Lexus Es Reliability
831 NHTSA complaints (1996–2025). Complaint rate: 47.2 per 1,000 vehicles.
Lexus Es Generations
Manufacturer redesigns the car every few years (a “generation”). Each generation has different engineering and common issues. Click a generation to see year-by-year breakdown.
| Generation | Years | Code | Complaints | Crashes | Volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 1990–1991 | V20 | 0 | 0 | Show years | |||
| Gen 2 | 1992–1996 | XV10 | 2 | 0 | Show years | |||
| Gen 3 | 1997–2001 | XV20 | 25 | 1 | Show years | |||
| Gen 4 | 2002–2006 | XV30 | 193 | 57 | Show years | |||
| Gen 5 | 2007–2012 | XV40 | 404 | 51 | Hide years | |||
| 2007 | 160 | 19 | View 2007View→ | |||||
| 2008 | 76 | 9 | View 2008View→ | |||||
| 2009 | 29 | 4 | View 2009View→ | |||||
| 2010 | 46 | 2 | View 2010View→ | |||||
| 2011 | 59 | 12 | View 2011View→ | |||||
| 2012 | 34 | 5 | View 2012View→ | |||||
| Gen 6 | 2013–2018 | XV60 | 77 | 11 | Show years | |||
| Gen 7 | 2019–2025 | XV70 | 130 | 31 | Show years | |||
| Gen 8 | 2026–present | — | 0 | 0 | Show years | |||
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2007–2013 Lexus Es (57 crash-related complaints). The 2022–2023 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: AIR BAGS.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Lexus Es Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 220 | 15.9% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 86 | 5.8% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 48 | 45.8% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 47 | 19.1% |
| ENGINE | 46 | 19.6% |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 45 | 31.1% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 41 | 41.5% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 29 | 6.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 28 | 14.3% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 27 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996GOOD | Gen 2(XV10) | 2 | 0 | — | View 1996View→ |
| 1997GOOD | Gen 3(XV20) | 2 | 0 | — | View 1997View→ |
| 1998GOOD | Gen 3(XV20) | 3 | 0 | — | View 1998View→ |
| 1999GOOD | Gen 3(XV20) | 8 | 1 | 3 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000GOOD | Gen 3(XV20) | 9 | 0 | 5 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001GOOD | Gen 3(XV20) | 3 | 0 | — | View 2001View→ |
| 2002AVOID | Gen 4(XV30) | 48 | 15 | 13 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003AVOID | Gen 4(XV30) | 37 | 17 | — | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | Gen 4(XV30) | 21 | 7 | — | View 2004View→ |
| 2005AVOID | Gen 4(XV30) | 75 | 18 | — | View 2005View→ |
| 2006 | Gen 4(XV30) | 12 | 0 | — | View 2006View→ |
| 2007AVOID | Gen 5(XV40) | 160 | 19 | 1 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008AVOID | Gen 5(XV40) | 76 | 9 | — | View 2008View→ |
| 2009AVOID | Gen 5(XV40) | 29 | 4 | — | View 2009View→ |
| 2010AVOID | Gen 5(XV40) | 46 | 2 | — | View 2010View→ |
| 2011AVOID | Gen 5(XV40) | 59 | 12 | — | View 2011View→ |
| 2012AVOID | Gen 5(XV40) | 34 | 5 | 2 | View 2012View→ |
| 2013AVOID | Gen 6(XV60) | 48 | 6 | — | View 2013View→ |
| 2014GOOD | Gen 6(XV60) | 3 | 0 | — | View 2014View→ |
| 2015GOOD | Gen 6(XV60) | 7 | 2 | — | View 2015View→ |
| 2016GOOD | Gen 6(XV60) | 9 | 1 | — | View 2016View→ |
| 2017GOOD | Gen 6(XV60) | 2 | 0 | — | View 2017View→ |
| 2018GOOD | Gen 6(XV60) | 8 | 2 | — | View 2018View→ |
| 2019AVOID | Gen 7(XV70) | 51 | 14 | — | View 2019View→ |
| 2020 | Gen 7(XV70) | 18 | 3 | — | View 2020View→ |
| 2021AVOID | Gen 7(XV70) | 28 | 2 | — | View 2021View→ |
| 2022GOOD | Gen 7(XV70) | 8 | 0 | — | View 2022View→ |
| 2023GOOD | Gen 7(XV70) | 10 | 5 | — | View 2023View→ |
| 2024TOO NEW | Gen 7(XV70) | 9 | 2 | — | View 2024View→ |
| 2025TOO NEW | Gen 7(XV70) | 6 | 5 | 2 | View 2025View→ |
See also: Lexus Esaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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