LexusES3502021Overview/lexus/es350/2021/base/

2021 Lexus ES350

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 ES350.

Transmission Automatic (S8)

The 2021 Lexus ES350 pairs its eight-speed automatic with a 5.7-quart, 0W-20 oil fill and returns EPA fuel economy of 22 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. The model year has accumulated just five owner complaints — narrowly clustered around wheel-related issues rather than core mechanical or running-gear concerns — and has yet to be touched by any recalls. That total matches the historical low of five complaints logged in 2018 and stands in sharp contrast to the 664 complaints recorded in 2007, the first year of the available history. For a researcher, the 2021 ES350 effectively anchors the lower end of the model's complaint trajectory, a position the line has reached only once before in the tracked record.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182017

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/32/26 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 9030179006. 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 size215/55R17 94VOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5, Optional: 8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9030179006 alt 9672335028
Engine air filter17801F0050
Fuel filter7702433350 alt 7702406310
Spark plug9091901263
Battery2880038160
Front wiper blades8521206240 alt 8522206240
Serpentine belt90916A2026
Thermostat1632631050 alt 1603131031
Cabin air filter8713958010 alt 871390E040

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.1 in
Overall width73.6 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase113 in
Curb weight3649 lb
Track (front / rear)63.8 / 63.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 32 / 26 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume100 cu ft
Cargo volume13 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.7 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, 75W-85 · GL-5 in the differential, SAE J1703 · Dot 3 · SAE J1704 · Dot 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 30.0 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidSAE J1703 · Dot 3 · SAE J1704 · Dot 4
Differential Gear Oil75W-85 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity0.48-0.58 Qts.
Engine CoolantToyota Super Long Life Coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity9.1 qt
Engine Oil0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity5.7 qt
Transfer Case FluidATF

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts192.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Differential Fill Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Differential drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)Checking Speed: 650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)Checking Speed: 50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug TypeFK20HBR8
Spark Plug Gap.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Oil TypeGasoline Model: ND-12; HV Models: ND-Oil 11
Oil Capacity1.35 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

RPM28.0-121.0 rpm
Residual Pressure14.0 psi
Engine Oil Pressure11.6 @ Idle, 55.5 psi @ 6000 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque25.0 ft-lbs
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque79.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor Torque6.6
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.0394; Rear: 0.0394 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .984; Rear: .414
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .002; Rear: .0059

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Bolts 1-827 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 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 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.

At 5,000 miFloor Mat (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (road test) · Windshield Wiper Blade (inspect)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Keyless Entry Remote Battery (replace)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 federal record for the Lexus ES350 shows a dramatic improvement over time, with complaints plummeting from 664 in 2007 to just 5 by 2018, while recalls fell from 5 to 2 and investigations dropped to zero. The 2021 model year, though not in the year-by-year table, continues this mature-phase stability: its top complaint areas—Wheels, Forward Collision Avoidance, Wheels/Tires, and Exterior Lighting—each logged only a single report, accompanied by one crash complaint and no fires. This places the 2021 ES350 at the refined end of a generation that has seen consistently minimal owner-reported issues, with no investigations and a negligible complaint footprint. The data does not specify root causes for these isolated reports, but their scarcity and lack of clustering indicate no systemic problems. For a used purchase, the 2021 Lexus ES350 stands out as an exceptionally low-risk choice, reflecting a well-sorted design with a proven reliability arc.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
71
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
5
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 5 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Wheels1
Forward Collision Avoidance1
Wheels,Tires1
Exterior Lighting1
Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 71 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
LSB0007232023-02-14EquipmentTSB: Some 2020 ? 2022 model year vehicles equipped with 17CY+ Panasonic Audio (versions…
LSB0043192023-02-14EquipmentOBSOLETE NOTICE February 14, 2023: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0007-23
L-SB-0057-222022-12-07EquipmentTSB: Some 2018 ? 2022 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform? 2.0 Navigation…
L-TT-0321-222022-11-10SuspensionTT: Confirm there is an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle, some…
L-SB-0031-222022-07-21VisibilityTSB: Some 2019 ? 2022 model year ES 300h and ES 350 vehicles and 2021 ? 2022 model year…

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 2021 ES350 take?

5.7 qt of 0W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 ES350 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the ES350 get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 32 highway / 26 combined mpg.