LexusLS5002018Overview/lexus/ls500/2018/base/

2018 Lexus LS500

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 LS500.

Transmission Automatic (S10)

The 2018 Lexus LS500, a full-size luxury sedan, pairs its powertrain with a 10-speed automatic transmission and achieves EPA fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. In terms of reliability, this model year has recorded only four total owner complaints—with the most common issue concerning the wheels—and two recalls, positioning it as a generally dependable entry in the LS lineage.

Model year20252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque103 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/30/23 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 90915YZZN3. 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 size245/50RF19, 245/45RF20OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.0-J, 8.5-J; Optional: 9.5-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN3 alt 9672335028
Engine air filter1780138060
Fuel filter7702411020 alt 2321731080
Spark plug9091901295
Battery2880038190 alt 2880031450
Front wiper blades8522250110 alt 8521250140
Serpentine belt9091602738
Thermostat1634370020 alt 1634270010
Cabin air filter8713950110

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S10)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 30 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Torque lug nuts to 103 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantHOAT

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts103 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerLexus
Spark Plug Gap.024
Spark Plug Torque15 ft-lbs

Brakes

Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 100; Rear: 111
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.299; Rear: 1.102
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .002; Rear: .0016
Maximum Drum DiameterParking Brake: 7.520

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 40,000 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)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels) · Windshield Wiper Blade (inspect)
Every 10,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
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 40,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Intercooler (drain & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & 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 2018 Lexus LS500 dominate in one area — the wheels, 2 of 4 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 2 recall campaigns target the wheels, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the wheels 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.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
112
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
4
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 4 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Wheels2
Service Brakes1
Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V682000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 04/11/2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were…

20V012000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 13/01/2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 112 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
LSB0005232023-02-09Fuel System, GasolineTSB: Some 2013 ? 2020 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit a hard start and/or MIL ON…
23LE012023-02-09Fuel System, GasolineDL: On December 20, 2022, a settlement of claims for certain low pressure fuel pumps was…
L-SB-0043-20 Obs2022-12-08EquipmentOBSOLETE NOTICE December 08, 2022: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0057-22
L-SB-0057-222022-12-07EquipmentTSB: Some 2018 ? 2022 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform? 2.0 Navigation…
L-SB-0003-19 Rev2022-09-15StructureTSB: Some 2018 ? 2019 model year LS 500 and LS 500h and 2019 ? 2022 model year RX 350 and…

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 LS500. 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 2018 LS500 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the LS500 get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 30 highway / 23 combined mpg.