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2013 Lexus ES HybridProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 8 owner complaints about the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 15V-728 the manufacturer reports only 84% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 84%Owner complaints85 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage50kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 11, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid has problems

8 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Vehicle speed control32
Structure22
Service brakes10
Air bags11
Service brakes, hydraulic10
Engine11
Power train11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2013 Lexus ES Hybrid recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

84%repaired · 2017 Q4

Forward collision avoidance: crash imminent braking

Recall 15V-728 · Nov 3, 2015 · 30,812 vehicles · 25,795 repaired

Risk. A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Lexus.

Best & worst years

2013 vs. every other ES Hybrid year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the ES Hybrid median. How we score

'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Pedestrian alert soundsDP22005 · closed Aug 7, 2023
    Led to recall 22V-063
In owners' words

What ES Hybrid owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FACING UPHILL IN MY DRIVEWAY. I STARTED THE CAR AND SET THE GEAR SHIFT/SELECTOR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) TO DRIVE POSITION WHILE CHECKING THAT THE BACKUP CAMERA WAS NOT ENGAGED. I RELEASED THE EMERGENCY BREAK WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK AND CONFIRMED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN…
Complaint 11110641 · Jul 10, 2018 · 45,700 miles
THE CAR EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVENT WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. WHILE THE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL AND BOUNCED OVER A CURB, DOWN A HILL, STRIKING A PICK UP AND A TREE.
Complaint 10995042 · Jun 14, 2017 · 50,000 miles
PARKED IN PARKING RAMP FRONT IN.BACKED OUT SLOWLY, TAPPED PILLAR AT REAR MOVED FORWARD TO ADJUST STEERING, REVERSED AGAIN, THEN ENGINE ACCELERATED SLAMMED ME BACK INTO PILLAR, STEERING WHEEL TURNED RIGHT ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE HIGH SPEED UP THE RAMP. I TIRED TO PUT THROTTLE IN N, DID NOT…
Complaint 10940196 · Jan 6, 2017 · 67,000 miles

Own a 2013 ES Hybrid?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.