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2018 Lexus ES350Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 5 owner complaints about the 2018 Lexus ES350, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-012 the manufacturer reports only 84% of affected cars repaired.

2018 Lexus ES350
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 84%Owner complaints52 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage33kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 8, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2018 Lexus ES350 has problems

5 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 control20
Engine10
Service brakes11
Structure11

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

2 recalls

2018 Lexus ES350 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.

85%repaired · 2022 Q4

Delivery: fuel pump

Recall 20V-682 · Nov 4, 2020 · 1,525,742 vehicles · 1,297,112 repaired

Risk. If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

84%repaired · 2022 Q1

Delivery: fuel pump

Recall 20V-012 · Jan 13, 2020 · 1,830,752 vehicles · 1,540,470 repaired

Risk. If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing 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

2018 vs. every other ES350 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 ES350 median. How we score

'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2018 Lexus ES350 safety ratings

2018 Lexus ES350 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2018 Lexus ES350 frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2018 Lexus ES350 side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2018 Lexus ES350 side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (11.1% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: Standard
  • Lane departure warning: Standard
In owners' words

What ES350 owners report

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

The contact owns a 2018 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH and making a left turn into a parking lot, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration driving to the opposite side of the parking lot before the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that…
Complaint 11525958 · Jun 8, 2023 · 66,150 miles
CRUISE CONTROL WITH DISTANCE FOLLOWING. THIS SYSTEM WHEN ACTIVE AND BY DESIGN STOPS SLOWING THE VEHICLE AT AN ESTIMATED 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE OPERATOR IS EXPECTING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND IT DOES NOT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY…
Complaint 11051352 · Nov 29, 2017 · 100 miles

Own a 2018 ES350?

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