Lexus · NHTSA safety record

2013 Lexus ES Hybrid

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 8 safety complaints about the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid with the US government. Of those, 4 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 vehicle speed control, named in 3 complaints, 38% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 45,700 miles, the median across the 7 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers December 2015 to June 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

8 complaints on file

Complaints

Describe a crash

Mention fire

People injured

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

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 · 38% 3 38%

STRUCTURE 2 · 25% 2 25%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 · 25% 2 25%

AIR BAGS 1 · 13% 1 13%

ENGINE 1 · 13% 1 13%

POWER TRAIN 1 · 13% 1 13%

SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 13% 1 13%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 · 13% 1 13%

0 4 8

One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 8.

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 2016 at 2.

4 3 2 1

15 2015 16 2016 17 2017 18 2018 26 2026

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2015 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 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid. 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.

Defect investigations

1 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Pedestrian alert sounds

DP22005

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

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.

STRUCTURE:BODY Filed December 14, 2015

crash · towed · 22,000 miles

CAR WAS REAR ENDED BY FORD F-150 PRETTY HARD WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND GOT PUSHED FORWARD INTO THE FRONT SUV VEHICLE WHICH ALSO GOT PUSHED FORWARD FROM STATIONARY POSITION AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT. CAR GOT TOTALED THAT THE LENGTH OF THE CAR SHRUNK WRAPPING THE FRONT AND BACK RAILS AND STILL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HENCE THE COMPLAINT

NHTSA complaint 10810007. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Filed June 14, 2017

crash · towed · 50,000 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.

NHTSA complaint 10995042. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed July 10, 2018

crash · 45,700 miles

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 DRIVE AND THAT THE BACKUP CAMERA HAD NOT ENGAGED. I RELEASED THE BREAK AND ACCELERATED TO GO UP THE HILL. THE CAR ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. I HIT THE BREAKS AND CONFIRMED AGAIN THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WAS CLEARLY IN DRIVE POSITION EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOW REVERSED AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE DOOR THAT HAD BEEN BEHIND ME. I THEN SET THE GEAR SHIFT TO PARK POSITION AND TURNED OFF THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint 11110641. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC Filed June 11, 2026

127,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Lexus ES300 Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a sudden and significant reduction in braking efficiency. The contact stated that the brake pedal became extremely stiff and rigid, requiring excessive force to be depressed to stop the vehicle. Simultaneously, the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000.

NHTSA complaint 11743520. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed November 18, 2018

10 miles

ABS BRAKE FAILURE CODE C1391 BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION DURING EMERGENCY STOP WHILE IN MOTION DRY CITY STREET, LUCKY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. COST OF REPAIR $ 5000.00 BY LEXUS DEALER. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH BOTH LEXUS AND TOYOTA VEHICLES. ALSO CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK AFTER THIS HAPPENED AS THE ABS SYSTEM IS NOW DISABLED. ``````````````````

NHTSA complaint 11152308. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Filed January 6, 2017

67,000 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 SLOW DOWN, SLAMMED ONE FOOT ON BRAKE, DID NOT SLOW DOWN, THEN SLAMMED BOTH FEET ON BRAKE PEDAL AND IT DID STOP BEFORE HITTING CEMENT FENCE.

NHTSA complaint 10940196. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed April 15, 2016

NHTSA RECALL 15V728 WAS ISSUED ON 11/3/2015. LEXUS HAS AN TEMPORARY FIX THAT SIMPLY DISABLES THE PRE-COLLISSION SYSTEM. THERE HAS BEEN NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM AND I HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS GETTING ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN IT WILL BE FIXED. THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM APPLIES TO WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA complaint 10859794. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Lexus ES Hybrid

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2014	10	0	—

Other 2013 Lexus models

RX 350 59 CT 43 ES 33 GS 350 26 ES350 23 RX Hybrid 12 LS460 9

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Lexus on this site — 91 vehicles.

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.

Where these numbers come from

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.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst