2020 Lexus ES Complaint Log

The front timing chain cover on the engine was leaking at 53k miles. This is a 2GR-FKS engine. We have had the car for 19k miles, and bought it as a Certified Pre-Owned. We're looking at spending over 10% of the purchase price of the car on a repair, after barely having it for three years.

Car has been stalling, jerking and revving of the engine! Transmission service was done around 100,000 miles, about 30000 miles later, car was taken back to dealer and they were unable diagnose a problem. Issue got worse until it became undriveable. Car towed back to dealership only to be told I need a transmission on a pre owned certified car!

Paring brake has been bucking backwards and forward for most of 2026 and finally it failed facing downhill on Feb 4, 2026 and rolled downhill until it stopped after hitting a sign.

I was driving on a freeway. I had my adaptive cruise control turned on. The car in front of me slowed down. My adaptive cruise control did not slow me down so I applied the breaks. The breaks did not work. The breaks did not slow me down or stop me. My pre-collision system did not activate. I collided with the rear end of the car that was in front of me. I got displays on my car screen stating "Pre-Collision System Malfunction", "Breaking Power Low", and "Cruise Control Malfunction". The safety of ourselves and others definitely put the safety of ourselves and others at risk. We did not report this to the dealer. Our car was totaled. The vehicle components involved were not inspected to the best of our knowledge. The warning messages are described above. We do not know exactly when they appeared.

• Frequent Battery Replacements: My vehicle is now on its third battery within a five-year lifespan. The previous owner replaced the battery two years ago when the vehicle was only two years old, and I recently had to replace it again. • Unacceptable Battery Lifespan: No vehicle should require a new battery every two years under normal conditions. This strongly suggests an underlying defect in the battery, charging system, or electrical components. • Lack of Manufacturer Remedy: Despite dozens, if not hundreds, of complaints from other 2020 Lexus ES 350 owners online describing the exact same issue, Lexus has not issued a recall or service bulletin to investigate or resolve the problem. • Misleading Battery Warranty: Lexus advertises its 84-month battery warranty, but this is misleading. In reality, it only provides a full replacement for the first 24 months, while the remaining coverage period is prorated, meaning owners are still required to pay a portion of the cost after just two years. This is deceptive marketing that fails to reflect the true coverage provided. • Potential Safety Hazard: Frequent battery failures could leave drivers stranded unexpectedly, which poses a serious safety risk in various situations (e.g., extreme weather, remote locations, or high-traffic areas). • Lexus’ Partial Acknowledgment of the Issue: This battery issue appears to be somewhat acknowledged by Lexus because they replaced the original battery with a much larger Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) version than what comes standard in the ES 350. The factory-installed battery is rated at 640 CCA, but the replacement Lexus provides is 770 CCA. After researching, I found that this larger battery is typically used in the Lexus LS model, which is a much larger, more powerful vehicle requiring a bigger battery. Despite this upgrade, the replacement battery still fails within two years, indicating that there is an underlying issue causing premature battery failure beyond just battery capacity.

Under recall for over a year for OCS sensor

The contact owns a 2020 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while his father was driving at 35-37 MPH down a hill, he applied the brake pedal, but the brakes failed to respond. The contact continued to pump the brake pedal. The driver moved the gear shifter, attempting to slow down the vehicle. The driver crashed into a 2016 Mazda 3, which crashed into a 2017 Honda Civic. There was an unknown brake indicator light displayed. The passenger occupant sustained extreme chest and neck pain. The driver and passenger were provided medical attention. Additionally, the two occupants of the Mazda sustained leg and neck pain but no medical attention was provided. The unknown occupant (s) of the Honda sustained back, feet, neck, and head injuries, and medical attention was provided. The passenger occupant confirmed that the driver had pumped the brake pedal. The vehicle was towed to a lot. The air bags deployed. There was no reported fire. The contact tested the brakes and showed resistance. The contact had an independent mechanic test the vehicle, and the OBD reading showed no results. There was an indication of a low battery. A police report was filed. The police tested the vehicle and noted the brakes were functioning. The contact stated that a witness traveling behind the driver did not see any brake lights illuminate. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Lexus ES 350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts unavailable.

The contact owned a 2020 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently pulled to the right. The contact's wife had no control of the steering wheel. The contact stated that the vehicle made a hard right turn. The contact stated that his wife tried everything to stop the vehicle, however the vehicle was uncontrollable. The contact stated that the vehicle traveled off the roadway, onto a concrete curve, down into a drainage area, and crashed into a tree. In addition, the contact stated that none of the air bags deployed. The contact stated that the paramedics and the County Sheriff's, however no police report was filed. The contact stated that an incident was recorded. The contact's wife was checked for injuries and released at the scene. No injuries were sustained or reported. The contact's wife was the only occupant in the vehicle at the time when the failure occurred. The vehicle was towed to the Lexus Collision CTR. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The contact stated that in his opinion the crash occurred due to the malfunction of the pre-collision feature. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 25,379.

The contact owns a 2020 Lexus ES350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2020 Lexus ES350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2020 Lexus ES350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts unavailable.

The contact owns a 2020 Lexus ES300 Hybrid. The contact stated that upon investigation, the contact became aware that the VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact had not received notification of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

This safety recall was identified 12/20/23. Passenger Airbag May Not Deploy seems pretty serious to me. Should it really take 9 months to remedy a defect like this? Sure doesn't feel like the manufacturer is remedying this safety recall in a timely manner.

I am writing to formally express my deep concern and frustration regarding the prolonged recall of the passenger-side airbag in my 2020 Lexus ES350 (VIN #[XXX]). The recall numbers are (23LA03, 23LB03 and 23V865) these were issued in December of 2023, which has been more than a year. Lexus has provided a rental car for all this time, which demonstrates this recall is a safety issue. Despite repeated inquiries, to Lexus and Toyota leadership there has been no resolution or clear timeline for repair. This extended delay in addressing a critical safety issue is unacceptable. Airbags are a vital component of vehicle safety; I will not drive my car with a passenger in the front seat. and the continued inability to resolve this problem places both passengers and drivers at unnecessary risk. As a responsible vehicle owner, I find it deeply troubling that there has been no sense of urgency from Lexus or the involved regulatory bodies to ensure a prompt resolution. I urge the NHTSA to take immediate action in investigating this matter and compelling Lexus to provide a definitive solution to this prolonged recall. It is imperative that vehicle manufacturers are held accountable for addressing serious safety concerns within a reasonable timeframe. Additionally, I request that the NHTSA provide any available information on what steps are being taken to expedite these repairs and ensure consumer safety. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your prompt response and any assistance you can provide in resolving this ongoing safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

There was a recall listed for my car in 2023, and now it is September 2025 and there is still no remedy available for the recall. Manufacturer Recall Number: 23LB03 NHTSA Recall Number: 23V865 Recall Status: Recall Incomplete, remedy not yet available Summary: The subject vehicles have Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors in the front passenger seat, that could have been improperly manufactured. Safety Risk: This would not allow the airbag system to properly classify the occupant’s weight, and the airbag may not deploy as designed in certain crashes, increasing the risk of injury..

LEXUS HAS OPEN RECALL ON 2020 LEXUS ES350 SINCE DEC 2023 WITH NO REMEDY PROVIDED. IT IS EXTREMELY NEGLIGENT OF THEM TO HAVE NO SOLUTION WHILE DRIVERS OF THEIR VEHICLES ARE PUTTING THEIR PASSENGERS IN EXTREME RISK OF THEIR SAFETY FOR AIR BAG SENSORS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

There is an active recall for my vehicle involving the passenger airbag potentially not deploying. This is a huge safety risk and the remedy is still not available. The active recall was first initiated in December of 2023.

Not sure if I have the right things checked. Starting about december 2022 i experienced the car "lunging" forward upon putting the car into drive, After having backed out of a parking space. It continued to do this off and on even through today. It seems to do it most after the car has been sitting for a good length of time.Perhaps overnight, or while i've been in a shopping mall 2-3 hours. I have four invoice tickets from the lexus dealer where I brought the car in specifically for this problem. They had someone to drive it with me in the car, and of course we were not able to duplicate it at that time. I left the car with them for 3 days on one occasion. And when I returned, they said they had driven it, and did not have the problem. The occurrence has become more and more often. When it started, it was like a few times a year.And now it is almost daily. My concern is that if I happen not to have my foot over the brake as I am coasting, after backing out of a parking space or my driveway heading down the street, and someone is in front of me that the "lunge", depending how close I might be on someone could cause me to ram into the back of their car. I also taken the car in on more than one occasion and have the invoices to support this to say that the car has a very rough Ride I call it "bumbling". Again, they did not feel it.However, two years ago, they said, oh, you just need new tires. I bought them. Less than year later, those tires were worn and they said, I needed new tires. I was able to get deal with the michelin company and only had to pay twenty five percent of what it costs For a new set of tires. So the bumbling is still going on.After purchasing new tires about a year ago. I conclude that there is something wrong with possibly The transmission that causes the lunging and the bumbling has something to do with the suspension. I am not a mechanic, and I have not had it looked at by another mechanic. I need some resolve for this.

The safety features on my Lexus ES 350 2020 malfunctioned on 10/16/2022 •Cruise control with radar functionality to speed up, slow down or stop, based upon my speed setting did not work at that moment. It did work my entire trip, which was a drive to Tallahassee from our residence on Friday and our return trip home on Sunday, until the accident occurred just north of the Ft. Pierce exit. •The brake sensor, which causes your vehicle to stop with obstructions near the vehicle did not function. •Airbags did not deploy •Seatbelts did not “lock” at impact. When I realized that the safety features (radar and brake sensor) were not working, I slammed on the brakes, but nothing happened.

On Friday, June 03, 2022 as I was leaving the dealership in the 2020 Lexus ES 350 loaner vehicle, I put the car in reverse to back away from the wall, and then put the car from reverse into drive that resulted in it lurching forward momentarily. I did not hear the engine revving, probably because I wasn’t paying attention, but my partner who was seated next to me in the driver’s seat said he heard it. He suspected that the dealership loaned us the vehicle that had a similar issue that caused it to move forward. When I saw the definition of sudden unintended acceleration, I felt that it could be that. I didn’t think it was me. I drove the Lexus home, which was across the street from the dealership and no one drove it during the next few days. On Tuesday, June 07, 2022, we were scheduled for a medical appointment 80 miles away. My partner cancelled it but I decided to take the Lexus out to the store and there was no incident so the appointment was rescheduled for June 09. On Thursday, June 09, 2022 at about 11:30AM PDT, I brought the 2020 Lexus ES 350 loaner vehicle to a stop using the brake pedal. The car was about 12 feet from a landscaped island that separated two parking areas. I was looking to find a parking space that had tree shade. Without moving my foot off the brake, the engine began revving at the same time the Lexus sped forward on its own. I was fully cognizant of what I was doing and what was happening specifically because of what had occurred the Friday before. At the time that the vehicle moved forward, I was doing nothing but pressing my foot on the break. There was nothing obstructing the pedals on the floor as we had made sure of that during the preparation for the trip. The rate of speed that the vehicle was going when it jumped the curb of a landscaped island no more that 3 or 4 feet in diameter is something I would have never normally been able to achieve. The heavy metal pole on the other side bent when it hit. The front wheel

The DCM not working.. i did update and rest the DCM my Dealership and still not working

I always use cruise control whenever i drive because this would always makes me put on a safety automatic brake whenever i get close to the car next to me. But it seems like my automatic emergency brake is defective which Lexus Dealership denies on the inspection when i complain. A lot of times the automatic emergency brake does not work when i use it even when im backing up it suppose to stop but a lot of times im almost at thr brink of hitting something so i have to manually brake. I also texted this to my Lexus Assistant Manager in Lexus Glendale California branch and had it inspected by them but they’ve sit my car in the dealership and at the end of the day told me that its normal. Is it normal to hit a car next to you when youre expecting your car to stop automatically and it does not stop? Why do i have this feature and it doesnt work? I hope you can help me becaus ethis car is very expensive and yet it does not guarantee safety!

I WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY 5 SOUTH, IN A CARPOOL LANE, ALL OF SUDDEN ANOTHER CAR SLAMMED TO MY REAR DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE, CAUSED MY CAR TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, WENT ACCROSS THE FREEWAY AND SLAMMED TO THE LEFT REAR WHEELS OF THE INCOMING 18 WHEELERS BIG RIG, BUT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS INSIDE THE BRAND NEW 2020 LEXUS ES 350 DEPLOYED TO PROTECT ACCUPANTS.