2018 Lexus ES recalls & problems
The 2018 Lexus ES has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 5 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is structure (1 complaint).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2018 Lexus ES.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Fuel economy
ES 300h Hybrid
| City / highway | 40 / 39 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.5 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AV-S6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,700/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Structure Body | 1 | — |
| Unknown or other | 1 | — |
| Engine and engine cooling Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe | 1 | — |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | — |
| Tires | 1 | — |
| Air bags | 1 | — |
| Seat belts | 1 | — |
| Power train | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Dec 2, 2018 · 200 milesPower train
The contact owns a 2018 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked abnormally. The driver was able to drive to the residence. Upon test-driving the vehicle, the contact noticed that the vehicle was hesitating and jerking. The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal clicking sound while driving the following day, and the vehicle later became undrivable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The… - Jul 25, 2025 · crash · 2 injuriesAir bags
On 7/25/25, I was rear-ended while driving my 2018 Lexus ES 300h with my child in the front seat. Despite the force of impact and resulting injuries, none of the airbags deployed. Moments after the crash, a âSRS Airbag System Malfunctionâ message appeared on my dashboard. That message is now gone, but airbag and seatbelt lights remain active. I suffered knee injuries from contact with the dashboard, and my child sustained a busted lip and head pain. Iâm concerned that a malfunction in the airbag or supplemental restraint system contributed to these injuries. I have video evidence of the incident and in-cabin alerts. I was later advised by Toyota not to drive the vehicle until an… - Jan 16, 2025Tires
27 r - Sep 5, 2023Fuel/propulsion system
This has occurred since I purchased the vehicle new. Might happen a couple of times per month. If I slightly back off from acceleration just for a split second and then decide that I can proceed, when I go back to accelerating, the engine will have no power for 2-3 seconds and then will finally return to normal function. At the same time for seconds only, a message will appear on the dash stating that the brake and accelerator have been depressed at the same time. This all happens in a matter of seconds. And the brake has never been touched! Dealer repeating tells me that can NOT happen unless i hit the brakes, and that I must get confused with the pedals...REALLY !!! Well it has happened… - Aug 7, 2023Structure › Body
The Heat Shield on Exhaust becomes loose, rattles and comes off while driving. Danger to to other drives behind me. See the number of complaints over here - https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-3rd-gen-2010-2015/863952-exhaust-heat-shield-loose-and-rattling.html
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.