LexusES300H2016Overview/lexus/es300h/2016/base/

2016 Lexus ES300H

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 ES300H.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (AV-S6)

The 2016 Lexus ES300h is a passenger car powered by a hybrid powertrain that delivers an EPA-estimated 40/39/40 mpg across city/highway/combined driving cycles, paired with an AV-S6 automatic transmission. With zero recalls issued for this model year and only seven owner complaints logged—significantly lower than the 40 recorded for the 2013 model year—the 2016 ES300h falls within a period of notably improved reliability following the model's initial launch. The top complaint area was service brakes, though the overall complaint volume remained minimal compared to earlier and later years in the 2013-2018 range.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182016

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy40/39/40 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI S65D26R · 450 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9672335028. 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 S65D26R · 450 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnAUTOOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215/55R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9672335028 alt 9030179006
Engine air filter178010V020
Spark plug9091901259
Battery2880036052
Front wiper blades8521206180 alt 8522206180
Thermostat1632536010 alt 1603136010
Cabin air filter8713907020 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length192.9 in
Overall width71.7 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase111 in
Curb weight3660 lb
Track (front / rear)62.6 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined40 / 39 / 40 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume100 cu ft
Cargo volume12 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 27.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.8
Brake FluidSAE J1703 · DOT 3
Engine CoolantHOAT
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug27.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) BoltsLocking nut: 55.0, To Knuckle: 36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel HubInstall a new nut and torque to 217.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.028-0.032 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.04-1.17 lbs
Oil TypeND 11 Oil
Oil Capacity4.10-4350 oz
Standard BCI Group NumberS65D26R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance450 cca

Service checks

RPM44-50 @ idle rpm
Residual Pressure21 After 5 min, engine off psi
Engine Compressionpsi 109 - 160 max variation 15 psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 25; Rear: 20 /; Front: 25; Rear: 14 /
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 77; Rear: 58 /; Front: 79; Rear: 34 /
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: .002; Rear: .006
Maximum Drum DiameterParking Brake: 6.850

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30 ft. lbs., Step 3: 9015 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 miBrake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Hybrid Inverter (inspect coolant level) · 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) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
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 2016 Lexus ES300H sits within a generation-wide pattern of steadily improving federal data: owner complaints fell from a 2013 peak of 40 to single digits by 2015–2018, recalls ended after the 2015 model year, and technical-service-bulletin counts dropped every year from 287 in 2013 to 81 in 2018. For 2016 specifically, the records show 7 complaints, zero recalls, one investigation, and 154 TSBs — a low-complaint profile slightly above the 2015 and 2017 lows of 6 and 1 complaints but far below the 2013 launch-year volume. The 2016 complaint file is dominated by service-brake categories, accounting for three of the four listed top complaint areas, plus one engine-related entry; the federal data does not specify a common root cause or defect. Crash complaints total two for the year, with no fire complaints recorded. Given the declining trend in complaints, TSBs, and recalls — and 2016's place after the early-generation issues had largely subsided — this year presents as a comparatively safe used-car choice within this generation.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
154
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
7
Owner complaints
2 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 7 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Service Brakes2
Unknown Or Other,Service Brakes1
Vehicle Speed Control,Service Brakes1
Unknown Or Other,Engine1
Power Train1
Steering,Electrical System,Air Bags1

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 154 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0043-23 Rev12025-06-13Electrical SystemThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the…
L-SB-0017-19 Rev12025-02-07StructureSome 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of…
L-SB-0017-19 Rev12025-02-07StructureSome 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…

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 ES300H. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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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 ES300H have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the ES300H get?

EPA figures are 40 city / 39 highway / 40 combined mpg.