Half of all complaints arrive by 7 years of age, so 75.7% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 11 complaints, typically at 8.1 years.
Lexus LS years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | too new | |
| 2018 | 10 | 9 | yes | |
| 2015 | 3 | 3 | yes | |
| 2014 | 3 | 3 | yes | |
| 2013 | 5 | 4 | yes |
Among the 4 Lexus LS years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2013, 2018, 2014; the three worth hunting are 2015, 2014, 2018.
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 13.5% | covered | |
| 2 years | 16.2% | covered | |
| 3 years | 24.3% | covered | |
| 4 years | 32.4% | you pay | |
| 5 years | 40.5% | you pay | |
| 6 years | 48.6% | you pay | |
| 7 years | 51.4% | you pay | |
| 8 years | 59.5% | you pay | |
| 10 years | 70.3% | you pay | |
| 11 years | 86.5% | you pay | |
| 12 years | 100% | you pay |
Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 24.3% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 75.7% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (6 years / 70,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 12% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
On the Lexus LS, the early trouble is Unknown Or Other and Wheels — reported at around 3 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 8.1 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 8.1 yrs | — | 1 | |
| Service Brakes | 10.3 yrs | — | — | |
| Engine | 7.5 yrs | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 7 yrs | — | — | |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 yrs | — | — | |
| Wheels | 2.5 yrs | — | — | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7.5 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Seat Belts | 8 yrs | — | — |
What else in this class
6 models share the LS's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 1.08 for the LS. That is the fewest complaints of the group.
| Same class as the LS | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 161 | 1983–2026 | |
| Honda Accord | 415 | 1981–2026 | |
| Dodge Challenger | 77 | 1981–2026 | |
| Toyota Prius | 109 | 2001–2026 | |
| Hyundai Elantra | 117 | 1992–2026 | |
| Nissan Altima | 148 | 1993–2026 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
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- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Lexus LS reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.08 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.
Which LS years should you avoid?
By complaints per production run, 2013, 2018, 2014. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2015, 2014, 2018. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.
When do LS problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 7 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 8.1 years, followed by Service Brakes.
Will the warranty cover LS problems?
Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 24.3% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 12% of the complaints here.
Is the LS more reliable than the Toyota Camry?
Yes: 1.08 complaints per production run for the LS against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.
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