LexusES3502016Overview/lexus/es350/2016/base/

2016 Lexus ES350

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 ES350.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2016 Lexus ES350 is a passenger car paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and rated at 21 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined by the EPA. Across the model's documented complaint history from 2007 through 2018, the 2016 model year logged 21 total owner complaints and one recall, with the top complaint area categorized as Unknown Or Other — a figure that sits far below the 2007 peak of 664 complaints yet above the 2018 low of 5, placing this vintage in a comparatively favorable middle ground for the generation's reliability trajectory.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182016

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy21/31/24 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 / turnHOTOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215/55R17, P225/45R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0, 7.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9030179006 alt 9672335028
Engine air filter178010P051
Spark plug9091901247
Battery2880074142 alt 2880038080
Front wiper blades8522206180 alt 8521206180
Serpentine belt90916A2019 alt 99367K1550
Thermostat90916A3002 alt 1632562010
Cabin air filter8713907020 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length192.9 in
Overall width71.7 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase111 in
Curb weight3549 lb
Track (front / rear)62.6 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 31 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume100 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine SAE J1703 · DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.0
Brake FluidSAE J1703 · DOT 3
Engine CoolantHOAT
Engine Coolant Capacity9.7
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 15 ft/lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs81.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts55.0 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
Spark Plug ManufacturerLexus
Spark Plug Gap.039 - .043 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.04-1.22 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.38-4.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

RPM55-61 @ idle rpm
Residual Pressure21 After 5 min, engine off psi
Engine Compressionpsi 145-189
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 TorqueFront: 25; Rear: 20 /; Front: 25; Rear: 20
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 77; Rear: 58 /; Front: 77; Rear: 58
ABS Sensor Torque6 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .984; Rear: .335
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0020; Rear: .0059
Maximum Drum DiameterParking brake: 6.850

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 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 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.

At 5,000 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Floor Mat (inspect) · 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 (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)
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 federal record for the Lexus ES350 shows a significant long-term decline in complaints, dropping from 664 in 2007 to just 21 by 2016. The 2016 model maintains this stability, showing a negligible increase over 2015's 16 complaints and remaining nearly identical to 2017's 22 complaints. Recalls have also stabilized at one per year from 2013 through 2017, and 2016 reported zero federal investigations. Within the 2016 model year, the primary complaint area is categorized as "Unknown Or Other" with 8 instances, followed by "Service Brakes" with 2, though the data does not specify the root causes for these issues. Given the sharp downward trend in complaints and the minimal recall activity relative to the earlier years of the generation, this is an excellent year to buy.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
141
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
21
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 21 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other8
Service Brakes2
Steering,Suspension1
Structure1
Engine1
Air Bags,Service Brakes1
Visibility1
Electrical System,Vehicle Speed Control,Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V198000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipReported 07/04/2016

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 141 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
KLG Dealer Packa2022-12-01EquipmentDP: Limited Service Campaign KLG expired December 01, 2022
19LE05 Dealer Pa2022-12-01EquipmentDP: Customer Support Program 19LE05 expired December 1, 2022.
KLG Technical In2022-12-01EquipmentTI: 19LE05 Expired December 1, 2022
19LE05 Technical2022-12-01EquipmentTI: 19LE05 Expired December 1, 2022
Safety Recall 222022-04-13EquipmentLexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022

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

Does the 2016 ES350 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the ES350 get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 31 highway / 24 combined mpg.