Short answer
Among Lexus ES model years through 2024, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006 have the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (0) and 2009 and 2010 have the most (5). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Lexus ES: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 27 (2000–2026)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 21
- Fewest recalls
- 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006 (0)
- Most recalls
- 2009 and 2010 (5)
- Most recalled system
- Air bags (25)
- 5-star overall rating
- 2013, 2014, 2015 and 10 more years
Lexus ES Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Recent: still collecting recalls | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2025 Recent: still collecting recalls | 1 | 5 stars | Back over prevention |
| 2024 | 2 | 5 stars | Back over prevention |
| 2023 | 2 | 5 stars | Back over prevention |
| 2022 | 1 | 5 stars | Air bags |
| 2021 | 1 | 5 stars | Air bags |
| 2020 | 3 | 5 stars | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2019 | 4 | 5 stars | Fuel system, gasoline, Air bags, Service brakes |
| 2018 | 2 | 5 stars | Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2017 | 1 | 5 stars | Steering |
| 2016 | 1 | 5 stars | Electronic stability control (esc) |
| 2015 | 1 | 5 stars | Forward collision avoidance |
| 2014 | 1 | 5 stars | Forward collision avoidance |
| 2013 | 1 | 5 stars | Forward collision avoidance |
| 2012 | 3 | 3 stars | Air bags |
| 2011 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags |
| 2010 | 5 | Not rated | Air bags, Vehicle speed control |
| 2009 | 5 | Not rated | Air bags, Vehicle speed control |
| 2008 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Vehicle speed control |
| 2007 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Vehicle speed control |
| 2006 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2005 | 2 | Not rated | Engine and engine cooling, Seat belts |
| 2004 | 2 | Not rated | Engine and engine cooling, Seat belts |
| 2003 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2002 | 2 | Not rated | Air bags, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2001 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2000 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20260 recalls
- 20251 recall
- 20242 recalls
- 20232 recalls
- 20221 recall
- 20211 recall
- 20203 recalls
- 20194 recalls
- 20182 recalls
- 20171 recall
- 20161 recall
- 20151 recall
- 20141 recall
- 20131 recall
- 20123 recalls
- 20113 recalls
- 20105 recalls
- 20095 recalls
- 20084 recalls
- 20074 recalls
- 20060 recalls
- 20052 recalls
- 20042 recalls
- 20030 recalls
- 20022 recalls
- 20010 recalls
- 20000 recalls
Lexus ES: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Lexus ES recalls are air bags (25), back over prevention (5), fuel system, gasoline (5), vehicle speed control (4) and engine and engine cooling (3). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA has an overall star rating for 14 of these 27 model years, and 2013, 2014, 2015 and 10 more years earned 5 stars. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.
FAQ: Lexus ES Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Lexus ES?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 0 each.
Which Lexus ES model years have the most recalls?
2009 and 2010 have the most, with 5 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "ES", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy