Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 41 safety complaints
about the 2010 Lexus ES with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is the air bags,
named in 20 complaints, 49% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 70,000 miles,
the median across the 15
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers August 2013 to July 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
41 complaints on file
41
Complaints
2
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
1
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
AIR BAGS 20 · 49%
20 49%
STRUCTURE 6 · 15%
6 15%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 6 · 15%
6 15%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 4 · 10%
4 10%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 5%
2 5%
POWER TRAIN 2 · 5%
2 5%
STEERING 2 · 5%
2 5%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 · 2%
1 2%
SEATS 1 · 2%
1 2%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 2%
1 2%
SUSPENSION 1 · 2%
1 2%
WHEELS 1 · 2%
1 2%
01223
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 41.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2017 at 11.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2013 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA has not crash tested the 2010 Lexus ES. Its New Car Assessment Program
tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach
motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so
an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It
is not a low score.
What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a
different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people
inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke
during ordinary use.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed
Incident on 10/13/2020 On Tuesday October 13th. 2020 I was driving my 2010 Lexus ES 350 in Diamond Bar, CA 91765. I got hit on my side by a speedy car (ran red light) He was driving at speed of 55 mph. I got multiple fractures (No air bags were deployed) and later on hospital admission due to life serious complications. Now I’m dealing with continuous pain, inability to back to normal life style and a must have joint replacement due to joint damage (bone and cartilage). I have police report/total loss report have details about car damage and countless medical care and hospital admission for the implication of the accident. I'm uploading some photos for my white Lexus to the extent lt. axle …
NHTSA complaint 11464937, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
crash · towed
No lamps on at all. Car was in a major accident and no airbags went off. Was hit almost head on by a ram pickup at approximately 45 miles an hour and then the truck went down the drivers side of the car Car was stopped at a red light at the time of the incident
NHTSA complaint 11561605. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
on the front dashboard there is a lot of oil deposit which is from the dashboard material which is reflective and sticky, this oil deposit reflects on the windshield and is making visibility hard when driving in sunlight... i have reached out to the Lexus corporate and they have indicated that the recall is over (even though i never got the recall notice. This is happening to other drivers with the same model as well.
NHTSA complaint 11753566. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have the full panoramic glass roof. The seal around the whole roof has rotted away. There is nothing wrong with the glass, but I believe the missing molding makes the glass less secure. Without the molding, rainwater is seeping into who knows what electrical components within the vehicle. Lexus will not replace the molding or the glass at their expense. This is a dangerous manufacture defect that should be repaired by Lexus.
NHTSA complaint 11682048. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Dear NHTSA Vehicle Safety Team, I am submitting a safety complaint regarding my 2010 Lexus ES350 (VIN: [XXX] ) concerning a dashboard melting issue. Several years ago, Lexus issued a recall for melting dashboards, including my vehicle. At that time, I did not request a replacement. However, after the recall period ended, my dashboard began to melt. The material becomes sticky, shiny, and unsafe under sunlight. During daytime driving, the melted dashboard reflects sunlight onto the windshield, making it difficult and dangerous to see the road clearly. I have contacted my local Lexus dealer and Lexus corporate headquarters, but both refused assistance, citing the expired recall period. …
NHTSA complaint 11681051, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
Purchased this car on [XXX] from Alpina Motors on Eastern Blvd in Maryland. In February took the car to Ron's Auto Repair, and he said that the brakes were metal on metal, so he replaced the Brakes and Rotors for $510. On [XXX] while driving on the Garden State Parkway with my [XXX] son the axle broke. Scaring me and my son because of losing control and not knowing what to do. Had to call my grandmother to get car towed and repaired at Scotts Auto in Carney's Point, NJ for $465. On 05/01/2025 I asked the dealer if he could he check my transmission fluid. He stated he couldn't because he didn't have a tool. On 05/02/2025 I took the car to Midas Auto Service on Eastern Ave in Balto. The tech …
NHTSA complaint 11661199, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
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 have asked Lexus corporate and the dealership to help me resolve this dangerous defect but they said the program has expired and is no longer willing to help. I am a senior citizen and cannot afford to pay for this out of pocket or buy a new car. This defect is a widely known issue and Lexus has acknowledged that this is causing a dangerous condition while driving. I cannot understand why they …
NHTSA complaint 11596383, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst