The Lemon Index

All cars · Lexus ES

2019 Lexus ES.

The 2019 Lexus ES is better than average by owner complaints: 26 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 50, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about fuel or ev drive system, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 25 to 44 mpg combined. The best Lexus ES year is 2020.

50Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Better than average. 2× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2020 · Worst year 2007

Lexus ES
Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints26first 3 years
Fuel economy25–44 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 40 owner complaints, owners reported:

7crashes
4injuries
0fires
5tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

fuel or ev drive system38%
engine23%
airbags12%
brakes12%
fuel system, gasoline12%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Lexus ES year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 11K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 4K to 18K miles on the car (12 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 3

  • fuel system, gasoline 2020

    If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

  • fuel system, gasoline 2020

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500,…

  • airbags 2019

    These vehicles are equipped with a driver knee air bag assembly mounted to the lower instrument panel (IP) that may have been improperly installed, possibly affecting the deployment of the knee air bag in the event of a …

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Lexus told dealers about

Lexus sent dealers 153 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • The subject vehicles are equipped with a low-pressure fuel pump which may stop operating
  • RCD OFF (Rear Camera Detection) Indicator Light Flashing after D/C cut fuse installed during…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningStandard
Lane departure warningNot offered
NHTSA front crash test of the 2019 Lexus ES
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Lexus ES 300h 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Lexus ES 350 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $1450–2550 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.

In owners' words

As your records indicate a defective fuel pump exists on this vehicle since january 13th. My calls to Lexus have only said they are still looking for a remedy.

2019 Lexus ES owner · NHTSA complaint 11324871
More owner reports

The vehicle is equipped with a low pressure fuel pump which may stop operating. If this were to occur, the vehicle may stall and cause a crash.

NHTSA complaint 11311741

Quick answers

Is the 2019 Lexus ES reliable?

Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 2× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 50; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Lexus ES year by this measure is 2020.

What are the most common 2019 Lexus ES problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are fuel or ev drive system (38%), engine (23%) and airbags (12%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2019 Lexus ES have?

3 safety recalls (latest: fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2019 Lexus ES get?

25 to 44 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2019 Lexus ES safe?

NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

Does the 2019 Lexus ES have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2019 Lexus ES cost in fuel a year?

About $1450 to $2550 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2019 Lexus ES have?

2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.

What Lexus ES year is better than the 2019?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2020, 2012 and 2018.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data