Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 20% | — |
| 2023 | 2 | 20% | 68,000 miles |
| 2020 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2019 | 4 | 12% | 18,000 miles |
| 2015 | 1 | 20% | 120,000 miles |
| 2013 | 8 | 24% | 50,000 miles |
| 2012 | 5 | 16% | 124,000 miles |
| 2011 | 5 | 11% | 138,000 miles |
| 2010 | 2 | 5% | 161,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 7% | — |
| 2008 | 4 | 6% | 245,000 miles |
| 2007 | 6 | 5% | 173,000 miles |
| 2006 | 1 | 8% | 115,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 6% | 135,000 miles |
| 2003 | 3 | 13% | 235,000 miles |
| 2002 | 5 | 19% | 248,000 miles |
| 2000 | 3 | 50% | 149,000 miles |
| 1999 | 2 | 25% | 175,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact's wife owns a 2019 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while attempting to park in between two vehicles with his foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The vehicle jumped the parking barrier and hit stanchion which caused the vehicle to stop. The airbags did not deploy and the vehicle's electrical warning sensors also failed to operate as needed. No injuries were reported at the scene. Both fire and police reported immediately to the scene and a police report was filed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer and the contact was given a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact agreed to have the black box inspected for an investigation. The contact was informed that an investigator would be sent to the dealer and that the investigation would last approximately two months. …
The DCM malfunctioning, its the SOS button in the car that call Lexus personnel in case of emergency. Its stuck in a loop and keeps calling the call center every 3 minutes or so. I've had to tell them it's not me and they report the malfunction and it call the next representative and same thing. It called the call center 15 times as I was driving (extremally distracting and almost ran a red) before getting to the dealership. I've seen the same complaint on a Lexus forum to a person in Florida.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Lexus ES350. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale on Facebook Marketplace. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 127,000; however, a Carfax vehicle history reported the mileage at 199,000.
On my 2013 Lexus ES 350, three out of the four doors do not function properly and will not lock or lock with the key fob. my driver's side front door, my driver's side rear door, and my passenger's side front door does not work. The doors also will not lock or unlock with the interior lock/unlock button. When the all the doors are locked, I must go to the passenger's rear door to unlock the driver's side front door with my cane. The manual door lock from the key fob does not work and will break if I continue turning it. The door locks will not automatically lock when the car goes in motion. These are safety issues trying to get a child or pet out of the car in case of an emergency such as a fire, an accident, or robbery. The power locks are extremely helpful for me. …
I had a 2012 Lexus ES 350 and had problems with it. The first problem occurred when I was parking. I was angle parking and had my foot on the brake when the car jumped into a brick wall. Four air bags exploded in my face and rendered me unconscious. I was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. I could hardly walk and my legs were extremely swollen and I had many other bruises. The second incident was that the passenger seat of the car went on fire and burnt the seat. I feel I should not have to pay the final excess wear and tear bill of $829.50. In fact I believe I should be reimbursed for the last payment of $455 since the car was not in my possession. I had returned it to wilde Lexus of sarasota on March 16, 2015 as I was extremely concerned about the safety of the vehicle.
All 4 doors stopped locking by key fob, inside switches or exterior door handle switches or when putting the transmission in gear. No click is heard when trying to lock doors but clicking is heard when hitting the unlock switches. Doors will unlock electronically/ electrically when they are manually locked from inside the vehicle. A previous report indicated a similar problem that a dealer diagnosed as all of the door locks needed replaced, which makes no sense that the could all fail mechanically at the same time. The problem appears electrical in nature and is dangerous since doors can't be locked when the car is in motion or in a safety situation where locking the doors could prevent intruder entry.
The contact owns a 2011 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed fluid leaking from the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,912.
At approximately 6:30 pm, while making a right hand turn into a friends driveway, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on it's own, and the brakes would not work. The vehicle continued to the right as if locked in to the right hand position, hit a tree and finally came to a stop by hitting high concrete steps. The vehicle was towed to the dealership, and later to the body shop as the vehicle was not drivable. During the interim, the vehicle was inspected by Toyota. Post investigation, the letter recently received from Toyota states "during the limited test drive accelerating and braking tests were conducted and the vehicle performed with no abnormalities found". The vehicle was not drivable per the mechanic at the dealership and the mechanic at the body shop, due to the significant damage and fluid leakage. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Lexus ES years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (8), 2007 (6), 2002 (5), 2011 (5) and 2012 (5) model years. Electrical complaints make up 24% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Lexus ES electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system 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 electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 156,000 miles; 19% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the instrument panel › speedometer/odometer (6 mentions), followed by the instrument cluster/panel (1).
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.