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What to check: Lexus ES

ABy miles

Ranked across all years of the Lexus ES, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

DampersLook for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 0.6% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 2.1%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 19.2% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 16.6%

Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this modelScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.3% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 1.1%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 1.9% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 7.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Ask to see proof the brake booster pump recall (R/2019/249) has been carried out, or check the VIN on the Lexus UK or gov.uk recall checker before viewing.If it's outstanding on a 2019 car, budget time to get it booked in, the fault can mean a sudden loss of brake assist.

Check the coolant level and look for white/pink residue around the engine block, especially on a 2020 model-year car.Low coolant or residue points to the engine casting leak the recall was meant to catch.

Drive over a few speed bumps and through a car park at walking pace, windows down.Creaks or knocks from the front or rear suspension are a common complaint and worth getting inspected before you buy.

Use the trackpad to operate the infotainment screen while stationary.If the cursor is hard to control now, it won't get easier, decide if that's a dealbreaker for you.

Cycle through the climate control settings and listen behind the dash for a clicking noise.A rhythmic click suggests a failing blend-door actuator, cheap-ish to fix but annoying to live with.

Pull away from a standstill a few times, including from EV mode, and note any hesitation or jerk.A one-off might mean nothing, but a repeated jerk on every start is the pattern owners report.

Pull the full MOT history rather than just checking it's passed.Repeated suspension advisories on the same axle mean a problem that's being patched rather than fixed.

Full Lexus ES reliability report