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2013 Lexus ES 350
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
50 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2013 Lexus ES350 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 11%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2013 Lexus ES 350, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Brakes (10) · Visibility & wipers (8) · Electrical system (8) · Speed control (8)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Brakes
20%10 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“Brakes malfunctioned almost resulted in a life threatening car accident. Car is at the Lexus dealership for repair. The have confirmed problem. Yes there were warning …”
Visibility & wipers
16%8 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Roughly 6-12 months ago the dashboard on my Lexus started to melt and become sticky, creating a glare on my windshield and impeding my ability to see the road causing …”
Electrical system
16%8 complaints
“The automatic door locks have stopped working. I have had to replace 3 out of the 4 door lock actuators in the car. When they go out I am unable to use the door lock s…”
Speed control
16%8 complaints
“I WAS PARKING MY CAR ON A COMMERCIAL COMPLEX. I AM PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AS THE CAR SLOWS DOWN. WHEN I FURTHER PRESSED ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR INSTEAD OF TAKING A COMPLE…”
Recalls (1)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Forward Collision Avoidance · 15V728000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment. In these vehicles, the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.
Risk: A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2013 Lexus ES 350 beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2013? See how every ES 350 model year scores →
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What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.