near driveways and parking areas. Median mileage at failure for airbag issues was around 140,000 miles, while Structure & Body issues appeared closer to 67,500 miles. No recall campaigns cover this model year.
2007 airbags problems →2007 structure & body problems →2007 visibility & wipers problems →
2019 Lexus ES Index 95 · 34 complaints · 1 recalls
The 2019 ES has a complaint index of 95 from 34 complaints, with 7 crashes and 7 injuries, and carries one recall covering a driver knee airbag assembly. Fuel System complaints lead at 35%, with a median mileage at failure of just 11,000 miles, indicating early-onset issues. Owners also reported brake pedals traveling to the floor without stopping the vehicle and unintended acceleration while parking. Engine complaints followed at 29%, also appearing at low mileage.
2008 Lexus ES Index 90 · 68 complaints · 0 recalls
The 2008 ES carries a complaint index of 90 from 68 complaints, with 7 crashes and 8 injuries reported. Airbags dominate the problem area at 54% of complaints, with a median mileage at failure of 77,000 miles. Owners described airbags not deploying during moderate-speed collisions, including head-on and side impacts. Some also reported sudden engine revving in stop-and-go traffic. No recalls have been issued for this model year despite the concentration of airbag complaints.
2005 Lexus ES Index 85 · 58 complaints · 0 recalls
The 2005 ES has a complaint index of 85 with 58 complaints, including 13 crashes and 11 injuries. Transmission & Powertrain issues lead the year at 41% of complaints, with a median mileage at failure around 100 miles, suggesting problems surfaced almost immediately for some owners. Owners described hesitation on acceleration followed by sudden jerking, and airbags that failed to deploy in crashes. Engine-related stalling was also reported. No recalls are on file for this model year, despite the high complaint volume.
2005 transmission & powertrain problems →2005 engine problems →
2012 Lexus ES Index 80 · 31 complaints · 0 recalls
The 2012 ES posts a complaint index of 80 from 31 complaints, with 5 crashes and 8 injuries reported. Airbags make up 61% of complaints, with a median mileage at failure of 51,500 miles. Owners described airbags deploying with enough force to cause injury during low-speed parking incidents, and one report noted melting dashboard vinyl near an electrical switch. Electrical System complaints followed at 16%. No recalls are on file for this model year.
2011 Lexus ES Index 75 · 46 complaints · 0 recalls
The 2011 ES has a complaint index of 75 across 46 complaints, with 6 crashes and 4 injuries. Airbags account for 59% of complaints, with a median mileage at failure of 50,200 miles. Owners reported airbags failing to deploy in serious collisions and described unexpected acceleration while parking, including incidents ending in property damage. Structure & Body complaints followed at 17%. No recall campaigns apply to this model year.
Most common Lexus ES problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.
- Airbags216 (37%)
- Other86 (15%)
- Structure & Body71 (12%)
- Engine69 (12%)
- Electrical System58 (10%)
- Brakes43 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain41 (7%)
- Visibility & Wipers36 (6%)
- Fuel System28 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires26 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Lexus ES years should I avoid?
- NHTSA data points to 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2019 as the years to avoid, each with a complaint index between 75 and 100, driven mostly by airbag non-deployment reports.
- What is the best Lexus ES model year?
- The 2018 and 2022 ES are rated Best, with complaint indexes of 20 and 15, the lowest among all 21 model years in the data.
- Does the 2019 Lexus ES have a recall?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 19V288000 covers a driver knee airbag assembly on the 2019 ES, and that model year also has a complaint index of 95 with a median failure mileage around 11,000 miles.
- What is the most common problem area across Lexus ES years?
- Airbags are the top complaint area across all Lexus ES model years, accounting for 216 of 580 total complaints, or 37%.
- Are recent Lexus ES model years reliable based on complaints?
- The 2022, 2023, and 2024 ES all carry Good or Best verdicts with complaint indexes of 15, 40, and 35 respectively, though 2020, 2021, and 2025 fall into Caution with recall campaigns on file.