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Engine & cooling

Lexus ES350 Engine problems by year

58 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Lexus ES350's engine & cooling. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Engine complaints by model year

YearEngine complaintsCrashesInjuriesRecalls
20181000
20171000
20162000
20144200
20131000
20114310
20102020
20091000
200811200
200731630

Latest ES350 engine complaints

2007 Lexus ES350Engine & coolingFuel systemCrash

While entering into a parking spot the car suddenly surged, went over a curb, and crashed into a store front. The driver had her foot on the brake. We checked to see if the floor mat was against the accelerator and it was not. I have a photo of the mat.

Filed Incident Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11693327
2008 Lexus ES350Engine & cooling

VVTI oil line ruptured This was part of a Limited Service Campaign by Lexus and I believe my vehicle's VIN was incorrectly excluded.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11571420
2007 Lexus ES350Engine & coolingDriver assistance

I was driving and my car speed start going down and I saw engine and battery light came on so I pulled over and turned off the car and try to turn it back on but it's not turning on.

Filed Incident Unknown or other · Engine · Back over preventionNHTSA 11492005
2007 Lexus ES350Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine & cooling

This is a second report of unexpected, unanticipated extremly high acceleration while braking. I reported this experience in November 2019, NHTSA Complaint Number 11279155. At that time, the car was moving and I was braking on an uphill curve. On October 10, 2021, at approx 12:30 p.m. The unexpected, unanticipated extremely high acceleration occurred as I was starting my car in a Pittsburgh area restaurant parking lot. The car requires that my foot be on the brake while starting. The car was in Park when I...

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depressed the start button. Immediately the car started with extremely high revolutions to the point the loud engine noise frightened several individuals standing 15-20 feet on an adjacent sidewalk. The tachometer was in or close to the redzone. I immediately shut the engine down. At no time did I have my foot on the accelerator and neither the floor mat nor any other item was touching the accelerator.

Filed Incident Power train · Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11436298
2007 Lexus ES350Engine & cooling1 injury

Smoke started coming out of hood when returning home. Opened hood to check engine and choked on smoke. After engine cooled, found VVT-I tube is leaking at lower end of rubber hose. Engine oil had accumulated around engine compartment aft, a bit foward of VVT-i tube, and to passenger side. Searched Internet and saw that LSC-90K oil line "campaign" has the exact same part that is part of campaign that failed on my engine, but my VIN is not part of campaign.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11421192
2007 Lexus ES350Engine & cooling

The front timing cover seal on my car was resealed at 105,124 miles @ a cost of $2,804.52 Plus tax on november 2014. The car was 8 years old. I am now being told that the timing cover needs to be resealed/replaced again. The car had 160,830 miles when I took it in for service on 5/3/2021. By the way, the service adviser wrote the wrong mileage. He mistakenly wrote 168,036 miles as the odometer reading. When I asked what is causing this issue he had no answer. I contacted lexus customer service to inquire into what...

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causes the seal to need replacement every 7 or so years. Case # 210506001409 was assigned. The customer service called today and informed me that the service manager at crown lexus in ontario informed her the sealer shrinks overtime. However, she could not provide a reason for the shrinkage. I need to know what causes this so I can decide whether to continue putting money into this car. This does seem right to me. I think it is a manufacturing defect. I simply need to know why they continue to use sealers that they know will shrink. The new cost to repair this car is approximately $3500. The customer service person did not know the name of the sealer that was being used. She could only refer me to the service manager at the dealer and I do not feel comfortable talking to him about this because he gave her no real explanation other than it shrinks. Other customers are having the same problem with their cars. If I have contacted the wrong office please direct to me to someone who can help. By the way, I asked for a written response and was told she could not provide one.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11416479
2016 Lexus ES350Engine & cooling

I bought used 2016 lexus es350, miles 84000, and after a month I heard rattling noise from right side of engine. Most likely from water pump pully.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11406389
2009 Lexus ES350Engine & cooling

Broken engine valve spring. Only one so far that cause the problem. Vehicle in motion on city street.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11362118
2018 Lexus ES350Engine & cooling

Tl* the contact owns a 2018 lexus es350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 52 mph, the engine suddenly shutoff and approximately 5 to 10 seconds later, the engine suddenly restarted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer johnson lexus located at 5839 capital blvd, raleigh, nc 27616, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. Information down loaded from the vehicle?S computer indicated that the driver was depressing both the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time. The contact indicated that was not the case. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,000. *Ln *tr

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11360612
2014 Lexus ES350Engine & coolingFuel system

Tl* the contact owns a 2014 lexus es350. The contact stated while driving at approximately 15 mph, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed to the floor for the vehicle to respond. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle is included in nhtsa campaign number: 20v012000(fuel system, gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered a rental vehicle. The failure mileage was 47,000.

Filed Incident Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11319034
2007 Lexus ES350Electrical systemEngine & coolingCrash

On thur nov 6, 2009, at approx 6:00 pm., I was driving on a wet country lane in wexford, pa. Driving slowly, less than 15 mph on an up hill curve, I applied my brakes and shortly afterward the engine unexpectedly and unintentionally accelerated causing my car to swerve to the left and into shrubbery adjacent to the lane. My foot was not on the accelerator and the floor mat was anchored. Auto damage is minor limited to left front bumper, est at $1,000-$1,500 damage.

Filed Incident Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11279155
2007 Lexus ES350Engine & coolingFire

My oil line is leaking, I did research and found a recall on this part. Can I get this repaired...

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11253056
2007 Lexus ES350Engine & cooling

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 lexus es350. When the vehicle was cold started, the engine made a loud rattling noise. Also, while the vehicle was parked, the oil level lowered. The contact stated that the cam shaft gear assembly was defective and unable to hold oil to reduce emission control of the engine when the vehicle was started. The contact planned to take the vehicle to bredemann lexus (2000 n waukegan rd, glenview, il 60025, (847) 510-5535) for diagnostic testing later this week. The manufacturer stated that even though the engine was the same as in other vehicles that were recalled, there were no recalls on the contact's vehicle. The failure mileage was 91,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11204351
2007 Lexus ES350Engine & cooling

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 lexus es350. When the contact took the vehicle to be serviced at an independent mechanic, they diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the engine had a fuel leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11133176

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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