LexusLS500h2021Overview/lexus/ls500h/2021/base/

2021 Lexus LS500h

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 LS500h.

Transmission Automatic (AV-S10)

The 2021 Lexus LS500h is the hybrid flagship of Lexus's full-size luxury sedan lineup, pairing its gasoline-electric powertrain with the AV-S10 automatic transmission and returning an EPA-rated 25 mpg city and 33 mpg highway for a combined 28 mpg. Routine maintenance is straightforward, with a 6.0-quart oil capacity using 0W-20 viscosity, keeping service consistent with Lexus's established hybrid sedan practices. From a reliability standpoint, this model year is notably quiet: only a single owner complaint appears on record—categorized under "Unknown Or Other"—and there are zero recalls, placing the 2021 among the cleanest model years in the LS500h's history and making it a low-risk choice for researchers tracking long-term ownership data.

Model year20252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque103 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy25/33/28 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses 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.

Tail / brake / turnAUTOOEM · verified
Tire size245/50RF19OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.0-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9030179006 alt 9672335028
Engine air filter1780131150
Fuel filter7702411020 alt 2321731080
Spark plug9091901263
Battery2880031470 alt 2880031450
Front wiper blades8522250100 alt 8521250140
Serpentine belt9091602745
Thermostat1632631050 alt 1603131080
Cabin air filter8713950110

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S10)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined25 / 33 / 28 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume99 cu ft
Cargo volume12 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 6.0 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 103 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 30.0 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.2 qt
Brake FluidSAE J1703 · Dot 3 · SAE J1704 · Dot 4
Differential Gear Oil75W-85 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil75W-85 · GL-5
Engine CoolantToyota Super Long Life Coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity11.6 qt
Engine Oil0W-20

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)32.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel BoltsFlywheel to Crankshaft: 61.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Differential Fill PlugFront: 29.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 36.0 ft-lbs
Differential drain PlugFront: 29.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 36.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts103 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug15.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)1000 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)±50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug TypeFK20HBR8
Spark Plug GapNew: 0.0276-0.0315 in.; New: 0.0433 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure MinimumHigh Pressure: 261 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure MaximumHigh Pressure: 406 psi
RPM28.0-121.0 @ Idle rpm
Residual Pressure14.0. After 5 minutes @ idle psi
Engine Compression80
Engine Oil Pressure4 psi minimum @ Idle psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM29 psi minimum @ 2,500 RPM

Brakes

Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 100.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 111.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor Torque6.5
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.0394; Rear: 0.0394 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 6 Piston; Rear: 4 Piston
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: 6 Piston; Rear: .0016
Maximum Drum Diameter7.520

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
127.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90°, Step 3: 90°, Left Side: Step 4: 27.0 ft. lbs., Step 5: 90°, Step 6: 90°, Step 7: 22.027 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) · Hybrid Battery Compartment Air Filter (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (road test)
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) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
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.

Owner complaints about the 2021 Lexus LS500h dominate in one area — the unknown or other, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the unknown or other pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
60
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Unknown Or Other1

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 60 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…
LSB0013222022-06-15Service BrakesTSB: Some 2018 ? 2021 model year LS 500 and LS 500h vehicles may exhibit a knock/clunk…
LSB0013222022-06-15Service Brakes, HydraulicTSB: Some 2018 ? 2021 model year LS 500 and LS 500h vehicles may exhibit a knock/clunk…

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 LS500h. 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 LS500h take?

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

Does the 2021 LS500h have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the LS500h get?

EPA figures are 25 city / 33 highway / 28 combined mpg.