Most common 2015 Lexus ES Hybrid problems
Share of the 6 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 →
2015 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 2015 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 2015 Lexus ES Hybrid owners say
Fuel & propulsion system
On 6/3/2019 at 12 noon, it has sudden runaway acceleration. We had stopped on the curb outside our home and then started driving slowly in EV mode turning into our driveway, and all of a sudden, it accelerated hard by itself, hit another car in the driveway, and then hit the corner of the house after going over some shrubbery. There was no time to hit the brakes; it all happened suddenly. This is clearly unintended runaway acceleration, and this make/model/year needs to be recalled before anyone gets injured or dies. This is serious
My brand new es300h shows different milauge capacity each time I fill the tank. When I purchased it brand new it showed the driving range of 675 miles with full tank. Since then it has been continuously dropping by 20 to 30 miles each time I fill it up. Now I will be lucky if I can get even 500 miles range. I showed it to two different dealers in dallas, texas area. They both claim that the car is adjusting to my driving style (that indirectly means I am a bad driver). It has been 3.5 months since I purchased it and it is still dropping. Can driving style make that big a difference (nearly 200 miles less than the original range indicated)? I don't think so and I believe that dealers themselves do not know what is going on with my engine/ Hybrid system. But they refuse to do anything about this problem.
Transmission & drivetrain
On 6/3/2019 at 12 noon, it has sudden runaway acceleration. We had stopped on the curb outside our home and then started driving slowly in EV mode turning into our driveway, and all of a sudden, it accelerated hard by itself, hit another car in the driveway, and then hit the corner of the house after going over some shrubbery. There was no time to hit the brakes; it all happened suddenly. This is clearly unintended runaway acceleration, and this make/model/year needs to be recalled before anyone gets injured or dies. This is serious
My brand new es300h shows different milauge capacity each time I fill the tank. When I purchased it brand new it showed the driving range of 675 miles with full tank. Since then it has been continuously dropping by 20 to 30 miles each time I fill it up. Now I will be lucky if I can get even 500 miles range. I showed it to two different dealers in dallas, texas area. They both claim that the car is adjusting to my driving style (that indirectly means I am a bad driver). It has been 3.5 months since I purchased it and it is still dropping. Can driving style make that big a difference (nearly 200 miles less than the original range indicated)? I don't think so and I believe that dealers themselves do not know what is going on with my engine/ Hybrid system. But they refuse to do anything about this problem.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2015 Lexus ES Hybrid a good car?
Based on 6 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2015 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 2015 Lexus ES Hybrid?
The fuel & propulsion system — 3 complaints, 50% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (3) and equipment & accessories (1).
How many recalls does the 2015 Lexus ES Hybrid have?
There is 1 recall for the 2015 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 2015 Lexus ES Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 8,000 miles; 80% 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.