Body complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 20% | — |
| 2019 | 3 | 9% | — |
| 2018 | 1 | 20% | — |
| 2015 | 1 | 20% | — |
| 2013 | 2 | 6% | 45,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 13% | 65,000 miles |
| 2011 | 6 | 13% | 38,000 miles |
| 2010 | 6 | 15% | 148,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 7% | 95,000 miles |
| 2008 | 7 | 10% | 57,000 miles |
| 2007 | 31 | 25% | 75,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 3% | 80,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 13% | 165,000 miles |
| 2003 | 1 | 4% | 135,000 miles |
| 2002 | 5 | 19% | 175,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The component that failed is the Under Engine Cross Member. This is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk due to the Cross Member being bent so much that is didn't screw back in correctly, thus could have caused the engine to have fallen out of the car or worse. The problem was reproduced at Hendrick Lexus Kansas City. This concern was confirmed by the Technician along with a video. The vehicle was supposed to had been inspected the first time at Park Lexus to certify it as a Certified Pre Owned by Lexus, 200 point inspection. After a week of me owning the car, I sent it back to Parker Lexus for a rattling noise coming from the drivers side area. Parker Lexus said everything was fine with the underbody of the car. This is the second time. The third time. I took it back to Parker Lexus again for them to locate the noise again. …
Accident description: traveling south on I-95 just past the 895 split. I was traveling in the middle lane with a speed of 60-65 MPH. The car started to drift left quickly. There was no vibration warning through the steering wheel indicating lane departure. I was rapidly moving toward the concrete base of the moravia road overpass. The steering was tight. I attempt to brake and steer right but nothing seemed to work. The autobrake was on but did not apply and I hit the concrete base of the wall on the left front corner of the Lexus. I did several 360's and landed against the jersey wall in reverse direction of the traffic. The air bags did not deploy. The car would not start. I was able to put my window up/down and the door did open. I remained in place with my seat belt still on until office smith arrived. He recorded the incident. …
The contact owns a 2012 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the reflection from the melted dashboard reflected onto the windshield. In addition, the contact's vision was impaired while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while sitting in the sun, the dashboard melted causing a glare in the windshield. The contact called the dealer and was advised to take the vehicle to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact there were no open recalls associated with the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
We purchased this vehicle in mid 2018. In October of 2018 Lexus issued a customer support process ZLZ which covered our vehicle for problems with the dashboard. At that time, we had no deterioration of our dashboard so we did not respond. The Lexus program expired in 2021. In the last two years, our dashboard has deteriorated quite substantially becoming sticky and more importantly, becoming very reflective. This condition is a serious safety issue for day and night driving as light reflects up on the windshield and obscures vision out of the windshield. We took the vehicle to Lexus San Diego in August of 2024 and they declined to address the repair as a defect and offered to replace the dashboard for approximately $3000. At that time I called the Lexus Corporate Dept and they said that it could fall under the support program again if they re-opened the program. …
I purchased the car on Feb 9, 2014 at the above Lexus Dealership. $26,596. My dashboard is melting and it's definitely a safety hazard. When materials used in the dashboard are prone to melting or degrading in extreme heat, potentially obstructing the driver's view and impacting visibility. At times I couldn't see and I almost had an accident when the sun reflected in my eyes. It's a defect that Lexus is aware of because they offered to fix it under the Customer Support Program (Takata Economic Loss Class Action Settlement). Furthermore, by way of legal agreement, the ZLZ warranty enhancement coverage extends to my vehicle until January 8, 2026. However, I should not have to rely on this legal agreement to get Lexus to take care of this repair which has been determined as a defective product/material. I contacted Lexus HQ [phone] on November 21, 2024. …
The contact owns a 2010 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that he had noticed a sticky texture on the dashboard directly in the driver's view. The contact stated that while driving, the sticky texture reflected onto the windshield impairing his vision. The vehicle was taken to a local collision center. The mechanic confirmed that the dashboard was melting. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
The dashboard melted and shines. Having problems seeing during driving against sunlight, also the stickiness of the dashboard makes dirt stuck on the surface of the dashboard. The main issue is safety while driving because of sunlight reflection.
Frequently asked questions
Which Lexus ES years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (31), 2008 (7), 2010 (6), 2011 (6) and 2002 (5) model years. Body complaints make up 25% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Lexus ES body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for any Lexus ES model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Lexus ES body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles; 30% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (45 mentions), followed by the interior panels › dashboard (7).
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.