Make index
Selling a dead or junk Lexus
A Lexus that has stopped running still sells. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and we take the Lexus as one piece. Free pickup anywhere in the US.
Updated · 3 sources
- Founded
- 1989, by Eiji Toyoda
- Parent company
- Toyota Motor Corporation
- Lexus models in the EPA list
- 17, model years 1990 to 2026
- NHTSA complaints across those models
- 11,960, as of October 10, 2026
- Most complaints
- RX, 3,401
- Close second
- ES, 3,257
- US-built Lexus (from late 2015)
- ES 350, Georgetown, Kentucky
Below: where the brand came from, which of its models owners report to federal safety regulators most often, and a link to every Lexus model page on this site.
Toyota's luxury badge, since 1989
Lexus was founded in 1989. Wikipedia names Eiji Toyoda as its founder and Toyota Motor Corporation as its parent, with headquarters in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan.
Its first slogan, "The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection," ran from 1989 to 2011. The current one, "Experience Amazing," dates from 2017.
The lineup has grown from sedans into a ladder of SUVs. Wikipedia lists the UX as subcompact, the NX as compact and the RX as mid-size, with the GX and LX at full size. The HS and GS are discontinued. The F marque, Lexus's performance line, once made versions of the IS, the GS and the LFA, and now makes one of the RC coupe.
Kentucky got a Lexus line in late 2015. That is when the Georgetown plant (TMMK) began putting together ES 350 sedans for North America.
Where the NHTSA complaints land
Owners have filed 11,960 complaints with NHTSA about the 17 Lexus models in our list, counted on October 10, 2026. The Lexus figures on this page all come from owners who filed reports with NHTSA. None of them is a confirmed defect, and the total is not a reliability score.
Two models carry most of them. The RX has 3,401 and the ES has 3,257, so together they hold 6,658. Both have been sold for decades: the ES since 1990 and the RX since 1999. Long runs and big sales mean more cars on the road, and more cars mean more reports.
| Model | Complaints | Years in the EPA list |
|---|---|---|
| RX | 3,401 | 1999-2026 |
| ES | 3,257 | 1990-2026 |
| IS | 1,736 | 2001-2026 |
| LS | 978 | 1990-2026 |
| GS | 778 | 1993-2020 |
| GX | 488 | 2003-2026 |
| NX | 336 | 2015-2026 |
| SC | 215 | 1992-2010 |
| LX | 197 | 1996-2026 |
The rest sit under 200 each. The newest models are low partly because they are new: the TX (2024 on) has 92, the UX 26, the RZ 24 and the LC 14. Recent model years are still early in gathering reports, so a small number on a 2024 Lexus says little yet. The LFA, sold for 2012 only, has none in our count.
Each model page breaks its own count down by year and component.
Selling a Lexus that no longer runs
A luxury badge does not change how a junk car sale works. When a quote for the fix tops what the Lexus is worth, our guide to repairs that cost more than the car walks through that choice. If the car simply stopped, start with a car that doesn't run.
Leave everything on it, wheels and battery included. You sell the whole car as it sits. Pickup is free wherever the Lexus waits, from a home garage to a dealer's service lot.
What helps us quote it:
- the model, year and mileage
- does it start, can it be pushed onto a truck, and which parts are bent, burned or gone
- whether you have the title (if not, see selling a junk car with no title)
When it is gone, deal with the plates and the paperwork.
Rather talk? Call (877) 421-6008.
Lexus models on this site
All 17 Lexus nameplates the EPA has rated, oldest first. The year spans come from EPA model years, and the most recent ones are still filling in.
| Model | Years (EPA list) | What Wikipedia says |
|---|---|---|
| ES | 1990-2026 | ES 350 built in Kentucky from late 2015 |
| LS | 1990-2026 | - |
| SC | 1992-2010 | - |
| GS | 1993-2020 | Discontinued; once had an F marque version |
| LX | 1996-2026 | Full-size SUV |
| RX | 1999-2026 | Mid-size crossover |
| IS | 2001-2026 | Once had an F marque version |
| GX | 2003-2026 | Full-size SUV |
| HS | 2010-2012 | Discontinued |
| CT | 2011-2017 | - |
| LFA | 2012 | Made under the F marque |
| NX | 2015-2026 | Compact crossover |
| RC | 2015-2025 | Coupe; the F marque makes a version now |
| LC | 2018-2026 | - |
| UX | 2019-2026 | Subcompact crossover |
| RZ | 2023-2026 | - |
| TX | 2024-2026 | - |
Questions people ask
- Do you buy a Lexus that won't start?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, a Lexus included. Sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
- Does a high NHTSA complaint count mean a Lexus model is unreliable?
- No. Each one is a filing by an owner, not a confirmed fault. Models that sold in bigger numbers and stayed on sale longer pile up more, and the newest Lexus years have been on the road only briefly, so their counts are still building.
- Is a Lexus really a Toyota?
- Lexus is Toyota's luxury brand. Wikipedia lists Toyota Motor Corporation as its parent and Toyota City, in Aichi, Japan, as its headquarters.
- Which Lexus models were built in the US?
- The ES 350 for North America, from late 2015, according to Wikipedia. That is when the Georgetown, Kentucky, plant (TMMK) took on Lexus assembly. The line says nothing about the other Lexus models in our list.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- Wikipedia: Lexus en.wikipedia.org
- EPA and DOE fuel economy data (vehicles.csv), fueleconomy.gov fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA complaints API (example: 2010 Lexus RX); 17 Lexus models, pulled October 10, 2026 api.nhtsa.gov