YearToAvoid

2025 Lexus ES Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

80/100

#4 most-complained of 16 ES years

The 2025 Lexus ES has a Complaint Index of 80, ranking 4th-worst out of 16 model years, with 5 complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fire, and 1 recall tied to the parking camera system, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other ES years.

Complaints
5
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
2 / 1
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
36
33.5 city / 38.5 hwy

Top 2025 Lexus ES problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (40%)
  2. Fuel System2 (40%)
  3. Brakes1 (20%)
  4. Electrical System1 (20%)
  5. Engine1 (20%)
  6. Structure & Body1 (20%)

What owners report

  • Rear camera freezes and parking assist fails to activate, followed by auto-brake not engaging during low-speed backing maneuvers.
  • Pre-Collision System suddenly activates hard braking in reverse with no vehicle or person nearby, startling occupants.
  • A strong gasoline odor filled a garage after the car was shut off, with the vehicle later towed to the dealership though the issue could not be replicated.
  • Engine intermittently stalls after backing up a short distance in reverse, requiring the driver to restart it while warning lights appear.
  • A collision avoidance alert triggered braking that failed to prevent a crash, followed by airbags not deploying and a fire breaking out under the hood.
2025 Lexus ES complaints: complaints filed per month2Dec 2025Feb 2026Mar 2026May 2026Sep 2026
8 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2025 to Sep 2026; peak Dec 2025 (2).

2025 Lexus ES recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 25V744000Oct 30, 2025Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,024,407 vehicles

    Back over prevention:display function

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.

2025 Lexus ES fuel economy and fuel cost

City
33.5 MPG
Highway
38.5 MPG
Combined
36 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,875
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2025 compared with other ES years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2023Good4010236
2024Good479236
2025Avoid805136

All Lexus ES years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Lexus ES reliable?
Compared with other ES model years, 2025 ranks 4th-worst out of 16 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 80 and an Avoid verdict based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls.
Does the 2025 Lexus ES have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists one recall (campaign 25V744000) covering the Panoramic View Monitor system, which affects the Collision Avoidance & Cameras area; the remedy is a free parking assist software update.
What are the most common complaints on the 2025 Lexus ES?
NHTSA data shows Collision Avoidance & Cameras and Fuel System complaints each make up 40% of reported issues, followed by Brakes, Electrical System, Engine, and Structure & Body at 20% each.
How does the 2025 ES compare to the best ES model years?
The 2025 ES's Complaint Index of 80 is well above the best-rated years, such as 2022 (Complaint Index 13, Best verdict) and 2016 (Complaint Index 20, Best verdict).
What is the fuel economy of the 2025 Lexus ES?
EPA rates the 2025 Lexus ES at 36 mpg combined (33.5 city / 38.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,875.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.