Lexus ES common problems and MOT failures
What goes wrong on a used Lexus ES, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 10,009 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.
The 2025 Lexus ES
Cars registered in 2025 haven’t had their first MOT yet (it’s due at 3 years old), so there are no MOT results to show. There are no known faults on record for this year in the UK buying guides we use, so the rest of this page covers the Lexus ES as a whole.
What to check on a 2025 car
- Warranty left
Ask for the date it was first registered and check how much of the maker’s warranty is left, and that it transfers to you. Electric and hybrid batteries usually have a longer, separate warranty.
- Servicing
Servicing on time with the maker’s schedule keeps the warranty valid. Ask for the service book or the dealer’s digital record.
- Finance
Nearly new cars are often still on finance. A history check shows outstanding finance, and whether it has been written off or stolen.
- Recalls
Ask whether any recall work has been done, and check the reg on GOV.UK’s free recall checker.
- Logbook (V5C)
The name and address should match the seller, and the VIN on the V5C should match the car.
Other years
Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).
What usually goes wrong with a Lexus ES?
We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Lexus ES in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.
Lexus ES MOT pass rate by year
Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2019 Lexus ES did best (94% passed first time, 9 points above all 2019 cars) and the 2020 did worst (92%, 5 points above all 2020 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.
Looking at a Lexus ES?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score