LexusES3502009Overview/lexus/es350/2009/base/

2009 Lexus ES350

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 ES350.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2009 Lexus ES350 is a passenger car that uses an engine requiring 6.4 qt of 5W‑30 API oil and is paired with an Automatic (S6) transmission, achieving EPA ratings of 19 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. In total, 173 owner complaints have been recorded, with air‑bag issues accounting for the most frequent complaints and five recall actions issued. The complaint history, spanning 2007 through 2018, peaked at 664 complaints in 2007 but fell to just five in 2018, indicating a substantial improvement in reliability over the model's lifecycle.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182009

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/27/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9672335028. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnAUTOOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-55R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9672335028 alt 9030179006
Engine air filter17801YZZ06
Fuel filter233000A020 alt 232170C010
Spark plug9091901247
Battery2880064132
Front wiper blades8521233231 alt 8522233241
Serpentine belt90916A2010
Thermostat90916A3002 alt 1632562010
Cabin air filter8713907010

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 27 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume95 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 · SAE J1703 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · SAE J1703
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.4 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts184 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts61 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Main Bearings16
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.04-1.17 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.11 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Residual Pressure21.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance3-100 Motor ohms
Engine Compression142-199 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure11.6 @ Idle, 55.5 psi @ 6000 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs / 20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs / 46 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in / 0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.983 in / 0.334 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Rack & Pinion Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Cabin Air Filter (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2009 Lexus ES350 sits at a meaningful inflection point in this generation's federal record, with complaints falling sharply from 664 in 2007 and 323 in 2008 down to 173 — a decline that suggests early-production teething issues were largely resolved by this model year. Recalls held steady at five (matching 2007, 2008, and 2010), and investigations remained at two, indicating the regulatory scrutiny level hadn't yet eased. The dominant complaint area for 2009 was Air Bags at 112 of 173 complaints, a concentration that the data does not attribute to a specific root cause, followed by Vehicle Speed Control at 21; the year also logged 18 crash complaints and 2 fire complaints. Notably, complaints ticked back up modestly in 2010 (177) and 2011 (197) before declining in later years as the generation matured, placing 2009 near the bottom of the early-generation complaint arc. On balance, the 2009 model year represents one of the stronger buying propositions in this generation — complaints are roughly half of what they were the prior year and below the 2010–2011 rebound — though prospective buyers should be aware of the elevated airbag complaint volume and ensure any outstanding recalls have been addressed.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
153
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
173
Owner complaints
18 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 173 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags112
Vehicle Speed Control21
Electrical System5
Structure4
Unknown Or Other4
Fuel System, Gasoline3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Visibility/Wiper2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V741000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 17/10/2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front…

18V024000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 09/01/2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, IS-F, and GX460 vehicles sold, ever registered… Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 153 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-242024-06-21StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-242024-06-21StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific ES350. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 ES350 take?

6.4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 ES350 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the ES350 get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 27 highway / 22 combined mpg.