Lexus ES 350: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
1,450 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Lexus ES 350, model years 2007 to 2023. No model year stands out for the engine or transmission against the others. Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2016, 2017, 2013. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 ES 350 | 538 | — | 5 | |
| 2008 ES 350 | 255 | — | 5 | |
| 2009 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 145 | — | 5 | |
| 2010 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 137 | — | 5 | |
| 2011 ES 350 | 153 | — | 3 | |
| 2012 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 89 | — | 3 | |
| 2013 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 23 | quiet: 3 of 10 | 1 | |
| 2014 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 28 | quiet: 4 of 10 | 1 | |
| 2015 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 16 | — | 1 | |
| 2016 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 21 | quiet: 1 of 10 | 1 | |
| 2017 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 22 | quiet: 2 of 10 | 1 | |
| 2018 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 5 | — | 2 | |
| 2019 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 5 | — | 2 | |
| 2020 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 5 | — | 1 | |
| 2021 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 5 | — | 0 | |
| 2022 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 2 | — | 0 | |
| 2023 ES 350FEW REPORTS | 1 | — | 0 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Lexus models
Lexus ES · Lexus ES 300 · Lexus ES 330 · Lexus GS 300 · Lexus GS 350 · Lexus GX · Lexus GX 470 · Lexus IS · Lexus IS 250 · Lexus IS 350 · Lexus LS · Lexus LS 430 · Lexus LS 460 · Lexus NX · Lexus RX · Lexus RX 300 · Lexus RX 330 · Lexus RX 350 · Lexus RX Hybrid. All makes and models.
Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 200720082011