YearToAvoid

2018 Lexus LS Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

92/100

#2 most-complained of 14 LS years

The 2018 Lexus LS has 14 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 92, and 2 recalls, ranking it 2nd worst among 14 model years. Owners most often reported engine problems, with a median failure mileage of 36,000 miles.

Complaints
14
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
24.5
21 city / 30.5 hwy

Top 2018 Lexus LS problems

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

  1. Engine4 (29%)
  2. Electrical System3 (21%)
  3. Other3 (21%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (21%)
  5. Fuel System2 (14%)
  6. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (7%)
  7. Steering1 (7%)
  8. Structure & Body1 (7%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain1 (7%)

What owners report

  • Engine stalls without warning while driving, in one case with metal shavings found in the oil and in another with a seized engine near 55,310 miles.
  • Collision avoidance system loses power and blows fuses, but the dashboard light still shows it as active, giving no warning it is offline.
  • Transmission unexpectedly downshifts from tenth gear to fourth gear at highway speed without driver input, recurring multiple times.
  • Vehicle hesitates during acceleration, tied to a fuel system recall that owners say dealers were slow to complete.
  • Battery fails prematurely and without warning, leaving the car unable to start, reported at 6,300 miles.
  • Tires show inner-edge tread wear that dealers said had no fix, raising concern about slipping.
2018 Lexus LS complaints: complaints filed per month3May 2019Nov 2019Mar 2020Jan 2022Apr 2024Oct 2025May 2026
19 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2019 to Jul 2026; peak Nov 2019 (3).

2018 Lexus LS recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 24V275000Apr 17, 2024Airbags509 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Lexus LS500 and 2018-2020 Lexus LS500 Hybrid vehicles equipped with the "Executive Package." The front passenger seat may have been assembled with interference between internal parts that can cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor to incorrectly detect the occupant. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk: Incorrect detection of an occupant may result in improper air bag deployment during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the front passenger seat, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 7, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 24LA03.

  2. NHTSA 19V134000Feb 27, 2019Suspension, Wheels & Tires6,296 vehicles

    Tires:sidewall

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Lexus LS vehicles equipped with run-flat tires with a sidewall reinforcement layer inside the tire. The tire-on-wheel assembly process may have caused the reinforcement layer to crack, possibly resulting in the tire tread layer separating from the tire.

    Risk: If the tire tread layer separates from the vehicle, vehicle handling and stability may be affected, increasing the risk of crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and Lexus dealers will replace the affected tires, free of charge. The recall began April 26, 2019. Owners may contact Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. The Toyota number for this recall is KLC.

2018 Lexus LS fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
30.5 MPG
Combined
24.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,250
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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.

2018 compared with other LS years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’18’19’20’21’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015No verdict232019
2016Avoid1005019
2018Avoid9214224.5
2019No verdict151124.5
2020No verdict00124.5

All Lexus LS years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Lexus LS a bad year?
Compared to other LS model years, 2018 ranks 2nd worst out of 14 years tracked, with a complaint index of 92 and 14 NHTSA complaints, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other LS years.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Lexus LS?
NHTSA complaint data shows Engine issues are the top problem area, making up 29% of complaints, followed by Electrical System and Suspension, Wheels & Tires issues, each at 21%.
Does the 2018 Lexus LS have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Lexus LS: one for a front passenger airbag/seat assembly issue and one for tire-on-wheel assembly problems with run-flat tires.
At what mileage do 2018 Lexus LS problems typically appear?
The median mileage at failure across reported complaints is 8,300 miles, though engine complaints specifically show a median of 36,000 miles.
What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Lexus LS?
EPA rates the 2018 Lexus LS at 24.5 mpg combined (21 city/30.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,250.

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.