Most common 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid problems
Share of the 8 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus ES Hybrid complaints by model year
Best ES Hybrid years: 2020, 2023, 2024. Compare all years →
2013 Lexus ES Hybrid recalls (1)
Forward collision avoidance › Crash imminent braking
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid owners say
Speed control & acceleration
The vehicle was parked facing uphill in my driveway. I started the car and set the gear shift/selector (automatic transmission) to drive position while checking that the backup camera was not engaged. I released the emergency break with my foot on the break and confirmed that the gear shift was in drive and that the backup camera had not engaged. I released the break and accelerated to go up the hill. The car accelerated in reverse. I hit the breaks and confirmed again that the gear shift was clearly in drive position even though I had now reversed and crashed into the garage door that had been behind me. I then set the gear shift to park position and turned off the car.
The car experienced an unintended acceleration event while pulling into a parking spot at a low rate of speed. While the driver's foot was on the brake the car began accelerating out of control and bounced over a curb, down a hill, striking a pick up and a tree.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid a good car?
Based on 8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 ES Hybrid rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the ES Hybrid at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid?
The speed control & acceleration — 3 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (2) and brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid have?
There is 1 recall for the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid, the most recent from November 3, 2015 (crash imminent braking). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus ES Hybrid?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2023 and 2024. See the full Lexus ES Hybrid years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 46,000 miles; 57% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.