2015 Lexus ES350

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Excellent Reliability

Quick Summary

The 2015 Lexus ES350 has 23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is other problems (30% of all complaints), specifically: after starting engine we began to hear crackling noises similar to electrical sounds. this persisted for about 30 minutes. we visited our dealer and were told that it is normal. we do not believe this. the crackling noises would only be evident for a short time after this. now we are hearing th.

2 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

OTHER

7 complaints

30%

• AFTER STARTING ENGINE WE BEGAN TO HEAR CRACKLING NOISES SIMILAR TO ELECTRICAL SOUNDS. THIS PERSISTED FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. WE VISITED OUR DEALER AND WERE TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS. THE CRACKLING NOISES WOULD ONLY BE EVIDENT FOR A SHORT TIME AFTER THIS. NOW WE ARE HEARING TH
• THREE MAJOR ISSUES WITH THIS CAR, AND LOTS OF MINOR ONES. 1. THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE WHILE SLOWING DOWN IN TRAFFIC. HITTING THE BRAKES CAUSED THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD. 2. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SEEMED TO TURN OFF AND ALL INTERNAL/EXTERNAL LIGHTS WENT OFF AT NIGHT AND I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD.
• MOON ROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH--GLASS FLEW ALL OVER THE ROAD--IT COULD HAVE IMPACTED ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAVE HIT THE MOON ROOF. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR BUT HAD TO DRIVE 45 MILES HOME AT 35 MPH AS WIND KEPT BLOWING BACK THE INTERIOR COVER.

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

“AFTER STARTING ENGINE WE BEGAN TO HEAR CRACKLING NOISES SIMILAR TO ELECTRICAL SOUNDS. THIS PERSISTED FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. WE VISITED OUR DEALER AND WERE TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS. THE CRACKLING NOISES WOULD ONLY BE EVIDENT FOR A SHORT TIME AFTER THIS. NOW WE ARE HEARING TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

4 complaints

17%

• WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH THE RADAR CRUISE ENGAGED, WE WERE APPROACHING A SLOWER CAR , ANOTHER CAR WAS IN THE INSIDE LANE ADJACENT TO US AND BEFORE WE COULD DISENGAGE THE CRUISE OUR LEXUS ES350 BRAKED FORCEFULLY AND THE CAR FOLLOWING HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION...THIS IS FIRST HAND
• I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE SLOWLY, BRAKING TO STOP, WHEN THE CAN ACCELERATED. I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REV AND I PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE CAR TRAVELED ABOUT 4 FEET BEFORE IT CAME TO A STOP. I REPORTED TO LEXUS WHO TURNED OVER TO 'LEGAL' AND I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A
• RECEIVED A RECALL DUE TO A MALFUNCTION ON THE P C S (*PRE COLLISION SYSTEM). THE RECALL WAS NOVEMBER 2015. TO DATE, JUNE 25, 2016, NO REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM. SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM IS EXCESSIVE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH THE RADAR CRUISE ENGAGED, WE WERE APPROACHING A SLOWER CAR , ANOTHER CAR WAS IN THE INSIDE LANE ADJACENT TO US AND BEFORE WE COULD DISENGAGE THE CRUISE OUR LEXUS ES350 BRAKED FORCEFULLY AND THE CAR FOLLOWING HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION...THIS IS FIRST HAND ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

4 complaints

17%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUSH BUTTON START FUNCTIONED PROPERLY FOR AT LEAST ELEVEN MONTHS. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE PUSH BUTTON START TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND D
• THREE MAJOR ISSUES WITH THIS CAR, AND LOTS OF MINOR ONES. 1. THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE WHILE SLOWING DOWN IN TRAFFIC. HITTING THE BRAKES CAUSED THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD. 2. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SEEMED TO TURN OFF AND ALL INTERNAL/EXTERNAL LIGHTS WENT OFF AT NIGHT AND I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD.
• I AM THE OWNER OF A LEXUS WHOSE ENGINE WIRES ARE SOY BASED. 4 WEEKS AGO MY CAR WAS TOTALLY "DEAD" AND I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME RODENTS ATE THE WIRES.THE COST TO REPAIR THE WIRES WAS $977.00 PLUS THE COST OF TOWING. THIS IS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF LEXUS AND A HIGHWAY DANGER TO ALL.I

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUSH BUTTON START FUNCTIONED PROPERLY FOR AT LEAST ELEVEN MONTHS. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE PUSH BUTTON START TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND D”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

2 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH THE RADAR CRUISE ENGAGED, WE WERE APPROACHING A SLOWER CAR , ANOTHER CAR WAS IN THE INSIDE LANE ADJACENT TO US AND BEFORE WE COULD DISENGAGE THE CRUISE OUR LEXUS ES350 BRAKED FORCEFULLY AND THE CAR FOLLOWING HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION...THIS IS FIRST HAND
• I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE SLOWLY, BRAKING TO STOP, WHEN THE CAN ACCELERATED. I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REV AND I PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE CAR TRAVELED ABOUT 4 FEET BEFORE IT CAME TO A STOP. I REPORTED TO LEXUS WHO TURNED OVER TO 'LEGAL' AND I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

2 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V728000 (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL R
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V728000 (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE), BUT THE REMEDY TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANU

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V728000 (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL R”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 23 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
OTHER: AFTER STARTING ENGINE WE BEGAN TO HEAR CRACKLING NOISES SIMILAR TO ELECTRICAL SOUNDS. THIS PERSISTED FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. WE VISITED OUR DEALER AND WERE TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS. THE CRACKLING NOISES WOULD ONLY BE EVIDENT FOR A SHORT TIME AFTER THIS. NOW WE ARE HEARING TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH THE RADAR CRUISE ENGAGED, WE WERE APPROACHING A SLOWER CAR , ANOTHER CAR WAS IN THE INSIDE LANE ADJACENT TO US AND BEFORE WE COULD DISENGAGE THE CRUISE OUR LEXUS ES350 BRAKED FORCEFULLY AND THE CAR FOLLOWING HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION...THIS IS FIRST HAND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUSH BUTTON START FUNCTIONED PROPERLY FOR AT LEAST ELEVEN MONTHS. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE PUSH BUTTON START TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND D
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH THE RADAR CRUISE ENGAGED, WE WERE APPROACHING A SLOWER CAR , ANOTHER CAR WAS IN THE INSIDE LANE ADJACENT TO US AND BEFORE WE COULD DISENGAGE THE CRUISE OUR LEXUS ES350 BRAKED FORCEFULLY AND THE CAR FOLLOWING HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION...THIS IS FIRST HAND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)