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Lexus · Midsize Sedan

2023 Lexus LS

Hybrid Gas

Midsize Cars
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

91 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 1

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 25 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2023 Lexus LS is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the LS 500h, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 1 complaint, most often about the seats.

Lexus LS — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Lexus LS · Photo: HJUdall · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitCompare a trim →

Trim	Powertrain	Drive	MSRP
LS 500	Gas	RWD	—
LS 500 AWD	Gas	AWD	—
LS 500h	Hybrid	RWD	—
LS 500h AWD	Hybrid	AWD	—

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
LS 500h	Hybrid	RWD	3.5L 6-cyl + 311V Li-Ion	22	29	25	$3,300
LS 500h AWD	Hybrid	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl + 311V Li-Ion	22	29	25	$3,300
LS 500h AWD	Hybrid	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl + 311V Li-Ion	22	29	25	$3,300
LS 500	Gas	RWD	3.4L 6-cyl turbo	18	29	22	$3,750
LS 500 AWD	Gas	AWD	3.4L 6-cyl turbo	17	27	21	$3,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 46507, 46134, 46508, 46135, 46136.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
LS 500h	7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
LS 500h AWD	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
LS 500, LS 500 AWD	5 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Back Over Prevention

25TB13/25LB06/WRE25

1,024,407 vehicles 81% reported repaired built May 24, 2023 – Dec 13, 2024

Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 25V744000 reported Oct 30, 2025 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

○minor

Back Over Prevention

24TA01 / 24LA01

18,616 vehicles 94% reported repaired

Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Mirai, Lexus LS500, LS500H, 2023-2024 Lexus ES250, ES300H, ES350, 2024 Lexus LC500, and LC500H vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Due to incorrect programming of the parking-assist electronic control unit (ECU) software, the rearview camera image may not immediately display within a couple of seconds after the shifter is placed into reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the parking assist ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TA01 and 24LA01.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V124000 reported Feb 21, 2024 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific LS

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Lexus publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Lexus’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Lexus LS, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

1complaints filed

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

4.3 per 10,000 built · Lexus reported 2,317 LS built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2025: 1

Most-cited components

Seats 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Driver's seat is painful after 15 minutes. It is available for inspection. Causing shifting of position and pinching of nerves reduced feeling to foot. Problem has not been confirmed by dealer. Vehicle has been inspected by manufactures dealer. Problem first appeared 7/26/2025

Seats Oct 24, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11695370

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.

Reported by Lexus itself: 2 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 86 per 100,000 built. Every LS model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 127

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-30

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 114 service bulletins, 8 service campaigns, 3 over-the-air updates

Most often about: Electrical System, Structure, Unknown Or Other, Equipment, Service Brakes.

L-SB-0028-26 Service bulletin
2026-09-30 · Service Brakes
Some 2018 – 2023 model year LC 500, and LC 500h, 2021 – 2023 model year LC 500c, 2018 – 2023 model year LS 500, and LS 500h, 2015 model year RX 450h, and 2018 – 2022 model year RX 450h vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning lights are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. One or more of the following specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) C1391, C1252, C1
L-SB-0026-26 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Engine
This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge at battery on high voltage (HV) Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing the battery rescue charge. The GRX-5100 should be used wherever the Repair Manual references the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) charger. The charging instru
L-SB-0040-20 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Engine
OBSOLETE NOTICE September 22, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0026-26
L-SB-0037-22 Rev2 Over-the-air update
2026-08-25 · Unknown Or Other
Some 2022 – 2023 model year LS 500h AWD vehicles are equipped with Lexus Advanced Drive. This system provides driving support through automated steering, acceleration, and braking under specific operating conditions within controlled access highways. Lexus Advanced Drive utilizes an array of sensors and cameras, high definition maps, and the vehicle navigation system to provide hands-free (SAE lev
L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2025-12-15 · Structure — Body
Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interio
L-SB-0039-25 Service bulletin
2025-09-09 · Electrical System
A new head unit software update is available for 2023 – 2024 model year ES 250, ES 300h, ES 350, LS 500h, and UX 250h; 2023 model year LS 500; 2024 model year GX 550, LC 500, LC 500c, and LC 500h vehicles equipped with Lexus Multimedia earlier than version 2170 (earlier than 2172 for GX 550). This software update includes the following improvements: •User Profile. •User interface. •Cloud naviga
L-TT-0326-23 Rev2 Service bulletin
2025-08-19 · Electrical System
Some customers may experience operational difficulties with some telematics features which they cannot resolve on their own. These resources, in conjunction with the Repair Manual, are for dealership personnel to assist those customers with user issues, user errors, and compatibility issues with other vehicle systems and external applications encountered while operating telematics features.
L-SB-0043-23 Rev1 Service bulletin
2025-06-13 · Electrical System
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
C1252 C1252 on Lexus →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins
C1253 C1253 on Lexus →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins
C1256 C1256 on Lexus →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins
C1391 C1391 on Lexus →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

LS by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 0 21 mpg 2025 B 3 3 25 mpg 2024 B 2 0 25 mpg 2023 this page A 2 1 25 mpg 2022 A 1 0 25 mpg 2021 B 2 6 28 mpg 2020 B 2 0 28 mpg 2019 C 4 7 28 mpg 2018 C 4 19 28 mpg 2017 A 0 2 19 mpg 2016 A 0 6 20 mpg

Common questions about the 2023 LS

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2023 Lexus LS have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2023 Lexus LS. The most serious on file is 25V744000, covering Back Over Prevention. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Lexus LS?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2023 Lexus LS yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it A (91/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Lexus LS?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Lexus LS, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Lexus LS?

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2023 Lexus LS, most often about seats. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2023 Lexus LS?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Lexus LS runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Lexus LS?

The manufacturer has filed 127 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Lexus LS, most often covering electrical system, structure, unknown or other. The most recent is dated 2026-09-30. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	5 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	5 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	1	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	none	NHTSA NCAP	NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins	127	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	none	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment	4 trims	Manufacturer press kit	Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

JSON for this page · API

2023 Lexus LS

Trims & pricing

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (2)

Back Over Prevention

Back Over Prevention

Whether any of this applies to one specific LS

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2023 Lexus LS

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

LS by model year

Common questions about the 2023 LS

Does the 2023 Lexus LS have any recalls?

How safe is the 2023 Lexus LS?

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Lexus LS?

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Lexus LS?

How clean is the 2023 Lexus LS?

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Lexus LS?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method