YearToAvoid

2013 Lexus ES350 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

50/100

#9 most-complained of 17 ES350 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2013 Lexus ES350 has 23 owner complaints and 1 safety recall on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 50 out of 100 — #9 highest of 17 ES350 model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is visibility & wipers (5 complaints, 22% of the total). Complaints report 5 crashes and 4 injuries.

Complaints
23
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
5 / 0
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 31 hwy

Top 2013 Lexus ES350 problems

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

  1. Visibility & Wipers5 (22%)
  2. Airbags4 (17%)
  3. Structure & Body4 (17%)
  4. Brakes3 (13%)
  5. Engine3 (13%)
  6. Other3 (13%)
  7. Steering2 (9%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (9%)
  9. Electrical System1 (4%)
  10. Fuel System1 (4%)
2013 Lexus ES350 complaints: complaints filed per month5Dec 2013Apr 2014Aug 2015Dec 2015Oct 2016Jun 2017Nov 2019
29 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2013 to Aug 2021; peak Dec 2013 (5).

2013 Lexus ES350 recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V728000Nov 3, 2015Collision Avoidance & Cameras30,812 vehicles

    Forward collision avoidance: crash imminent braking

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment. In these vehicles, the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.

    Risk: A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.

2013 Lexus ES350 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,700
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.

2013 compared with other ES350 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Avoid75153322
2012Caution6989322
2013Caution5023124
2014Good4428124
2015Good3116124

All Lexus ES350 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Lexus ES350 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Lexus ES350 ranks #9 of 17 among ES350 model years (Complaint Index 50/100, verdict: Caution). It has 23 complaints and 1 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Lexus ES350?
The most reported problem areas are visibility & wipers (5 complaints), airbags (4 complaints), and structure & body (4 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 26,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Lexus ES350 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2013 Lexus ES350, most recently reported 2015, covering collision avoidance & cameras.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Lexus ES350?
EPA rates the 2013 Lexus ES350 at 24 MPG combined (21 city / 31 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.