Problems · NHTSA complaints

2015 Lexus ES300H problems

Owners filed 6 complaints about the 2015 Lexus ES300H with NHTSA between Nov 2015 and Oct 2022. The most-cited component is power train (3).

Complaints
6
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train3
  2. Fuel/propulsion system2
  3. Service brakes1
  4. Fuel system, gasoline1
  5. Equipment1
  6. Hybrid propulsion system1
  7. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20151
20162
20170
20180
20192
20200
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

3 reports1 crash
“ON 6/3/2019 AT 12 NOON, IT HAS SUDDEN RUNAWAY ACCELERATION. WE HAD STOPPED ON THE CURB OUTSIDE OUR HOME AND THEN STARTED DRIVING SLOWLY IN EV MODE TURNING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT ACCELERATED HARD BY ITSELF, HIT ANOTHER CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY, AND THEN HIT THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE AFTER GOING OVER SOME SHRUBBERY. THERE WAS NO TIME TO HIT THE BRAKES; IT ALL HAPPENED SUDDENLY. THIS IS CLEARLY UNINTENDED RUNAWAY ACCELERATION, AND THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE ANYONE GETS INJURED OR DIES. THIS IS SERIOUS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 3, 2019Power train, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 11217545

Fuel/propulsion system

2 reports1 crash
“I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 5MPG WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. CAR WAS IN EV MODE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR ACCELERATED; STEPPED REALLY HARD ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED ABOUT 2-3 INCHES BEFORE THE SIGN. 04/11/2016.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 15, 2016Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10859801

Service brakes

1 report
“I had new brakes put on my car and a few months later, while I was driving, the brakes completely stopped working. There was no warning and I ended up going through a red light because I couldn't stop. I was lucky to be in a residential area where I could pull over to the side and be towed to the brake shop. They checked it out, and said there was a code that showed a Lexus issue. We took it to the Lexus service at Woodland Hills Lexus. They drove it and nothing happened, but finally with a lot of nagging on my part, they did a diagnostic (charging me $486.74 for this) and found a problem. Based on what my service person told me, there was a letter sent out to Lexus dealerships saying this was a problem, but they weren't doing a recall. How can they be allowed to ignore a brake problem ? I would like to buy another Lexus (I have already had 3), but I am concerned they are not forthcoming about safety issues. I have emailed their headquarters regarding this, but have not heard back.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2022Service brakesODI 11489410

Fuel system, gasoline

1 report
“MY BRAND NEW ES300H SHOWS DIFFERENT MILAUGE CAPACITY EACH TIME I FILL THE TANK. WHEN I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW IT SHOWED THE DRIVING RANGE OF 675 MILES WITH FULL TANK. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY DROPPING BY 20 TO 30 MILES EACH TIME I FILL IT UP. NOW I WILL BE LUCKY IF I CAN GET EVEN 500 MILES RANGE. I SHOWED IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS IN DALLAS, TEXAS AREA. THEY BOTH CLAIM THAT THE CAR IS ADJUSTING TO MY DRIVING STYLE (THAT INDIRECTLY MEANS I AM A BAD DRIVER). IT HAS BEEN 3.5 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED IT AND IT IS STILL DROPPING. CAN DRIVING STYLE MAKE THAT BIG A DIFFERENCE (NEARLY 200 MILES LESS THAN THE ORIGINAL RANGE INDICATED)? I DON'T THINK SO AND I BELIEVE THAT DEALERS THEMSELVES DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY ENGINE/ HYBRID SYSTEM. BUT THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 9, 2015Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Equipment, Hybrid propulsion systemODI 10789344

Equipment

1 report

Hybrid propulsion system

1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.