2010 Lexus ES

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2010 Lexus ES has 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (43% of all complaints), specifically: after 2.5 years of satisfactory operation, the front passenger airbag sensor light began to intermittently change between "on" and "off" with my 100 lb. wife as the front seat passenger (same wife, same weight within +/- 3 lbs,), lexus dealer tried 2 recalibrating with no success. lexus customer s.

2 crash reports 1 injury

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

20 complaints

43%

• AFTER 2.5 YEARS OF SATISFACTORY OPERATION, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY CHANGE BETWEEN "ON" AND "OFF" WITH MY 100 LB. WIFE AS THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER (SAME WIFE, SAME WEIGHT WITHIN +/- 3 LBS,), LEXUS DEALER TRIED 2 RECALIBRATING WITH NO SUCCESS. LEXUS CUSTOMER S
• "TAKATA RECALL". I CALLED MY LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF I COULD GET A RENTAL CAR UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX MY CAR. WHAT THEY OFFERED WAS RIDICULOUS. THEY WOULD APPROVE $30.00 A DAY FOR RENTAL CAR WITH A $1,000.00 LIMIT. THE PARTS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 2017. THAT WOULD MEAN THAT I WOU
• APPARENTLY, LEXUS MAILED A RECALL NOTICE TO MY HOME ADDRESS SOMETIME IN JUNE (THE LETTER DOES NOT HAVE A DATE THAT IT WAS ISSUED) ABOUT THE TAKATA PASSENGER AIRBAG PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL NOTICE UNTIL AFTER I MADE A LONG TRIP WITH MY SISTER FROM ATLANTA, GA TO MELBOURNE, FL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“AFTER 2.5 YEARS OF SATISFACTORY OPERATION, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY CHANGE BETWEEN "ON" AND "OFF" WITH MY 100 LB. WIFE AS THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER (SAME WIFE, SAME WEIGHT WITHIN +/- 3 LBS,), LEXUS DEALER TRIED 2 RECALIBRATING WITH NO SUCCESS. LEXUS CUSTOMER S”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

6 complaints

13%

• INSIDE DASHBOARD IS VERY STICKY AND LEXUS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED.
• LOCATION: WHERE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR ATTACHES TO BODY OF VEHICLE. THE UPPER HINGE FROM THE DOOR THAT ATTACHES TO THE BODY, IS DETACHING FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR. THE MATERIAL THAT THE DOOR ATTACHES TO DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE METAL, IT APPEARS TO BE SOME SORT OF FIBERGLASS. I WILL BE SHOCKED IF YOU D
• I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. THEY KEEP POPPINGLOOSE, SWINGING FREELY ON IT'S BASE.ONE TIME THE MIRROR POPPED LOOSE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. COULD NOT SEE TRAFFIC IN THE RIGHT LANE. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“INSIDE DASHBOARD IS VERY STICKY AND LEXUS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

5 complaints

11%

• 1.WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE BACKUP SENSOR SOMETIMES STARTS BEEPING WHEN THERE IS NOTHING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. 2.DRIVING CAR ON DAN RYAN EXPRESSWAY. PRESSING LEFT SIDE BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL, ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE SOUND LEVEL, CHANNEL, OR RADIO MODE (FM1,FM2,AM, ETC.). INSTEAD, NOTHING
• MELTED DASHBOARD WHICH CREATES GLARE RIGHT IN MY LINE OF VISION. I HAVE NOTICED OTHER OLDER LEXUS MODELS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS WELL AS OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES.
• I have been driving with a shiny sticky dashboard that reflects light directly into my eyes when I'm driving creating a dangerous driving condition. I was just made aware that there was a Lexus Customer Support Program ZLZ to replace this defective dashboard but I never received a recall notice. I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“1.WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE BACKUP SENSOR SOMETIMES STARTS BEEPING WHEN THERE IS NOTHING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. 2.DRIVING CAR ON DAN RYAN EXPRESSWAY. PRESSING LEFT SIDE BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL, ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE SOUND LEVEL, CHANNEL, OR RADIO MODE (FM1,FM2,AM, ETC.). INSTEAD, NOTHING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

4 complaints

• BOTH REAR VIEW MIRRORS FOR THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED OFF AND WOULD NO LONGER STAY IN PLACE. THEY WOULD JUST SWIVEL BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. I NEEDED TO USE TAPE TO KEEP THEM IN PLACE WHILE DRIVING. I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED AND THE MIRROR
• I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. THEY KEEP POPPINGLOOSE, SWINGING FREELY ON IT'S BASE.ONE TIME THE MIRROR POPPED LOOSE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. COULD NOT SEE TRAFFIC IN THE RIGHT LANE. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
• 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.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“BOTH REAR VIEW MIRRORS FOR THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED OFF AND WOULD NO LONGER STAY IN PLACE. THEY WOULD JUST SWIVEL BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. I NEEDED TO USE TAPE TO KEEP THEM IN PLACE WHILE DRIVING. I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED AND THE MIRROR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

2 complaints

• I HAVE LEXUS ES350 YEAR 2010 ,I HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY NEED TO JUMP STAR I BRING TO THE DEALER TO CHECK ,THEY TOLD ME NEED TO CHANGE THE BATTERY ,WITH THE FULL PRICE $198.00 ,THEY TOLD ME THE BATTERY ON MY CAR IS NO MORE WARRANTY I HAVE NO IDEA ,BUT THE BATTERY ON MY CAR FROM LEXUS LOGO AND
• I BEGAN TO NOTICE AFTER LONG DRIVES, A SMELL SIMILAR TO A CAR OVERHEATING. ONE NIGHT, WHILE WARMING THE CAR UP, THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON (THE BATTERY SYMBOL). I FIGURED IT WAS PROBABLY MY BATTERY AND DECIDED TO CALL AN UBER. IN THE SHORT TIME THAT I WAITED FOR MY RIDE, THE CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE. TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I HAVE LEXUS ES350 YEAR 2010 ,I HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY NEED TO JUMP STAR I BRING TO THE DEALER TO CHECK ,THEY TOLD ME NEED TO CHANGE THE BATTERY ,WITH THE FULL PRICE $198.00 ,THEY TOLD ME THE BATTERY ON MY CAR IS NO MORE WARRANTY I HAVE NO IDEA ,BUT THE BATTERY ON MY CAR FROM LEXUS LOGO AND ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 46 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: AFTER 2.5 YEARS OF SATISFACTORY OPERATION, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY CHANGE BETWEEN "ON" AND "OFF" WITH MY 100 LB. WIFE AS THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER (SAME WIFE, SAME WEIGHT WITHIN +/- 3 LBS,), LEXUS DEALER TRIED 2 RECALIBRATING WITH NO SUCCESS. LEXUS CUSTOMER S
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: INSIDE DASHBOARD IS VERY STICKY AND LEXUS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: 1.WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE BACKUP SENSOR SOMETIMES STARTS BEEPING WHEN THERE IS NOTHING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. 2.DRIVING CAR ON DAN RYAN EXPRESSWAY. PRESSING LEFT SIDE BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL, ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE SOUND LEVEL, CHANNEL, OR RADIO MODE (FM1,FM2,AM, ETC.). INSTEAD, NOTHING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: BOTH REAR VIEW MIRRORS FOR THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED OFF AND WOULD NO LONGER STAY IN PLACE. THEY WOULD JUST SWIVEL BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. I NEEDED TO USE TAPE TO KEEP THEM IN PLACE WHILE DRIVING. I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED AND THE MIRROR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)