2013 Lexus ES Hybrid: common problems

Owners of the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 8
involving a crash: 4

What fails most often

1 Vehicle speed control 38% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
3 Structure 25% of all complaints
4 Air bags 13% of all complaints
5 Engine 13% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 13% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (38% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 2 complaints (25% of all).
Structure: 2 complaints (25% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 1 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 1 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbags did not deploy1 · 13%
brake failure1 · 13%
rear-view camera1 · 13%
unintended acceleration1 · 13%
warning lights, check engine1 · 13%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Vehicle speed control	3	2
Service brakes	2	0
Structure	2	2
Air bags	1	1
Engine	1	1
Powertrain	1	1
Other	2	1

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

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.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2018-07-10 · NHTSA complaint #11110641
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.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2017-06-14 · NHTSA complaint #10995042
The car was in a very bad front end collision 1-15-16, and not 1 air bag deployed. We can send photos, and the car is on hold, not to be touched at the insurance storage yard. Please contact us for more info.
Structure · crash · 2016-01-23 · NHTSA complaint #10821821
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
Structure · crash · 2015-12-14 · NHTSA complaint #10810007
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.
Service brakes · 2026-06-11 · NHTSA complaint #11743520
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.
Service brakes · 2018-11-18 · NHTSA complaint #11152308
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.
Vehicle speed control · 2017-01-06 · NHTSA complaint #10940196

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20151
20162
20172
20182
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,899 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).

On average one model year of the ES Hybrid has 3 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.

What to check before buying

Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, service brakes, structure. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (13%), brake failure (13%), rear-view camera (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2013 Lexus ES Hybrid from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2013 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.