2020 Lexus ES: What to check before buying

Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the airbags and electrical. The 7 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.

2020

Owner complaints: 5
Recalls: 1
Crashes reported: 3; 4 injuries
Reliability: Excellent; 83/100 on Auto Reliability Index

Your inspection sheet

Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.

0/7 checked

Paperwork and questions

Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3

01Confirm the other recall listed below shows as completed for this VIN. A Lexus dealer can look it up for free.
02Run the VIN through federal recall records and confirm all open campaigns are completed.
03Ask the seller to demonstrate connected services and confirm the DCM responds.

Walk-around and cabin

Engine off, key in hand0/1

04Pull each seatbelt sharply and confirm it locks every time.

Cold start, engine bay, and underside

Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1

05Confirm the airbag warning light comes on at startup and then goes out.

Test drive

At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/2

06Test radar cruise control on a highway and confirm it slows and stops for traffic ahead.
07Shift between reverse and drive several times in an empty lot and watch for lurching or engine revving.

These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.

Reported on other ES years with the same design

These years share the 2020's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.

2019 ES

33 owner complaints

Fuel system 10
Airbags 4
Engine 4

Worth adding to your 2020 checks

Run the VIN for open recalls and ask for dealer records showing completed fuel pump work.
Accelerate from a full stop several times and walk away if the car hesitates, revs without moving, or lunges.
Make several left and right turns from a yield and check for power loss or a hard downshift.

Open the 2019 checklist

2022 ES

16 owner complaints

Wheels and tires 4

Worth adding to your 2020 checks

Inspect all four tires closely for exposed belts or cords, even if the tread depth looks fine.
Set every tire to 35 PSI, then drive and confirm the tire pressure warning light stays off.
Ask for service records showing repeat dealer visits for tire pressure warnings that were never resolved.

Open the 2022 checklist

2018 ES

10 owner complaints

Engine 2
Acceleration and cruise control 2

Worth adding to your 2020 checks

Drive on the highway with windows closed and ventilation running, and note any chemical smell, itching, or coughing.
Check service records for repeat cabin cleaning or cabin air filter changes tied to odor or irritation complaints.
Confirm which adaptive cruise system the car has and whether it brakes to a full stop or releases near 25 mph.

Open the 2018 checklist

Which ES is it?

EPA figures for each version of the 2020 Lexus ES. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.

Version	Drive	EPA rating
3.5L 6-cylGas	FWD	26 mpg
2.5L 4-cylHybrid	FWD	44 mpg

The 2020 Lexus ES was sold in two versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
On the hybrid, watch for the car moving off on electric power at low speed and for any hybrid system warning on the dash.
Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A ES that averages well under the EPA 26 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.

Why these checks: what owners reported

NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Lexus ES, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.

Airbags22 crashes
Airbags fail to deploy in serious collisions, according to both complaints in this category. Both reports involve crashes and together cite 4 injuries, including a high-speed freeway impact in a car described as brand new. One report says the seatbelts did not lock at impact. It also says the radar cruise control and automatic braking did not respond before the crash. Neither excerpt gives a mileage. The sample is small, but the failure carries direct injury risk to everyone in the car.
Electrical21 crash
The car lurches forward when shifted from reverse into drive in one crash-related report, and the driver suspects sudden unintended acceleration. That car was a dealer loaner, and no cause is confirmed. A separate complaint describes a DCM that still does not work after the dealer updated and reset it. With only 2 complaints, the reports share no clear pattern, and neither one gives a mileage. The lurching report carries some risk of a low-speed collision.

How the 2020 compares with other ES years

Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.

The 2020 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 7 ES years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.

2020 Average of other years

Airbags21
Electrical20

Where the 2020 fits in the ES's history

Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.

The 2020 is the eighth model year of the ES's sixth generation (2013–2023).

It includes the 2016 update.

What changed for 2016

Updated styling with new front and rear fascias
Enhanced tech features including navigation and multimedia systems.

Recalls to confirm (1)

Recall repairs are free at any Lexus dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.

20V682000Fuel systemNov 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.

Also looking at these instead of a ES?

Cars shoppers compare with the Lexus ES, with their own 2020 checklists.

2020 owner complaints, side by side