LexusES300h2021Overview/lexus/es300h/2021/base/

2021 Lexus ES300h

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 ES300h.

Transmission Automatic (AV-S6)

The 2021 Lexus ES300h utilizes an Automatic (AV-S6) transmission and requires 4.8 qt of 0W-16 oil while achieving EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 43/44/44 mpg. Ownership data for this specific model year records only 2 total owner complaints centered on Seat Belts and a single recall issued. When contextualized against the model's recorded complaint history from 2013 to 2018, which saw annual volumes fluct

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182017

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-16OEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy43/44/44 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 560 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZN1. 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 47 · 560 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnAUTOOEM · verified
Tire size215/55R17 94VOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5, Optional: 8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN1
Engine air filter1780177050
Fuel filter7702433410
Spark plug9091901289
Battery2880031572
Front wiper blades8521206240 alt 8522206240
Thermostat1632647020 alt 1632625010
Cabin air filter8713958010 alt 871390E040

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.1 in
Overall width73.6 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase113 in
Curb weight3704 lb
Track (front / rear)63.8 / 63.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined43 / 44 / 44 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume97 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.8 qt of 0W-16 engine oil, 75W-85 · GL-5 in the differential, SAE J1703 · Dot 3 · SAE J1704 · Dot 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 30.0 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidSAE J1703 · Dot 3 · SAE J1704 · Dot 4
Differential Gear Oil75W-85 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity0.48-0.58 Qts.
Engine CoolantToyota Super Long Life Coolant
Engine Oil0W-16
Engine Oil Capacity4.8 qt
Transfer Case FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity4.1 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)5.5 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts192.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts96.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts19.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Differential Fill Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Differential drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug37.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug37.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)Checking Speed: 1100 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)Checking Speed: 50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug TypeFC16HR-Q8
Spark Plug Gap0.0472 in
Spark Plug Torque15 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Oil TypeGasoline Model: ND-12; HV Models: ND-Oil 11
Oil Capacity1.35 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance560 cca

Service checks

RPM43.0-121.0 @ Idle rpm
Residual Pressure14.0 psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque25.0 ft-lbs
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque79.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor Torque6.6
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.0394; Rear: 0.0394 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .984; Rear: .414
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .002; Rear: .0059

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90°30 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
166.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 66.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 90°, Step 4: 90°66 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 90°15 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 miFloor Mat (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner) · Hybrid Battery Compartment Air Filter (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (road test)
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 Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miHybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)

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 provided federal record covers only 2013–2018, which does not include the target year of 2021. Without 2021 data in the year-by-year federal record, I cannot place it within the generational trend arc or compare it directly to adjacent model years. What is available for 2021 shows only two complaint areas—Seat Belts and Electrical System/Forward Collision Avoidance—each with a single complaint, and zero crash or fire complaints, which are minimal indicators. The broader trend from 2013 through 2018 shows a clear decline in complaints (from 40 down to 5), recalls (from 1 to 0), and TSBs (from 287 to 81), suggesting the generation improved over time. However, since the 2021 model falls outside the provided dataset, the data does not specify where it sits relative to that improvement arc. The data does not specify whether 2021 continues the declining complaint trend or introduces new issues, so a definitive trend comparison cannot be made. Takeaway: The limited 2021-specific complaint data shows minimal issues, but the absence of that year in the year-by-year federal record prevents a full assessment of how it fits within the generation's reliability arc—proceed with this knowledge gap in mind.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
115
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
0 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 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Seat Belts1
Electrical System,Forward Collision Avoidance1

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 115 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0021-252026-03-10EngineOBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now…
L-SB-0021-252026-02-27EngineOBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now…
L-SB-0057-22 Rev22026-02-02Electrical SystemOBSOLETE NOTICE February 2, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0004-26.
L-SB-0004-262026-01-23Electrical SystemSome 2018 – 2025 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform™ 2.0 Navigation…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 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
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

How much oil does the 2021 ES300h take?

4.8 qt of 0W-16, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 ES300h have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the ES300h get?

EPA figures are 43 city / 44 highway / 44 combined mpg.