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2017 Lexus ES

HybridGas

Midsize Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11

Safety Signal

92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns1

Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA25

Crash ratingNHTSA overall5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA40 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2017 Lexus ES is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize car with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the ES 300h, is EPA-rated at 40 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 25 complaints, most often about the structure. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
ES 300h	Hybrid	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl + 245V Ni-MH	40	39	40	$1,550
ES 350	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	21	30	24	$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38111, 38110.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Steering

HLC

1,761 vehicles

ProblemToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017 Lexus ES350 vehicles. The right-hand side tie rod lock nut may loosen over time.RiskIf the lock nut loosens, the tie rod may separate causing a loss of steering and increasing the risk of a crash.FixToyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lock nut and, if it is found loose, replace the lock nut, steering gear assembly, and tie rod assembly, free of charge. The recall began on July 26, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is HLC.

NHTSA campaign 17V415000reported Jun 29, 2017Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

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 matt

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

25complaints filed

8 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 5 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2017: 7 · 2018: 6 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 1

Most-cited components

Unspecified3

Structure3

Visibility/Wiper3

Suspension2

Service Brakes2

Electrical System2

What owners describe

“I have purchased two Lexus ES350s--a 2007 and a 2017. Both cars have been serviced at Lexus of Atlanta and both have had transmission failure. On August 28, 2025, after my car passed emissions and had just been serviced a month prior at the dealership, my car abruptly jumped and stalled, and the "Traction Control" mess…”Sep 11, 2025 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

“The automatic headlights are giving me issues and not wanting to come on and off properly along with the auto high beams”Nov 29, 2023 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA owner report

“The contact owns a 2017 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the contact stated that a beeping alert sounded to notify him that he was approaching another vehicle. As the contact attempted to depress the brake pedal, the brake pedal failed and the contact rear-ended the vehicle. The air bags de…”Sep 21, 2022 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Compare the 2017 ES with

2017 Honda Civic →

Other ES model years

2026 Lexus ES

0 recalls · 0 complaints

2025 Lexus ES

1 recalls · 4 complaints

2024 Lexus ES

2 recalls · 9 complaints

2023 Lexus ES

2 recalls · 12 complaints

2022 Lexus ES

1 recalls · 14 complaints

2021 Lexus ES

1 recalls · 35 complaints

2020 Lexus ES

3 recalls · 24 complaints

2019 Lexus ES

4 recalls · 40 complaints

2018 Lexus ES

2 recalls · 15 complaints

2016 Lexus ES

1 recalls · 37 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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